Although the women’s gymnastics team doesn’t begin its season until after winter break, its members have been practicing every day in order to get themselves ready to improve on the successes they had last season.

Ranked 14 in the country at the end of the competitive season, the team was only .125 points from the top finishers at the NCAA North Regionals. Georgia and Stanford tied for first place and went to the NCAA national championships.

Georgia went on to finish second in the country, and Stanford went on to finish sixth.

The Pioneers were only a “step on a landing,” away from a berth in the NCAA championship tournament last season, according to Head Coach Melissa Kutcher-Reinhart. “I felt like our regional was almost like a mini-nationals.”

There are not a whole lot of improvements to be made in the team, when asked what needed to be improved in order to win the North Regionals Kutcher-Reinhart responded, “Just keeping our student athletes healthy. I think we’ve improved a lot on our strength and conditioning from last year to this year. We’ve actually changed several things, and I really feel like it’s paying off.

Our athletes seem to be stronger and fitter than they even were at this time last year, so I think that’s one positive change, (also) proper skill selection, making sure that we’re picking the right skills for each athlete (is important).”

The team was evidently not effected by its youth last year; it received its highest ranking ever, despite having to integrate four freshmen.

This year the team is still young, but there are seven upper classmen, and only one freshman, so the team can focus on having good performances without being distracted by trying to integrate a lot of new team members.

Senior Ashley Shible was the lone DU gymnast to compete at the nationals, last year.

“She didn’t have one of her strongest competitions, however she found out that it’s challenging and difficult for any individual to compete without a team,” Kutcher-Rinehart said. “I feel Ashley gained a new appreciation of what it takes to have a team compete and be successful at Nationals.”

The entire team hopes to experience the thrill of competing at the national individual championships. Despite the many small disappointments they endured last season, the team still managed to have its best season in its history last year.

Coach Kutcher expects the team to continue winning this season.”The team’s goals for this year are, as always, to be at the NCAA national championships, and just to improve on last year’s performance.”

The gymnastics team will begin its season with an intersquad competition on Dec. 12. Their first meet will be against Arkansas, Jan 10. For more information visit the gymnastics page on the DU athletic Web site.