Every four years, women’s gymnastics typically is the most-watched sport of the summer Olympics.
Every year, Colorado’s best gymnastics takes place at the University of Denver.
The Pioneers, the mid-major role models of elite-level college gymnastics, have Olympic-caliber gymnasts and compete against the NCAA’s best teams. Ranked No. 16 nationally, DU begins its season Saturday, hosting a quad meet that includes No. 7 Georgia, Brigham Young and Air Force.
Olympian Alicia Sacramone, who placed fourth in vault at the 2008 Beijing Games, will be DU’s guest of honor at the first of two meets at Magness Arena. In October, Sacramone won her first world championship title on vault. The 23-year-old is dating Broncos third-string quarterback Brady Quinn.
“There’s nothing like the Olympics, because the drama — you train your whole life for those two, three, five, six minutes that you get to do your routines at that one time, and that one time has got to count for a chance to medal, and it only comes around once every four years,” DU coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart said.
“On the flip side, going to one of our meets or the NCAA nationals, you not only get to see the high level of gymnastics, the high level of difficulty, but you get to see athletes that have different type of maturity — physically, emotionally and mentally — and you’re getting to see them work with their team. You don’t necessarily see teamwork in an international elite setting. In college, they’re not just doing it for themselves, but they’re representing their teammates, their coaches, their universities.”
NCAA and Olympic routines are the same — balance beam, floor exercise, uneven bars and vault — but scoring is slightly different. There are different start values based on difficulty, among other complicated formulas.
“Olympic-type routines are rewarded for the most difficulty while NCAA routines are difficult but have a balance between artistry and difficulty,” DU assistant coach Jay Hogue said.
Another difference between DU’s gymnasts and the ones training for the 2012 London Games is that college gymnasts have plenty of free time outside the gym. The NCAA limits the amount of training time for student-athletes, while Olympic hopefuls usually follow day-long routines.
DU is led by senior Annamari Maaranen, junior Brianna Springer and sophomore Simona Castro.
As a freshman, Maaranen qualified for the 2008 Olympics for Finland, but tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee in February of that year. Springer, from Arvada and Ralston Valley High School, finished 11th in all-around at last year’s NCAA championships and has international dreams of competing as a USA specialist in uneven bars and balance beam.
Castro is a 2012 Olympic all-around hopeful for Chile. Freshman Melodie Pulgarin of Spain is also hoping to qualify for the London Games.
Former star all-arounder Jessica Lopez competed in the 2008 Games for Venezuela.
“I think a lot of people get the inspiration when they’re young and they see the Olympians on TV. I know that’s how I got inspired when I was little,” Springer said. “At some point, you have to look at your future and college education. A lot of people shoot for college from the beginning. In general, there is a team competition (in the Olympics) but in college the sole purpose is your team. That is what is very different from elite gymnastics, where you train by yourself.”
Because of her knee injury, Maaranen no longer competes in all-around. But she’s thrilled to have the opportunity to still be competing.
“The knee injury and missing the Olympics was definitely disappointing, not just for me, but my country,” she said. “But I got to come to Denver, continue my gymnastics career and go to school at the same time and build a future for myself.
“Back home we don’t have college sports, only elite, and if you want to excel in athletics and academics at the same time, it’s a very difficult combination.”
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
Top teams
2011 women’s gymnastics preseason coaches’ poll (with first- place points in parentheses):
Rank Total points
1. UCLA (32) 1,035
2. Alabama (3) 950
3. Florida (3) 948
4. Oklahoma (2) 881
5. Utah (1) 853
6. Stanford (1) 818
7. Georgia 749
8. Oregon State 702
9. Michigan 696
10. Nebraska 691
11. Arkansas 648
12. LSU 647
13. Missouri 479
14. Penn State 456
15. Auburn 415
16. Denver 361
17. Illinois 333
18. Boise State 311
19. Arizona 274
20. Southern Utah 195
21. Washington 191
22. Iowa State 114
23. Minnesota 109
24. Kentucky 102
25. Arizona State 100
Other teams receiving votes: West Virginia, Michigan State, Central Michigan, North Carolina State, Ohio State, Iowa, Kent State, North Carolina, Maryland-College Park, Utah State, Western Michigan, Illinois State, New Hampshire, BYU, Pittsburgh, S.E. Missouri, UIC, San Jose State.
