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After a grueling preseason, the DU gymnastics team started their regular season schedule this past weekend, finishing third in an event they hosted in Magness Arena.
In the event, the Pioneers took on No. 7-ranked Georgia, one of many ranked teams on Denver’s slate this year as the team looks to compete against some of the nation’s best teams.
“Training time is over,” said head coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart. “Now it is time to compete and we are ready to do just that and very excited to get started.”
In their first competition, the team took on BYU and Air Force in addition to the Bulldogs, finishing with 192.95 collective points, placing third behind Georgia (195.575 points) and BYU (193.225 points).
The Pioneers take on a slew of highly touted clubs from across the nation as their regular season schedule heats up quickly following last weekend’s open.
The second test of the season comes on Jan. 21 when Denver travels to Norman, Okla., to compete against the No. 4-ranked Oklahoma Sooners.
While their January schedule eases up after that road trip, the No. 16-ranked Pioneers schedule hardly gets easier in the months of February and March when they take on four more top 20 preseason clubs before hosting the NCAA Regionals at Magness Arena on April 2.
The Pioneers schedule also includes preseason No. 1-ranked UCLA, No. 6 Stanford, No. 8 Oregon State and No. 11 Arkansas.
“We have an extremely competitive schedule with many top-tier opponents that we look forward to competing against,” said Rinehart.
“We know what lies ahead and we believe we have prepared ourselves for that.”
The team graduated three of its top performers from last season, including Kelley Hennigan, Lauren Garan and Ellen McCarthy.
Garan and McCarthy were stalwarts on the balance beam during their careers and both leave a void to be filled by several newcomers.
“Balance beam has been consistent for us, but it is now going to be a challenge as we replace our entire lineup from last year,” said Rinehart.
In addition to the departures, the team will be without sophomore Simona Castro who is undergoing ankle surgery and will be out for the next eight weeks or more, according to the coach.
“The injury to Simona gives others the opportunity to step up in her place and help us be in a good position come the later months of the season,” said Rinehart.
DU returns junior Brianna Springer, who represented the Pioneers at the NCAA National Championships alongside Hennigan. Springer finished No. 11 overall at the second part of the competition.
In her first performance of this season, Springer finished with a 9.7 on the vault, while earning the team 38.025 all- around points.
The Pioneers will host Texas Women’s University in Hamilton Gym on Saturday at 6 p.m.
