The University of Denver women’s gymnastics team, ranked No. 18 nationally, achieved its highest team score of the season in a Big 12 Conference meet against Arizona State University on Saturday in Tempe, Arizona. Denver posted a score of 196.950, surpassing ASU’s 195.875.
Head coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart commented on the team’s performance: “What we saw today is more of what we’ve been seeing in practice. They’ve been training with the level of purpose. People stepped up, and everyone – including the exhibitions – contributed at a very high level. It takes a full team for this kind of a performance. I thought they stayed with their energy from the beginning to the end, and their team bond was strong and consistent. They showed a lot of team pride today.”
Freshman Megan Aamold moved into the anchor position on beam for the first time this season and continued her pattern of improving her personal best at each meet since her debut on January 16. She scored a 9.925 on beam, matching senior Cecilia Cooley’s earlier score and marking Denver’s highest on that event so far this year.
Both all-around competitors for Denver set new personal records: Cooley finished with a 39.450 while junior Maddison Reidenbach scored 39.375.
Denver gymnasts secured at least part of four out of five individual titles during the meet, with Cooley winning the all-around title for the third consecutive competition.
The team’s final rotation on beam produced its top event score for 2026 (49.450), exceeding previous performances by two tenths of a point. The Pioneers also matched their season high on bars (49.150) and recorded their second-best vault score (49.000). Only one routine throughout the entire meet scored below 9.800, while four routines reached or exceeded 9.900—matching another season high.
In bars competition, freshman Kaitlynd Kastl led off with a personal-best 9.875 to tie for first place alongside senior Kiley Rorich; seniors Cooley and Mila Brusch as well as freshman Shyla Bhatia rounded out solid performances in that event.
On vault, scores built steadily through five routines; Reidenbach and Bhatia both earned top marks at 9.825.
During floor exercise, junior Ashley Gallen opened with a consistent routine scoring 9.825; Hargraves followed closely behind before Bhatia and Reidenbach each delivered scores of 9.875 leading up to Cooley’s event-winning mark of 9.925.
Denver closed out its meet with strong beam routines across all counted scores above 9.800—including career highs from several athletes—and notable contributions from underclassmen like Terra Rutter and Aamold.
Exhibition routines returned this week after being absent from Denver’s last competition; Addie Hewitt scored a near-personal best on vault while Kasparian made her debut appearance for DU on bars despite an error during dismount.
Podium finishes included:
– Vault: Bhatia (second place tie), Reidenbach (second place tie)
– Bars: Kastl (first place tie), Rorich (first place tie)
– Beam: Aamold (first place tie), Cooley (first place tie), Reidenbach (third place)
– Floor: Cooley (first place), Bhatia & Reidenbach (second place tie)
– All-Around: Cooley (first place), Reidenbach (third place)
Denver will next host its annual Pink Meet against Arizona in conference play on Saturday, February 14 at home starting at 7 p.m MT.
Tickets are available online or through the Ritchie Center Box Office by phone or in person.
