DENVER – The No. 10 ranked University of Denver women’s gymnastics team began its 2022 campaign in record time, scoring 197,000 to top San Jose State (195,950) in the teams’ season opener on Sunday.
Denver’s score marks the program’s highest score in the season’s first event – achieved while YOU were without key routines across all four events due to COVID-19 health / safety and “return to play” protocols.
COACH’S NOTES:
From head coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart: “I am incredibly proud of the heart, the reluctance and the resilience that this team showed today. It is a challenging time for everyone and we are not in full strength. But so many individual student-athletes gained competitive experience, and it will pay off and add depth. “
She added: “Even briefly showing today that we can compete at the highest level and we look forward to people returning to lineups over the next few weeks.”
SIGNIFICANT STATISTICS
- DU’s 197,000 obscures the previous school record for the opening season’s opening result (196,700 set in 2020). It also marks the earliest Denver has hit the 197 mark in any season, and improves on the second encounter from the 2021 season.
- As a team, Denver also set season-opening records on volts (49,225) and floor (49,350).
- Sophomore Rylie Mundell made his long-awaited all-around debut and earned 39,450 to finish in second place overall and win the bar title.
- Four DU gymnasts set or did career highs on Sunday: Mundell on volts and floor and in all-round, junior Emma Brown on beam and sophomores Abbie Thompson and Bella Mabanta on the floor.
- Denver did not have its full complement of routines for Sunday’s meet including – but not limited to – all-around performance from senior Alexandria Ruiz and other students Jessica Hutchinson, and several events each from freshmen Mia Hebinck and Momoko Iwai.
OVERVIEW OF WIFE
Denver opened the season with 49,225 on volts, which would have been the team’s third highest score at the event throughout the 2021 season. Mundell’s locked Yurchenko 1.5 was the highlight of the rotation, giving her a career with 9,925. All four remaining counted scores were at or above the 9,800 mark for graduate students Lynnzee Brown, Emily Glynn and Mia Sundstrøm, and sophomore Hutchinson.
GREAT Y1.5 from Rylie Mundell, and she ties her career high with a 9,925!#PionerTogether | #GoPios pic.twitter.com/6AajqacCXp
– Denver Gymnastics (@DU_Gymnastics) January 9, 2022
OVERVIEW OF BARS
Mundell continued his fantastic start to the season with a team-leading 9,900 on poles. Once again, YOU only counted routines in the range of 9,800 or higher Lynnzee Brown, Glynn, Ruiz and Sundstrom. Sophomore Rosie Casali also got his season debut in the bars.
OVERVIEW OF THE RAY
Lynnzee Brown started the beam rotation in its normal deflection position and hit her routine despite a longer delay at the start of the rotation. Three DU gymnasts scored 9,850s including Mundell and another student Abbie Thompson. The third 9,850 came from junior transfer Emma Brown, who tied his career high in his first routine back as a student-athlete in Denver. Sophomore Bella Mabanta hit her routine immediately after a fall to help get the rotation back on track and prevent YOU from counting the fall to the team score.
FLOOR OVERVIEW
Denver ended its historic event with its best event rotation of the event, led by Lynnzee Browns almost perfect 9,975 on the floor. Thompson set a new personal record with his 9,925 in fifth place, while Mabanta matched his personal record with 9,875 as a lead-off gymnast. Emma Brown also filled the floor and scored 9,800, while Mundell appeared on the first floor lineup and scored 9,775.
Lynnzee Brown, it’s great to have you back for another year!
This year’s routine on the first floor: 9,975!#PionerTogether | #GoPios pic.twitter.com/pfSkFGNkER
– Denver Gymnastics (@DU_Gymnastics) January 9, 2022
PODIUM ENDS
Everywhere
Lynnzee Brown: First place – 39,475
Mundell: Second place – 39,450
Vault
Mundell: First place – 9,925
Lynnzee Brown: Second place – 9,850
Glynn: Third place (draw) – 9,825
Sundstrom: Third place (draw) – 9,825
Bars
Mundell: Second place – 9,900
Glynn: Third place (draw) – 9,875
Beam
Emma Brown: Third place (draw) – 9,850
Mundell: Third place (draw) – 9,850
Thompson: Third place (draw) – 9,850
Floor
Lynnzee Brown: First place – 9,975
Thompson: Second place – 9,925
Mabanta: Third place – 9,875
NEXT:
Denver opens up for a road trip in three meetings, the first of two away rallies at Big Ten schools when YOU travel to Ohio State No. 22 on Saturday, January 15th.
YOU return home on Sunday, February 6th against New Hampshire. Season tickets, single-match tickets and group tickets are all for sale and can be bought online or by calling 303-871-4625.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATES
Masks are required at all indoor sporting events. For the latest University of Denver coronavirus updates, click here.
TICKETS
Tickets for the DU Gymnastics season 2022 are now on sale. Season tickets are available from $ 40, and single-hit tickets start at $ 12. Tickets can be bought online or by calling 303-871-4625.
SHOP PIONEER
Get dressed for game day! Put on your Pioneers equipment ShopPioneers.com, the official online store for the University of Denver Athletics.
DONER
Fans interested in making a donation to the gymnastics program can do so online. Your contribution will have a direct impact on the success of YOUR Pioneers. Thank you in advance for your unwavering support to our student-athletes and their quest for excellence.
– OUR JOURNEY, OUR TIME –
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