DU Gymnastics scored its second-highest score in program history for the second week in a row, scoring a 197.775 to beat host Illinois, which scored 195.025. This score is also good for the highest road score.
“The team did what we expected tonight. They demonstrated their consistency, home or away. They were relaxed but focused, and everyone did their jobs,” Head-Coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart said following the meet. “We rested some people and gave others opportunities on every event, and everyone was adaptable to the lineup changes. They continue to stay in the moment and focused on one meet at a time, but we still have room to improve.”
Denver started the meet on bars, earning four scores above 9.900, including event winning 9.925s from sophomores Emily Glynn (Longmont, Colo.) and Lynzee Brown (Kansas City, Mo.). Junior Maddie Karr (Stillwater, Minn.) scored 9.900, matched by senior Diana Chesnok (Charlotte, N.C.) in her first bar appearance this year. Senior Claire Kern (Charlotte, N.C.) and freshman Alexandria Ruiz (Lake Mary, Fla.) both scored 9.825s to round out DU’s score for the bar rotation. The team score of 49.550 tied its highest-ever bars road score and is good for second-highest bar score in program history.
On the vault, the Pioneers scored a 49.250 overall, capped by Karr’s event winning 9.900. Brown took second in the event with 9.875. Chesnok scored a 9.850, and senior Kaitlyn Schou (Orlando, Fla.) had a 9.835. Ruiz scored 9.800.
On the floor, Denver scored a season high of 49.450. Brown took the event title with 9.950, while Karr placed second with a season-high tying 9.925. Schoy and Ruiz matched 9.875, and Kern tied her career-high with a 9.825.
The Pioneers finished the meet on the beam, with a total score of 49.600, breaking the previous school record of 49.550 that was set the week before. Karr and freshman Alexis Vasquez (Arcadia, Calif.) led the team with matching 9.950s, splitting the event title. Brown, Ruiz and Schou all scored 9.900, with Brown matching her career best and Ruiz setting a new personal record.
Karr took the All-Around title with a score of 39.675, and Brown placed second with a 39.650.
The gymnastics team returns to Magness arena for their final home meet of the season on Sunday, March 10 at 2 p.m., MST. They will face No. 18 Nebraska, No. 21 Arizona State and Pittsburgh for their senior meet.
