The No. 11 DU gymnastics team took on Air Force Feb. 27 after placing fourth at the Metroplex Challenge last week in Fort Worth, Texas behind Oklahoma, Washington and Stanford. The Crimson and Gold dominated each event and secured the win with an all-around score of 196.475 to Air Force’s 194.650.
Denver took an early lead on vault, scoring 49.05, with sophomore Rylie Mundell (Parker, Colo.) leading the way with an average of 9.85, while the Falcons accumulated a 48.65 on the bars.
DU then totaled a 48.45 on bars, their best rotation of the meet, with Mundell and sophomore Jessica Hutchinson (Gilbertsville, Pa.) sharing the top spot with both receiving a 9.875. The top five scores on bars all came from Denver.
On the beam, Denver came out with the top five scores of the competition once again, with Hutchinson on top with a 9.9. Sophomore Bella Mabanta (Frisco, Texas) scored a 9.85, followed by Mundell’s 9.825 to complete the podium sweep. Junior Callie Schlottman (Savage, Minn.) came in with a hit routine despite suffering a fall earlier in the lineup and posted a 9.800 for fourth.
On the floor, Hutchinson tied her career-high of 9.950 for the second week in a row, earning a 10.0 from one judge. Mabanta and Mundell both scored new career highs of 9.900 and 9.800, respectively, after falls last week. Again, in the first routine of the rotation, freshman Momoko Iwai (Dallas, Texas) tied her personal best with a 9.875. Due to a last-minute change, Schlottman stepped in for graduate student Emily Glynn (Longmont, Colo.) and contributed to Denver’s team total with a 9.625 in her collegiate debut in the event.
Bella Mabanta on beam | Courtesy of Lauren Tapper“Callie is our MVP today after stepping up on beam and then having to fill in for Emily at the last minute on floor,” head coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart said after the meet. “I’m so proud of her.”
Hutchinson ended up with four first-place finishes, coming out on top in every event—including all-around—except for vault. The only podium finish from the Falcons came from freshman Ayla McKean (South Berwick, Maine) who scored third overall on vault and tied for third all-around with fellow Falcon first-year Genevieve Sabado (Pomona, Calif.).
Though they trailed DU in each event, Air Force put up their second-highest score of the season.
The squad will be back in action next week on the road to take on Penn State and Cornell in University Park, Pa. The Crimson and Gold will then return home to host their second podium meet of the season against Oregon State, Arkansas and Nebraska.
