After a long offseason wait, the University of Denver gymnastics team finally returned to the floor on Sunday, taking first place over No. 13 Stanford.
This success marks the beginning of what has the potential to be a highly successful season. With rising leadership and the influx of talented new freshmen, DU gymnastics will be looking to go further than last year’s third place finish in the NCAA Regional Final.
Junior Madison Reidenbach will once again look to headline the team after last season’s T-16th finish in the NCAA National Semifinal. Her strongest event is the vault, where her upgraded Yurkchenko 1.5 earned her a career best of a 9.975 last February.
This season she will make her all-around debut with her first collegiate appearance on the bars against Stanford. She finished second all-around at the meet, only behind Stanford’s Olympic bronze medalist Ana Barbosu.
Reidenbach is looking to go as far as possible this season, and with the immense offseason training she put in, she feels she has what it takes.
“I feel like I can rely more on the numbers I have put in,” Reidenbach said.
This year’s roster features six new freshmen, four of whom made their debuts against Stanford. Freshman Shyla Bhatia equaled the program record for the highest score by a freshman with her 9.925 on the vault.
To balance their youth, Denver gymnastics brings three seniors who will all be competing all-around. With a depth of talent and experience, they will provide strong leadership for the younger side of the roster.
Senior Celia Cooley is coming off a T-2nd place finish at NCAA Regionals and was selected to the Big 12 preseason team for the bars and the floor.
Senior Mila Brusch made the Big 12 preseason team for the vault after she tied for first in the 2025 Big 12 Championship with a career high tying 9.900. She also scored a 9.900 in the 2024 Big 12 Championship, showing her ability to perform on the biggest stages.
Senior Kiley Rorich brings a T-2nd finish in bars at the NCAA Regionals last year, also earning her a spot on the Big 12 Preseason team for bars. She holds a career high of a near perfect 9.975 on the bars.
All three seniors have strong floor routines and are a key part of Denver’s consistency in the event, with all of them holding a career high of 9.900.
Denver graduated six gymnasts at the end of last season, all of whom left big shoes to fill. Rosie Casali and Rylie Mundell both qualified for the NCAA Individual National Championships.
Denver’s highest finisher from last year’s NCAA Individual National Championships, Madison Ulrich, leaves another gap to fill with her transfer to Louisiana State University during the offseason. She finished T-6th all-around.
Head Coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart will enter her 28th year coaching the Denver gymnastics team, a run that includes 26 consecutive NCAA Regional appearances.
“I thought they did well to not focus on the past or the future, but to instead stay present in the moment and in their own bubble. It’s a great starting point and something to build off of,” said Kutcher-Rinehard after Denver’s opening meet.
Reidenbach shared her coach’s attitude, not focusing too much on the specifics of what’s ahead.
“One meet at a time,” Reinenbach said. “I’m very excited for all the meets this year.”
Denver placed No. 16 in the preseason rankings, the second highest ranked team in the Big 12 behind Utah who was ranked No. 5.
Denver will travel to Texas Women’s University for a meet with TWU and No. 18 Arizona on Jan. 16. Next, they will start their stretch of Big 12 meets on Jan. 24 at West Virginia.
Despite most of Denver’s athletic programs making the switch from the Summit League to the WCC, DU gymnastics will stay in the Big 12, where they have competed since 2016.
The Crimson and Gold will go on to host Iowa State on Feb. 1, No. 18 Arizona on Feb. 14 and No. 5 Utah on March 4 to cap off their home Big 12 meets. The Big 12 Championship will start on March 21 where Denver will be hunting for their first title since 2021.
