Denver Gymnastics Triumphs in Thrilling Quad Meet Showdown!

DENVER – The University of Denver women’s gymnastics team, ranked No. 11, demonstrated significant progress from its initial competition while securing a victory at a home quad meet on Sunday afternoon.
 
DU improved its overall score to 196.575 – almost nine tenths higher than its first meet of the season – thanks to enhanced team performances on vault and beam, placing ahead of No. 5 Missouri (196.1725), preseason No. 14 Georgia (195.975), and LIU (188.075).
 
COACH’S OBSERVATIONS:
Insights from Head Women’s Gymnastics Coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart: “I am pleased with their performance and progress from last week. We still have areas to develop. I want them to have the liberty to compete fearlessly, and numerous athletes are ready to join the lineups. It’s early in this season, and it’s beneficial to face challenges now to be prepared for postseason. We must take it one competition at a time. The potential exists, and we are enthusiastic about improving weekly.”
 
NOTABLE STATISTICS

• On beam, Denver raised its team score by 1.15 points from its season opener against Michigan. The squad also advanced on vault by over two tenths.

  • DU’s 49.125 on beam marked the highest score among the four competing teams, surpassing the next closest team, Missouri, by over five tenths.
  • Denver’s team scores for vault and bars were the second highest in the meet, and they shared second place on floor.

• Graduate student Rylie Mundell clinched the all-around title, marking her first since February 17, 2023.

  • She also shared the bars title for the second consecutive meet, increasing her career title total to 38—only six away from entering DU’s top 10 all-time list.

• Senior Momoko Iwai again led off for Denver on beam and also won a share of the title – marking her second time as DU’s first competitor on the event.

VAULT SUMMARY
DU commenced the competition with a formidable vault lineup that accumulated six scores of 9.800 or above. Mundell nearly executed her Yurchenko 1.5 flawlessly for the second consecutive meet, leading DU’s lineup and tying for second overall. Sophomore Maddison Reidenbach also showcased her recently enhanced Y1.5 again, matching her prior score of 9.850 from the season opener. Fifth-year senior Rosie Casali returned to the lineup after stepping out at the last moment in the previous meet and nailed her Y1.5, also earning a score of 9.850. Sophomore Madison Ulrich contributed a fourth 10.0 start vault along with another score in the 9.800 range. Junior Mila Brusch and graduate student Bella Mabanta commenced with substantial Yurchenko fulls, both contributing to the team’s total.
 
BARS SUMMARY
The only lineup for Denver that remained unchanged from the season opener was bars, resulting in a score of 49.200 this time with five counted scores of at least 9.800. Mundell again reached the top of the podium with her second consecutive score of 9.900, following Ulrich, who finished just behind with a 9.875. Casali began the rotation with a 9.825 while Iwai and junior Cecilia Cooley each added scores of 9.800.
 
BEAM SUMMARY
After an atypical start on beam to the season, DU regained its form on Sunday with a score of 49.125 from five successful routines. Iwai rebounded from a fall last week to successfully complete her routine this time, tying for the top score of the meet with a 9.900. Cooley, competing on the event for only the second time in her career, improved by half a tenth over her season opener for a score of 9.850, and Mundell bounced back with a score of 9.825. Graduate student Abbie Thompson made her debut for 2025 after missing the initial meet and contributed a 9.800 to DU’s team total, while classmate Mabanta anchored the lineup with a successful routine immediately after a flukey fall from Denver’s preceding competitor.
 
FLOOR SUMMARY
Denver wrapped up the meet with a score of 49.000 on floor, led by Cooley for the second straight meet, as the junior achieved a 9.900 in the No. 2 position—an enhancement over her collegiate debut on January 5. Brusch matched her score from the season opener with a career-high tying 9.850 to start the rotation for DU, while Iwai secured another 9.8+ for Denver further down the lineup. Ulrich successfully finished her routine in the anchor position to compensate for a fall counted earlier in the rotation, while Mundell recorded the team’s final counted score.
 
EXHIBITION OBSERVATIONS
Following restrictions on competing exhibition performances in the season opener, DU capitalized on the opportunity on Sunday with one across all four events. Sophomore Amanda Hargraves performed on vault and improved by a tenth over her score from January 5. Junior Kiley Rorich made her first appearance in any capacity for DU this year by completing her bars exhibition. Brusch competed in the beam slot for DU, marking just her second routine on the event over the past two years. Reidenbach took the floor exhibition spot and also delivered a successful routine.
 
PODIUM PLACEMENTS
Vault
Mundell: Second Place (tie) – 9.875
 
Bars
Mundell: First Place (tie) – 9.900
 
Beam
Iwai: First Place (tie) – 9.900
 
Floor
Cooley: Third Place (tie) – 9.900
 
All-Around
Mundell: First Place – 39.275
Ulrich: Second Place – 38.800
 
NEXT:
Denver will travel for the first time in 2025, heading to Arkansas for a tri-meet with Texas Woman’s on Monday, January 20. DU will return home on Sunday, January 26, to kick off Big 12 Conference action against West Virginia.
 
TICKETS:
Tickets for the 2025 University of Denver gymnastics season are currently available for online purchase, by calling 303-871-4625, or by visiting the Ritchie Center Box Office.

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