Photo by: Jacob Rokeach
After a tough start to the season at the Super Six Challenge, the woman’s gymnastics team got back on track with an easy 195.375 to 179.250 victory over in-state competitor Air Force Academy.
“I think there were definite improvements this weekend and I think there is still room for a lot more improvements, but they are really getting stronger now,” said ninth-year head coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart.
Senior Heather Huffaker won the all-around title and four other DU athletes won event titles.
“Today’s performance is awesome, I think last weekend gave us the push we needed to do what we needed to do for the rest of the year,” said Huffaker.
The Pioneers (2-4) finished fifth out of six competitors last week at the Super Six Challenge in Arkansas and got the strong performance they needed to get back on track.
“I think when we opened, it was exactly what we wanted. It was a chance to see where we were doing well and where we needed to improve,” said Kutcher-Rinehart.
Sophomore Jessica Lopez continued her success with a second consecutive uneven bars title with a score of 9.925 and junior Courtney Butler finished in second with a score of 9.825.
Sophomore Nikki Brown won the balance beam title with a score of 9.825, on her way to leading the Pioneers to their best score of the year, 49.000. Junior Sasha Sullivan won the floor exercise for DU with a score of 9.925 and Huffaker was in second with a 9.85.
“I am really happy with the attitude, discipline and the work ethic that the gymnasts exhibited this past week,” said Kutcher-Rinehart.
Denver has made eight consecutive appearances in the NCAA Regionals since the coach’s arrival and won the most meets in a season last year since the 2000 campaign.
“We have just been trying so hard to continue to improve every year and be a consistent top ten team, hosting the NCAA Regionals this year gives us hopefully that advantage to advance to nationals,” said Kutcher-Rinehart.
DU will next be in action this weekend when the Pioneers host the University of New Hampshire on Saturday at 6 p.m. in the Hamiliton Gym.
