The University of Denver gymnastics team has achieved a No. 12 national ranking in the Week 2 Road to Nationals standings, released Monday. This comes after Denver opened its season with a score of 196.575 in a close win over Stanford at Magness Arena on January 11.
This meet marked the first competition for both teams this season, as neither participated in Week 1 and therefore did not have an official national ranking prior to their matchup. In the WCGA Preseason Coaches’ Poll, Denver was ranked No. 16 and Stanford No. 13.
Denver’s team scores placed them at tie-No. 13 on vault (49.100), tie-No. 23 on bars (49.000), No. 14 on beam (49.050), and tie-No. 3 on floor (49.425). The team’s overall average is now 196.575.
The program’s score against Stanford is its sixth highest ever for a season opener, while the floor score of 49.425 sets a new program record for an opening meet in that event, and the vault score ties for fourth highest in program history.
Denver has now maintained a top-12 national ranking following its first meet for ten consecutive seasons and started three of the last five years with a top-five national ranking on floor exercise.
On the individual level, senior Cecilia Cooley leads the nation on floor with a score of 9.975: “Cooley has posted the highest floor score in the country so far with her near-perfect 9.975 on Sunday, placing her in the No. 1 spot early in the season.” This marks her third appearance in national rankings for floor and her first since Week 3 of last season.
Freshman Shyla Bhatia tied Denver’s program record for highest vault by a freshman with her debut performance scoring a 9.925: “Bhatia equaled the DU program record for highest vault score by a freshman in her first collegiate meet with her 9.925 in the season opener, tying her for second nationally so far.” She joins Lynnzee Brown as one of two DU freshmen to achieve such high national standing after their debuts.
Junior Maddison Reidenbach made her all-around debut with a total of 39.275 points against Stanford, tying her at No.19 nationally: “Reidenbach made the first all-around appearance of her collegiate career, tallying a 39.275 against Stanford to tie for No.19 nationally.”
Next up, Denver will travel to compete against Texas Woman’s University and Arizona on January 16.
Tickets are available online or through phone orders at Ritchie Center Box Office.
