No. 13 DU Women’s Gymnastics scored a 196.675 to top Utah State’s 195.000 on Jan. 27 in front of a sellout crowd in Hamilton Gymnasium. Sophomore Maddie Karr (Stillwater, Minn.) claimed the all-around title with a score of 39.600. She was not the only title-holder of the night, as DU swept the event titles during a sellout Pink Night.
DU began the meet on vault with only five gymnasts competing. Freshman Lynnzee Brown (Kansas City, Mo.) took the title in the event with a personal-best score of 9.925, while Karr took second with a 9.900. Senior Nikole Addison (Fort Myers, Fla.) tied for third with a USU gymnast, with a score of 9.825. Freshman Mia Sundstrom (Boulder, Colo.), posted a 9.775, and junior Diana Chesnok (Charlotte, N.C.) scored a 9.725 to contribute to the team total of 49.150 on vault.
On the bars, Denver competed the first time with only five gymnasts, and scored two of the meet’s top two scores. Karr tied her caree-best score of 9.900 to win the bars title for the second meet in a row, while Brown set a new personal record on the event with a score of 9.875 to finish second. Chesnok, Sundstrom and junior Claire Kern (Charlotte, N.C.) all scored 9.775. The team finished with a total of 49.000
The third rotation began with Denver on beam, the only event in which Denver used six athletes. The lowest score would be dropped. Addison led the team off with a 9.60. Chesnok followed with a 9.55. Brown set another personal best on beam with a 9.875, tying Karr for first on the vent. Sundstrom placed third with 9.850, and junior Kaitlyn Schou (Orlando, Fla.) finished just outside of the podium with a score of 9.825.
Despite only having five gymnasts compete, the Pioneers finished the meet on the floor, earning their highest team score on any event this season, with a score of 49.475. All five gymnasts earned spots, tying for either first or third. Karr and Addison tied for first with 9.925, while Sundstrom, Schou and Brown all scored 9.875, tying for third.
Karr took first in the all-around. Brown finished second with a personal high of 39.550, while Sundstrom was third with a career-high 39.725.
“It was a total team performance tonight. We’re still using five student-athletes on three events, but I continue to be impressed with the mental and physical toughness of this team,” Head Coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart said following the meet. “Everyone plays a role. We had some outstanding performances tonight and still have room for growth, and we’re going to continue to get better especially as we increase our depth.”
Kutcher-Rinehart thanked the fans after the meet for continuing the momentum from the home opener, stating, “I want to give a special thank you to our fans and friends. It was great to have sellout and continue the momentum from our Jan.14 meet in Magness Arena. They provided energy and an electric atmosphere.”
The Pioneers are currently in the middle of a three meet homestand. They compete again on Feb. 3 at 6 p.m. against BYU, Bowling Green and Ball State.
