Drawing on her experience of competing for the University of Florida as an all-around gymnast from 1989 to 1992, gymnastics head coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart knows exactly what her athletes are going through.
“I know what it’s like,” said Kutcher-Rinehart. “When they tell me they’re tired, I completely understand. I remember the demands of balancing academics and athletics, and I certainly remember the expectation and the pressure of competing at a high level. I can relate; I have been through it. It gives me some insight to know how I can challenge them.”
Now in her 15th season as head coach of the Pioneer program, Kutcher-Rinehart has compiled an impressive 272-137-2 overall record, leading the team to 15 consecutive NCAA Regional appearances and three berths to the NCAA Championships. According to Kutcher-Rinehart, however, her tenure has felt closer to five years than 15.
“You know you love what you’re doing when time goes so fast,” she said. “I think that just shows how fortunate and blessed I feel and what a great place this is to work.”
Quick to credit her success to everyone around her, Kutcher-Rinehart acknowledged everyone from her athletes and her assistant coaches to former chancellor Daniel Ritchie and Peg Bradley-Doppes, DU’s vice chancellor for athletics and recreation.
“I’m really thankful for all the interactions I’ve had, and I think that’s honestly one of the reasons that we’re having so much success because of how much I did learn over all those years up until now,” said Kutcher-Rinehart. “I’m really proud of all the student athletes that have come through here over the course of my time; they’ve all taught me so much and taught me how to become a better coach, a better person.”
Assistant coach Carl Leland, who joined the Pioneers the same year as Kutcher-Rinehart, noticed similar characteristics in her personality.
“She’s a lifelong learner, so she’s constantly looking for how to improve not just the program, but also herself and her coaching abilities,” said Leland.
Beginning her gymnastics career around age 8, Kutcher-Rinehart said the sport initially functioned as an energy outlet more than anything else. However, after participating in her first tumbling class, she said it was pure love. “I started and just never stopped,” she said, grinning.
After graduating from Florida with a bachelor’s degree in communications, Kutcher-Rinehart traveled to the University of Michigan, where she served as an assistant coach from 1994 to 1997. She also completed her master’s degree in athletic administration during that period. At some point during her time at Michigan, however, Kutcher-Rinehart said she realized she wanted to become a head coach.
“I started interviewing, and I don’t know what I was looking for, but it needed to feel right,” said Kutcher-Rinehart. “Being from Florida, I’m never going to say that Michigan felt like my permanent home. It was a great place to stop, but I needed more sunshine. When the University of Denver head coaching position opened up and I was lucky enough to be invited out here on an interview, I think I realized right then that if I was fortunate enough to be offered the job, all the pieces were there.”
Looking back, Kutcher-Rinehart listed four reasons for accepting the job at DU: the high-level, brand new facilities, opened in 1999; the university’s prestigious academic reputation; the location both in Colorado and in Denver specifically and the administrative support.
Since joining the Pioneer staff in 1998, Kutcher-Rinehart has completely transformed the program, most notably making DU gymnastics history with back-to-back NCAA Championship appearances in 2007 and 2008. In the last eight seasons, she has led the team to a number of new records, including the program’s first-ever score of 197 or higher – a feat the team has now accomplished five times.
According to Kutcher-Rinehart, however, her goals reach far beyond athletic success.
“One of the things I’m proud of is that we try to do both; we try to balance both high-level academics and athletics,” she said. “From an excellence and a team standpoint, that’s what we’re looking at doing. From a character standpoint, something that is very important to me is to develop good people, people who are responsible, who are going to give back to their community.”
Looking at her accomplishments both as an athlete and as a coach, Kutcher-Rinehart has made her dedication to her team and to the sport of gynmastics abundantly clear.
“I really believe in the absolute discipline of it, the fitness and flexibility and strength of it,” said Kutcher-Rinehart of gymnastics. “I think it’s such a great sport. One of my favorite things about gymnastics is the power and elegance of the whole sport.”
