Ever since it qualified to the final four in 2019, Denver has consistently been in the top 10. A lot of its success throughout the last few years is thanks in part to the 2024 senior class. Despite losing Jessica Hutchinson this year, the Pioneers return four members of that class for a COVID season. 2025 could be one to remember for Denver and its fans.
2024 Rewind
No. 10 overall | No. 2 at Big 12s | No. 6 in regular season | Regional Final
Denver had a solid regular season, consistently hitting in the 197 range. Postseason saw the Pioneers taking second place at Big 12s but just missing out on appearing at back-to-back nationals after being upset by Stanford in the Berkeley regional final.
Losses & Gains
Returning | In |
Fifth-Years Rosie Casali Bella Mabanta Rylie Mundell Abbie Thompson Seniors Mia Hebinck Momoko Iwai Juniors Mila Brusch Cecilia Cooley Ava Mabanta Kiley Rorich Sophomores Ashley Gallen Amanda Hargraves Maddison Reidenbach Madison Ulrich | Freshmen Sophia Hampp |
Out | |
Graduated Jessica Hutchinson (AA) | |
Injury Update | |
Cecilia Cooley looks to be headed back toward full strength after missing 2024 with a knee injury. She’s been seen training bars, beam, and floor during the preseason. Ava Mabanta was spotted in a sling at the November intrasquad, so her status for 2025 is in question. |
Fresh Faces
With the large class of fifth-years returning, Denver’s lone addition to the roster was former three-star Sophia Hampp. She is capable of big skills on her own and should not be counted out of lineups, though. She had a double Arabian and a full-in on floor in level 10 and could definitely slot into some of the spots in the top six left behind by Hutchinson.
Apparatus Deep Dive
Vault
2024 Event Ranking: No. 10 | NQS: 49.360 | Average: 49.283
Event Overview: Denver has a reputation of developing Yurchenko fulls into one and a halves as a gymnast progresses through her career. That trend might hold true again this season as they lose Hutchinson’s stickable vault but are developing not one but two additional 10.0 vaults, giving them an advantage over other teams in the Big 12. | ||
Locks: Rosie Casali, Rylie Mundell, Madison Ulrich Ulrich’s form on her front handspring pike half has improved since last season, making her a solid candidate for the back half of this lineup. Casali and Mundell have been reliable in the top six through their time at Denver, and their consistency will be key on this event. | ||
Contenders: Mila Brusch, Bella Mabanta, Maddison Reidenbach Brusch and Mabanta have clean form on their Yurchenko fulls and keep the deductions to a minimum, allowing them to stay in contention even with lower difficulty. Reidenbach has been successfully training a one and a half to a hard landing and was very close to debuting it last season. She projects to slot into Hutchinson’s spot in the lineup. | ||
Wildcards: Amanda Hargraves, Sophia Hampp, Momoko Iwai Hargraves has been working a Yurchenko one and a half into the pit during the preseason, which brings Denver up to five potential 10.0 SV vaults if it materializes. Hampp and Iwai bring Yurchenko fulls but have some form deductions that make them more likely to remain as backup options. |
Bars
2024 Event Ranking: No. 5 | NQS: 49.510 | Average: 49.452
Event Overview: Bars is the Pioneers’ best event and, as such, will be the hardest lineup for newcomers to crack. Hutchinson leaves a key spot open in the back half of the lineup, but there is no shortage of routines to replace it. | ||
Locks: Rosie Casali, Mia Hebinck, Rylie Mundell, Madison Ulrich These four were a part of the Pioneers’ 49.750 record-breaking rotation last season, so it would be a surprise to see any of them knocked out of regular competition. Hebinck could slide into Hutchinson’s spot; her Ricna to Pak salto combination would add a unique touch of difficulty. | ||
Contenders: Momoko Iwai, Kiley Rorich Iwai was a consistent all-arounder in level 10 and even notched a 10.0 on bars in her senior year. However, she has yet to consistently compete on bars in college. With a spot open, this could be her chance to be a regular contributor. | ||
Wildcards: Cecilia Cooley, Sophia Hampp, Maddison Reidenbach Cooley was a regular exhibition routine before her knee injury and looks to be prepared to make a run for a spot in this lineup again. While Hampp’s routine in intrasquads didn’t appear to start from a 10.0, she trained a double layout dismount in level 10 and could be a sleeper pick for a lineup spot if she can bring that dismount back. |
Beam
2024 Event Ranking: No. 9 | NQS: 49.430 | Average: 49.288
Event Overview: If fans thought the beam lineup was loaded before, this season will provide even more options. Some very talented routines will not make the final six, a sign of good things to come on an event that some teams struggle with. | ||
Locks: Momoko Iwai, Bella Mabanta, Abbie Thompson, Madison Ulrich As the top four returning NQS scores on this event, these gymnasts should easily maintain their lineup spots. Iwai in the lead-off has scored as high as 9.975 while Mabanta and Thompson are working on new dismounts to help improve their routines. | ||
Contenders: Rosie Casali, Mia Hebinck Casali has had some consistency issues with her triple series, which saw her in and out of the lineup in 2024. If she can clean up the series or find something more consistent, she will be a lock. Hebinck was a surprise addition at the end of last season, but her skillset makes her a strong possibility to retain her spot in 2025. | ||
Wildcards: Cecilia Cooley, Rylie Mundell, Maddison Reidenbach, Kiley Rorich Mundell primarily competed vault and bars at the end of 2024 to manage some lingering flare-ups, but she has reworked her beam routine in a way that could make her a more consistent part of this lineup in her final season. |
Floor
2024 Event Ranking: No. 13 | NQS: 49.530 | Average: 49.433
Event Overview: Despite being their lowest-ranked event, the Pioneers ended 2024 with an NQS above 49.500. However, Hutchinson’s routine scored 9.900 or higher almost every week; not having that at the end of the lineup might cause a dip in scores until a suitable replacement emerges. | ||
Locks: Rosie Casali, Momoko Iwai, Kiley Rorich, Madison Ulrich Ulrich is the highlight of this lineup as the top returning NQS scorer. She brings an open double tuck with incredible technique that should see her move into the anchor spot. | ||
Contenders: Rylie Mundell, Abbie Thompson As a former all-arounder, Mundell cannot be counted out as a contributor here—but a lot will depend on how Denver chooses to manage her in her fifth year. Thompson has competed a triple twist—an E pass—so having that difficulty in her back pocket makes her an option as well. | ||
Wildcards: Mila Brusch, Cecilia Cooley, Bella Mabanta, Maddison Reidenbach Prior to her knee injury, Cooley was on track to compete in this lineup. Brusch has performed in exhibition multiple times and even competed twice in 2023; she has the power to make herself a legitimate contender for a regular lineup spot in 2025. |
Records Watch
Team: 198.150 | AA: 39.825 | VT: 49.600/10.000 | UB: 49.750/10.000 | BB: 49.650/10.000 | FX: 49.825/10.000
As the top returning all-arounder in the newly realigned Big 12, Madison Ulrich has the potential to etch her name into the record books coming into her sophomore season. The Pioneers have shattered team records left and right over the last four seasons, but pay close attention to beam in 2025.
The Big Picture
When the Big 12 announced Utah was joining, a lot of fans immediately tabbed it to be the next Oklahoma in terms of dominance in the conference. However, Denver has no intention of letting it happen without a fight. The Pioneers were within a tenth of Utah in NQS on all four events in 2024, even besting it on bars—and a lot of what they lost from Hutchinson can be replaced. Denver is often viewed as an underdog, and that might allow it to jump to new heights in 2025.
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Article by Savanna Wellman