The No. 6 gymnastics team scored their fourth-highest score in program history on Jan. 10, 2019 in front of the largest-ever group for a Denver gymnastics meet. 6,100 fans were in attendance at Magness Arena, breaking the previous record of 4,634 from January 14, 2018.
Denver started the meet on vault where they scored 49.125 overall behind a strong performance from sophomore Lynnzee Brown (Kansas City, Mo.), who scored a 9.875. She was followed by junior teammate Maddie Karr (Stillwater, Minn.) with a 9.850. Senior Diana Chesnok (Charlotte, N.C.) and sophomore Mia Sundstrom (Boulder, Colo.) both contributed 9.825’s.
On the bars, senior Claire Kern (Charlotte, N.C.) and freshman Alexandria Ruiz (Lake Mary, Fla.) each tied their personal bests of 9.875 to help lead the Pioneers to a 49.375 overall. Karr scored 9.925, good for second in the event, and Brown tied for third with a 9.900. Sophomore Emily Glynn (Longmont, Colo.) contributed a 9.800 for Denver’s final counted score.
On the beam, the Pioneers kept their momentum rolling and tied the second-highest score in gymnastics program history after earning a 49.475. Brown led the team off with a commanding 9.850, followed by 9.800 from Ruiz. Freshman Alexis Vasquez (Arcadia, Calif.) earned a 9.925, the second-highest score for Denver. Both Karr and senior Kaitlyn Schou (Orlando, Fla.) tied their career highs with matching 9.950’s.
DU finished on the floor, matching their season high of 49.425. Karr scored a season-best 9.925, while Schou tied another career-high with a 9.900. Sundstrom scored a 9.850 and Ruiz scored a 9.750. The highlight of the night for DU came during the floor as Brown scored her first perfect 10.0. Brown’s 10.0 is the first 10.0 for Denver since Karr’s on vault on Feb. 18, 2017.
“It’s super exciting to do what I’ve been practicing. I wanted to scream (after sticking my final pass),” Brown said after the meet. “I planned out my routine to be right in front of my teammates, and their eye contact kept me motivated throughout the performance. It’s a reminder that I’m doing this for them and not for myself.”
Karr placed first in the all-around with a score of 39.650, while Brown was second with a 39.625 and Ruiz was third with 39.175.
Denver finished the night with a score of 197.400, three-tenths of a point behind No. 1 Oklahoma. This is the closest margin of victory between DU and Oklahoma since Jan. 6, 2006.
The Denver gymnastics team continues its three-meet homestand on Feb. 16 when DU hosts Illinois State in Hamilton Gymnasium, a meet that has already sold out.
