On Jan. 9, the Pioneers welcomed Southern Utah University and West Virginia University for the first gymnastics meet of the 2016 season.
DU won the meet with a score of 195.375. Southern Utah finished in second place followed by West Virginia with scores of 194.100 and 193.650 respectively.
DU’s first event was vault. Junior Rachel Fielitz (Walden, New York) had the high score for the Pioneers with a 9.80.
Freshman Diana Chesnok (Charlotte, North Carolina) contributed a 9.750 in her first college event. The team score for the event was a 49.100.
On bars, DU scored the same team score as on vault. Freshman Claire Kern (Charlotte, North Carolina) competed on the bars for her first college showing and scored a 9.800. Senior Nina McGee (Cincinnati, Ohio) led on bars with a 9.90.
The beam was also a huge success with no falls for the Pioneers. Sophomore Claire Hammen (Loveland, Colorado) scored a career high and the team high for beam with a 9.825.
Freshman Kaitlyn Schou (Orlando, Florida) recorded a 9.500 in her beam routine.
The highlight of the meet was McGee’s perfect 10 during her floor routine.
“During the routine I was just completely relaxed, especially after beam had gone well,” said McGee. “I always try to get pumped and get the crowd involved. I look at them when I’m doing my routines and they seemed really into it. After all of the time I spent in practice, I didn’t need to really even think about what I was doing. It just came to me.”
This routine would be her first career perfect 10.
“I couldn’t even see the score at first because I didn’t have my glasses, but after I realized what happened. I was so excited because what are the odds that I get a perfect 10 at the very first meet of the season?” said McGee.
While incredible, it can be difficult to achieve perfection so early in the season, but that did not stop McGee.
“I’m just going to focus on my other events and try to do really well at those, too. The goal is to repeat, but I’m just having fun,” she said.
Following her perfect 10, McGee was then named the BIG 12 Gymnast of the Week. She is also currently ranked No. 1 in the country for floor.
Denver is currently ranked number 13 in the NCAA.
The Pioneer’s next meet is on Jan. 23 against the University of Washington in Denver’s own Hamilton Gymnasium.
