Last April, the Pioneers competed during regionals weekend as an underdog. Denver entered the postseason ranked 13th but pulled off an upset in its home arena to clinch a trip to Fort Worth. This season, entering ranked sixth, it’s a favorite to head to Texas in two weeks.
So, when the Pioneers trailed the field after barely cracking 49 on vault one rotation into Berkeley’s round two opening session, they knew not to panic. Having had the odds stacked against it before, this was a situation Denver was familiar with.
“Our team always talks about how we love being underdogs,” said senior Jessica Hutchinson after the Pioneers mounted a comeback to take the top qualifying spot into Sunday’s regional final. “This is when we thrive; when nobody expects us to come back and do this. So we put our heads down and get to work.”
Denver had no significant errors on vault, but a lack of stuck landings and some unusual form breaks set the Pioneers back on what was the tightest-scored event in Berkeley on Friday. But, down and not out, Denver grew its scores the rest of the afternoon, culminating in a giant 49.575 on floor that put the Pioneers in front for the first time and for good.
But coming into the postseason as a good bet for nationals, the Pioneers had to alter their mindsets this year. Instead of embracing the underdog mentality, it embraced the NCAA Championships mentality, with deliberate tactics to ensure the team is focused on the ultimate goal.
“Throughout the whole season we’ve talked about how we know we’re going to make nationals to build that confidence,” said Hutchinson. “We’ve planned our schedules and spring breaks around nationals. We talk about what we’re going to do at nationals. It’s never a doubt in our minds that we’re going to go there because we keep that mindset.”
The Pioneers will have their shot at a repeat bid to championships on Sunday as they take on host and three-seed California, Arizona State, and Stanford for two spots in the national semifinals. Once again favored to advance, Hutchinson-led Denver is only a few days away from turning that mindset into reality.
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Article by Brandis Heffner
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