Falling short by 0.125 points of qualifying for a second consecutive NCAA Championships on one’s home floor could be seen by some as a disappointment and could potentially affect on their following season.
Instead, the team used the disappointment of last year’s NCAA Regionals as motivation. With 11 of 14 gymnasts returning and the most ambitious schedule in program history, the nationally-ranked Pioneers view 2003 as an opportunity to prove that they are a national player in college gymnastics.
“We’re really excited about this team and the potential this team has,” Head Coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart said. “I’ve never felt so good about the chemistry of the team. . . The athletes know what the goal is, they’re focused and determined and giving 110 percent everyday.”
The Pioneers start the toughest schedule in program history Jan. 10 when they become the first opponent in University of Arkansas gymnastics program history. The Pioneers welcome Stanford for the annual Alumni Challenge on Jan. 18. Stanford defeated the Pioneers in Palo Alto last season and ended Denver’s season prematurely at the NCAA North Central Region Championships last April.
Following the meet with Stanford, the Pioneers have three more road meets before returning home Feb. 8 to host the Burnsley Invitational and face Air Force and defending national champion Alabama.
Denver takes on another national power a week later as Kutcher-Rinehart returns to her alma mater for the first time as Denver’s head coach to face Florida on Feb. 14. The Pioneers are 0-2 all-time against the Gators and the meet will mark the first head-to-head meeting since 2001. On Feb. 22, Denver hosts the final “grudge” match when it welcomes Michigan to Hamilton Gymnasium for the first time since 1985. The Pioneers close out February with a trip to Air Force on the 24th.
On March 1, the Pioneers host Western Michigan, Air Force and Illinois in Hamilton Gymnasium before traveling to Oregon State for the Shannico Inn-vitational on March 7. After another road contest at Kentucky, the Pioneers return home for Senior Night and welcome West Virginia and Arizona to Magness Arena.
“This is why we make such a challenging schedule for ourselves, so we can get used to competing with the same teams we’ll see in postseason.” Kutcher-Rinehart said. “I think the schedule should prepare us really well. To be the best you have to (be the best) against the best.”
