When it comes to elite gymnastics, the University of Denver has cornered the market. This weekend, especially.
Two of the sport’s biggest names — Nadia Comaneci and her husband, Bart Conner — will help kick off the Pioneers’ first home meet, Saturday against Washington.
Comaneci, a nine-time Olympic medalist from Romania, and Conner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist for the United States, will be the guests of honor at Hamilton Gymnasium.
They will be on hand to watch a DU team that finished 10th in the 2007 NCAA nationals at Salt Lake City, tops in program history.
The 15th-ranked Pioneers opened last weekend in Cancun, Mexico, finishing second behind LSU in a quadrangular meet that included Minnesota and Texas Women’s University. Denver’s Jessica Lopez was second in the all-around and Sasha Sullivan was fifth.
“We’re very excited to be having Bart Conner and Nadia Comaneci in attendance at our meet,” DU athletic director Peg Bradley-Doppes said.
None of DU’s gymnasts was born when Comaneci became the darling of the 1976 Games in Montreal. At age 14, the dynamo captured seven perfect 10.0 scores, three gold medals, a silver and a bronze en route to becoming an international star.
At the 1980 Games in Moscow, Comaneci won two more gold medals and two silvers, giving her five golds, three silvers and a bronze for her career.
She retired from gymnastics in 1984 and defected from Romania in 1989, obtaining asylum in the United States with Conner’s help.
Conner was a member of the U.S. Olympic team in 1976, 1980 and 1984. In his final Olympic appearance in Los Angeles, he made a dramatic comeback from a torn biceps to earned a perfect 10 and the gold medal on the parallel bars, helping the Americans win the team title.
Conner and Comaneci met in 1976 at the American Cup in New York, where Conner won the men’s title and Comaneci the women’s championship. Conner was an 18-year-old high school student from Chicago. Comaneci was 14, touring the U.S. with her national team.
They married in 1996 and live in Norman, Okla. They operate the Bart Conner Gymnastics Academy in Norman and work as gymnastics ambassadors.
For tickets to Saturday’s meet, visit the DU ticket office or Ticketmaster, or call 303-871-2336.
TV GAME OF THE WEEK II
Avalanche at Red Wings, 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, on Versus. Colorado, which played a brilliant game Saturday against the visiting New York Islanders, again will take the ice without Joe Sakic and Ryan Smyth. But if the Avs play as well as they did in their 2-1 shootout win against the Isles, they’ll have a chance against the best team in the NHL.
Detroit has a 32-8-3 record after defeating Chicago 3-1 on Sunday. The Red Wings have the most points in the NHL (67) and the most goals (151).
BUFFS A GOOD BET
Colorado men’s team takes on Tulsa. The quick skinny on tonight’s Tulsa-Colorado men’s basketball game in Boulder: The Golden Hurricane is a respectful 7-4 and enjoying a five-game winning streak but is vulnerable away from home.
Tulsa is 0-3 in hostile environments, losing by 14 points to Oral Roberts, 11 to Arkansas-Little Rock and 26 to Oklahoma.
TIGERS TESTED
Short-handed CC icers gain WCHA lead. Since handing out suspensions to junior Chad Rau (one game), senior Derek Patrosso (until March 12) and junior Cody Lampl (one year) for undisclosed reasons, the Colorado College team has gone 3-1 and gained a four-point lead over the University of Denver in the race for the Western Collegiate Hockey Association crown.
Last weekend, the Tigers (14-6, 13-3 WCHA) swept a two-game series at Wisconsin, winning 2-0 and 3-1 behind the sensational goaltending of freshman Richard Bachman of Highlands Ranch. Denver (16-4, 11-3), which was idle last weekend, resumes play this weekend with a two-game set against Wisconsin.
Don’t expect a change of the WCHA guard to happen this weekend, because CC entertains WCHA-last place Alaska-Anchorage on Friday and Saturday in Colorado Springs.
TV GAME OF THE WEEK
After 31 bowls, it’s title time. The final college football game of the season pits Ohio State against LSU tonight in the BCS national championship game. You can catch all the hoopla beginning at 6 p.m. on KDVR-31.
LOCAL TEENS PLAY INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY
Familiar hockey names in Ruegsegger and Turgeon. Lakewood’s Rebecca Ruegsegger and Elizabeth Turgeon of Cherry Hills have become teammates for the U.S. national under-18 team that will compete in the inaugural IIHF World Women’s Under-18 Championship, beginning today in Calgary, Alberta.
Ruegsegger, a 17-year-old goalie, is the sister of University of Denver forward Tyler Ruegsegger, who is returning from U.S. World Junior team duty in the Czech Republic. Turgeon, 15, is the daughter of former Avalanche player Pierre Turgeon, a 500-goal scorer in the NHL. Elizabeth, a forward like her dad, plays on the Colorado Select 16-under team that is coached by her father.
Team USA schedule
2008 IIHF World Women’s Under-18 Championship
At Father David Bauer Arena, Calgary, Alberta
(Date, Opponent, Time/MST)
Mon., Jan. 7 Russia 4:15 p.m.
Tues., Jan. 8 Switzerland 4:15 p.m.
Wed., Jan. 9 Sweden 4:15 p.m.
Fri., Jan. 11 Semifinal Round TBA
Sat., Jan. 12 Bronze-Medal Game 4 p.m.
Gold-Medal Game 7:30 p.m.
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
