From her family’s home in Cincinnati, and less than a week after winning the NCAA championship in floor exercise in Fort Worth, Texas, University of Denver gymnast Nina McGee on Wednesday still was digesting the standing-ovation she received upon completing the final routine of her career.
McGee, a fifth-year senior who had metal rods implanted in both legs as a freshman, became the Pioneers’ first NCAA individual champion with a 9.950 score on the floor. She was so engaged with her performance she briefly forgot she achieved her ultimate goal.
“Honestly, I’m still kind of in awe. I didn’t know what was going on in the moment,” McGee said about walking off the mat to a standing ovation. “I couldn’t figure out why people were crying. I thought, ‘Oh, maybe it was because it was my last (career) routine,’ and I was like, ‘No, don’t make me cry as well.’ I hadn’t realized I had surpassed the girl in the first session, who ended up placing second.”
McGee held the previous best finish for a DU gymnast at nationals when she tied for second on the floor in 2015. She scored three perfect 10.0s on floor during 2016 — the most single-season 10.0s by a DU gymnast — and her 10th-place all-around finish at the recent nationals also is a program record.
“Even though it wasn’t a 10.0, as I hoped, it still showed how consistent I was throughout the season, and I was really happy to set forth the standard for DU,” McGee said of her floor performance.
McGee was given a choice as a freshman: give up gymnastics or have metal rods implanted from her ankles to her knees to counter shin splints and stress fractures of the tibias in both legs. She chose to compete.
“At the time, I didn’t know I’d be able to walk again. So to be able to come out and win the national championship on an event that contributed to the pain, it was definitely worth it,” McGee said. “I’m actually really glad I got that surgery. My sophomore year was tough, but now I’m really glad. I can run again. I can walk again. I can tumble. I’m almost pain-free.”
Wednesday, McGee earned three All-American honors: first team in the all-around and on floor, and second team on bars. She was first team on floor and second team in the all-around in 2015.
DU coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart said McGee is as great of a person as she is a gymnast.
“She really deserves this. It’s nice to see her hard work pay off,” Kutcher-Rinehart said. “Sometimes you can have a superstar and the superstar isn’t always willing to put in all the hard work behind the scenes. Nina was willing.”
As a team, DU failed to advanced to the 12-team nationals after being ranked 10th going into regionals.
“We were top-10 in the country during the regular season and that was our goal. We reached that goal,” Kutcher-Rinehart said. “To have that, and have Nina win this national championship, I really feel like it’s continuing to thrust Denver gymnastics on the national spotlight.”
Mike Chambers: mchambers@denverpost.com or @mikechambers
