Photo by: Dave Stewart
Despite the team finishing 4th in the NCAA Champaign Regional tournament with a final score of 194.875, one Pioneer gymnast will continue the journey to the NCAA Championships April 20-22 in Duluth, Ga.
The Pioneers, who went into the tournament ranked No. 14, finished 4th in the competition behind No. 2 Oklahoma (197.025), No. 11 Stanford (196.675) and No. 22 Illinois (195.725). They topped No. 24 Kentucky (194.75) and unranked Illinois-Chicago (194.15.)
Sophomore Moriah Martin nabbed her spot in the national tournament Saturday afternoon after posting a 39.200 in the All-Around, securing 4th place and finishing 2nd on vault with a 9.850 to secure her spot.
Martin was paired with the Georgia Gym Dogs for the NCAA Championships, which was announced along with 11 other pairings on Monday. Martin and the Gym Dogs will compete in the second session of the tournament.
“I’m really excited to go to Nationals and represent the university,” said Martin.
With Martin’s qualification, the Pioneers have extended their streak of sending at least one gymnast to the NCAA Championships for 13 consecutive seasons, sending Brianna Springer last year.
Denver also earned three All-North Central Region honors on Saturday. Assistant coach Jay Hogue was named the Co-Assistant Coach of the Year, Martin was named the Gymnast of the Year and Assistant Vice Chancellor Ron Grahame was named Administrator of the Year of the NCAA.
Along with Martin, sophomore Melodie Pulgarin Linero finished 7th in the All-Around with a 38.85 and freshman Ellese Sakai-Hart finished 14th with a 38.550.
“We’re really excited for Moriah to be attending Nationals,” said head coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart. “We wish the whole team was going, but I know Moriah will represent the University of Denver and make everyone proud.”
Senior Louise Mercer opened for the Pioneers on bars in the second rotation after a first round bye, where she scored a 9.800 to anchor the event in her last ever collegiate meet. Also on bars, Martin tallied a 9.755 and Denver combined for a 48.625 in the first rotation.
Sophomore Jorie Hall led Denver in the third rotation on beam, where both she and Martin posted a 9.775. Freshman Kayla Carlsen, who will retire this spring because of a shoulder injury, added a 9.725 in her final meet as a Pioneer. Collectively, Denver posted a 48.450 on beam.
The Pioneers put up their best performance Saturday on Floor, where they tallied a 49.075. With that score, the Pioneers stretched their scoring streak of posting 49.000 or better to eight straight competitions.
Mercer, Pulgarin Linero and Sakai-Hart each tallied a 9.825, while Martin and Hall each added a 9.800 and sophomore Kaitlin Moorhead scored a 9.775. On vault, Denver inked a 48.725 to round out the afternoon.
