On Jan. 14, the DU gymnastics team hosted their first home meet of the season in Hamilton Gymnasium.
No. 7 ranked DU faced Arizona State University (ASU), the Air Force Academy (AFA) and Texas Woman’s University (TWU).
DU was victorious with a score of 196.350. ASU finished second with a 193.275, followed by TWU with a 192.125 and AFA with a 189.900. DU also swept the podium in each event, including the all-around where the Pioneers were awarded first, second and third places.
The team has managed to thrive despite two of their top gymnasts being injured. Junior Claire Hammen (Loveland, Colorado) broke her right foot and sophomore Grace Broadhurst (Broomfield, Colorado) tore her ACL and meniscus. Both gymnasts were injured in practice over winter break. Broadhurst is out for the season, while Hammen will hopefully be returning in a few months. Despite missing these athletes, DU has continued to find great success at the start of their 2017 season.
The meet began with a tribute to alum Nina McGee, who graduated last spring. McGee won the National Championship title for the floor exercise in 2016, in addition to scoring three perfect tens on her floor routine throughout the season.
DU’s first event of the night was vault. Due to the injuries of Hammen and Broadhurst, only five gymnasts competed for the Pioneers in this event.
Senior Julia Ross (Henderson, Nevada) scored a 9.850 for the event, the highest of the meet. Freshman Maddie Karr (Stillwater, Minnesota) took second with a 9.825. Third place went to sophomore Kaitlyn Schou (Orlando, Florida) with a 9.800. The overall team score for vault was 48.825.
Next, DU headed to the uneven bars. Freshman Sam Ogden (Allen, Texas) was the event champion after scoring a career high of 9.875. Karr took second with a score of 9.850, which was also a career high. Ross tied for third with a 9.825. The uneven bars team score was 49.100.
On beam, Karr had the highest score of the night with a career high 9.900. Schou took second with 9.875 and Ross tied with junior Nikole Addison (Fort Myers, Florida) with 9.850. Schou and Addison both scored a new career-high on the event. The team score was 49.275, making beam the best event of the night for the Pioneers.
The final event of the night was the floor exercise. The floor champion was Addison with a career high 9.925. Freshman Courtney Loper (West Des Moines, Iowa) took second with a career high 9.875, followed by Karr in third with a 9.850. The team score for floor was 49.150.
Karr (39.425), Addison (39.275) and Ross (39.200) took first, second and third in the all-around.
DU’s next home meet is Feb. 11 against Boise State University in Hamilton Gymnasium.
