For the first time in school history, the No. 13 Pioneers gymnastics team has qualified to compete in the NCAA national championship in back-to-back years.
On Saturday, the Pioneers finished the North East Region championship in second with a team score of 195.775, behind No. 1 and three-time defending champion Georgia, which posted a 197.775. Comparable to last season’s performance in the North Central Regional at Magness Arena, the Pioneers edged out their host No. 23 Penn State, which posted 195.700, just three-quarters of a point behind Denver.
Denver also finished above No. 11 Auburn, 195.150, BYU, 194.325, and Iowa State, 194.200.
As Penn State finished the night which a season-high 49.150 on the uneven bars, the pressure fell on floor exercise to place the Pioneers in second. Junior Liz Meals opened the event with a 9.6, followed by freshman Amanda Johanson, who posted a 9.725. For her first performance in the lineup all season, freshman Kristina Coccia recorded a 9.8. Sophomore Ellen McCarthy scored a 9.75. The Pioneers needed two big scores to push the team into second, and senior Sasha Sullivan and junior All-American Jessica López did just that. Sullivan posted a 9.875 and López recorded a team-high 9.9 for the final floor exercise routine of the evening, finishing in third place and giving Denver a team score of 49.050.
“Certainly Jessica deserves tremendous amount of credit. It came down to her. She’s experienced in those pressure situations,” said Head Coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart.
The Pioneers opened the evening on the vault and struggled, managing to post only a 48.500 with the fall of sophomore Kelley Hennigan, whoparticipated after missing the final three meets due to a foot injury.
“Vault is one of the places we can continue to improve,” said Kutcher-Rinehart. “Kelly Hennigan had a sprained ankle, and that sprain was pretty serious. She’s pushing through pain and working her way back very quickly. She knows how important she is tow the vault line up and the team and have to commend her.”
The low vault score did not discourage the Pioneers as they performed well on the uneven bars. The Pioneers tied their season-high score of a 49.175, and counted all five scores that were 9.8 or higher. López and senior Courtney Butler posted scores of 9.875, and Sullivan posted her season-high 9.825. Senior Paige Schuster and junior Nikki Brown each recorded 9.8, contributing to Denver’s team score.
“I thought the bars were our best event of the night,” Kutcher-Rinehard said. “We had solid hand stand positions and we were just sticking landing after landing, and to have season-high scores at regionals, where officiating really is a little tighter, is really impressive.”
The Pioneers continued their fervent performance as they competed on the balance beam, counting the four scores of 9.8 and higher, as López continued to lead the way with a 9.85. Just behind López were junior Lauren Garan and Brown who posted scores of 9.825. Sullivan also contributed to the team’s 49.050 posting a 9.8.
López placed fourth in the all-around with a 39.375, Sullivan placed close behind in sixth with a 39.250.
“It was such an exciting and thrilling meet both emotionally and mentally,” Kutcher-Rinehart said. “This year I thought it was more difficult for it to not be one hit wonder, they are bound and determined to not let that happen. It’s more thrilling that we advanced on the road, in an away performance. It really shows strength and character that we are a strong road team.”
Denver will compete in Session I in the NCAA national championship on Thursday in Athens, Ga., at 5 p.m. MDT.
