Two-time defending NCAA women’s gymnastics champion Georgia and its two 2004 U.S. Olympians headline Saturday’s North Central Region Championships at Magness Arena.
The University of Denver-hosted regional features six teams, two of which will advance to nationals April 26-28, and the majority of the country’s top gymnasts.
Georgia’s two Courtneys – freshman Courtney McCool and sophomore Courtney Kupets – were members of the U.S. silver-medal team at the Athens Games. Kupets, from Athens, Ga., won the Olympic bronze medal on uneven bars and finished fifth on the beam and ninth in all-around.
A year ago, Kupets captured three of the five NCAA individual titles, including the prestigious all-around. She also won bars and beam and was the country’s only gymnast to rank in the top five in all five events.
“This is quality gymnastics,” DU coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart said of the third regional to be hosted at Magness Arena.
The Bulldogs, who prefer to go by “Gym Dogs,” also have six national-team members not named Courtney. Senior Ashley Kupets, juniors Katie Heenan and Nikki Childs, sophomore Abby Stack and freshmen Marcia Newby and Grace Taylor are eligible for international assignments and compete yearly at the U.S. national championships.
Georgia is No. 2 nationally with an average score of 197.133 and an overwhelming favorite to advance to nationals for the 24th consecutive year.
“We’re aware of the tradition they have, and that they’re a great team, and always being the top team, but it’s not intimidating to us,” DU senior Casey Dobyns said. “We appreciate their strength and accomplishments, but we’re focused on what we do, and how we need to get to nationals.”
No. 14 Denver is seeded third, behind No. 11 Penn State. The Pioneers (14-7) have four gymnasts ranked in the top 25 nationally: sophomore Jessica Lopez (fifth, uneven bars), senior Heather Huffaker (eighth, vault), junior Sasha Sullivan (No. 11, floor), and Dobyns (14th, vault).
Kutcher-Rinehart likes her team’s chances of advancing as a team for the second time in school history, and first since 2001.
“Penn State and us…We’re extremely competitive against each other,” Kutcher-Rinehart said. “They have been very consistent all year, where we have a very big upside, and have come on strong toward the end of the season. Their consistency is probably why they’re ranked ahead of us.”
DU’s regional-qualifying score of 196.080 is the second-best in program history. The Pioneers took a 196.895 into regionals in 2004.
“This team is capable of doing it, and we’ve known it from Day One,” Kutcher-Rinehart said. “But whatever happens, this has been a tremendous group. We’ve had a great season, and I want them to be proud of it, and not have the success or failure of regionals or beyond judge our season. Hopefully that will take off some pressure.”
Mike Chambers can be reached at 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com.
Denver gymnastics
What: NCAA North Central Region Championships
When: Saturday, 6 p.m.
Where: Magness Arena
Teams: No. 2 Georgia, No. 11 Penn State, No. 14 DU, No. 23 BYU, No. 25 Minnesota, Utah State
Tickets: 303-871-2336 or ticketmaster.com
Note: The top two teams advance to the 12-team nationals April 26-28 in Salt Lake City. In addition, the top two all-around performers not on a top-two team advance.
HOMECOMING
The following Colorado-raised gymnasts will be competing Saturday:
Gymnast, School, Hometown
Ashley Barr, Utah State, Littleton
Heather Heinrich, Utah State, Littleton
Haley Jensen, BYU, Colorado Springs
Alex Martin, Utah, State Longmont
Katie Perret, Penn State, Colorado Springs
Ashley Stanton, Minnesota, Centennial
