Four incoming University of Denver gymnasts earned six top-10 finishes at the 2026 USA Gymnastics Development Program Level 10 National Championships in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on May 9-10.
Lily Caranci, Emerson Gaa, Kennedy Welsh and Delilah Zepeda-Orth concluded their club gymnastics careers with strong performances. Each gymnast secured at least one top-10 placement in their respective senior sessions and will join the Denver squad this fall.
Caranci won a share of the national title on beam in the Senior F session with a score of 9.775. This result follows her runner-up finish on beam at last year’s nationals. Gaa achieved the highest all-around finish among the group by placing sixth in this year’s Senior D session, marking her third consecutive top-10 all-around result since 2024. She also finished third on floor with a score of 9.850 and eighth on beam.
Welsh finished eighth on beam in the Senior E session, which was her best event result across four appearances at DP Nationals. She also placed eleventh on floor. Zepeda-Orth tied for fourth place on beam in Senior A during her third appearance as a Level 10 gymnast, achieving her personal best event finish at DP Nationals.
The four athletes will be joined by three more freshmen for Denver’s roster next season: Rory Liegl and Michelle Lin did not qualify for nationals due to injury, while Stefanie Gatin is an international gymnast from Canada and was not eligible to compete at this meet.
Denver’s incoming freshman class aims to build upon experience gained during a season that saw DU advance to NCAA Regionals for the twenty-seventh consecutive time and send at least one gymnast to NCAA Nationals for the twenty-fourth time in twenty-five seasons.
