The Pioneers are back! I’m here at the University of Denver to see a first glimpse of the 2026 Pioneers squad.
No. 13 Denver is all set to show its fans what it’s been working on during the offseason. Throughout the 2025 season, the Pioneers showed some inconsistencies, specifically on beam and floor. They were able to find their rhythm later into the season, finishing strong at No. 13 in the final rankings.
Although the Pioneers lost some of their star all-arounders, they will have their new assistant coach, John Carney, to help support them. Some gymnasts to look out for are Cecelia Cooley, Mila Brusch, Kiley Rorich, and Maddison Reidenbach. Cooley has a record of being a strong competitor on floor and bars. Brusch and Reidenbach have shown that they are strong vaulters, almost obtaining perfect scores in the 2025 season. Rorich is a staple to Denver bars lineup with a career high of 9.975.
Let’s see what Denver has to offer this season!
Rotation 1: Crimson VT
Hargraves (VT): Y-Full, a little pike on the way down but clean landing. 9.75
(BB): Wasn’t expecting beam to be happening right now. Side Ariel back handspring and comes off. Full turn good, switch leap to split jump is good. ends with a front pike gainer. 8.95
Kasparian (VT): Y-full with a small hop, really cleaning in the air. 9.775
(UB): Maloney to Pak, nice and floaty. Slightly achy handstand on low bar. Last handstand is good, blind full to stuck double!
Cooley (VT): Y-Full, super clean with a hop back.
(UB): Maloney to Pak, short last handstand, down three giants with no dismount.
Brusch (VT): Super high Y-full with no pike down, hop on landing. 9.85
Bhatia (VT): Y-1.5, first 10.0 start value! takes a small step forward.
Reidenbach (VT): Y-Full, stuck!! Chest slight down on landing but feet did not move. 9.825
AFTER ONE: They were only flashing names on vault, it looks like all the gymnasts are rotating together now. Denver had some high floating vault, but not a lot of 10.0 start values or sticks. With all the power they have, I wouldn’t be surprised to see some of the gymnasts add an extra half twist during season! Finished with a team vault score above 49!
Rotation 2: Crimson UB
Bhatia (UB): Maloney to high pak, short handstand on high bar but sticks her double layout! 9.85
Kastl (BB): Amazing wolf turns, BHS LOSO clean, Switch leap to split jump, slight lean in-between. Ends with front piked gainer, slight under rotated and steps forward. 9.575
Brusch (UB): Maloney to pak, great handstands! Ends with a double layout with a hop back. An amazing debut routine! 9.75
Kasparian (UB): Maloney to pak, Pirouette right on top. Handstands are solid. Lets go a little early on her double lay and pikes down with a forward step. 9.725
Reidenbach (UB): Really nice straddle Jaegar, handstand to pak, clean giants to a double layout with a tiny hop back! 9.8
Cooley (UB): Shoot over to HS on low bar, good HS to a stuck double layout! Super clean routine! 9.925
Rorich (UB): Blind half to jaeger, nice HS to shoot over, double layout with a small hop. 9.85
AFTER TWO: The Pioneers finish with a 49.175 on bars! Their lines were super clean and had no falls throughout the lineup. With only one stick, Denver will want to work on nailing those landings. This was an amazing start for Denver on bars!
Rotation 3: Crimson BB
Rutter (BB): Barani to start, no problems there. Switch leap split jump, nice form. BHS LOSO, leg up wobble. Ends with RO 1.5 to a stick! 9.55
Gallen (BB): BHS LOSO, floaty with no wobbles. Switch leap, switch half, beat jump, good extension. Stuck her piked front gainer! 9.8
Cooley (BB): BHS LOSO LOSO, solid! Switch leap to split jump, really nice. Full turn. BHS to side gainer full. Stuck! 9.9
Hargraves (BB): Full turn, great control. Front aerial to back handspring, fluid connection. Switch leap to switch 3/4, solid. Hop forward on her front full side gainer. 9.675
Reidenbach (BB): Side sumi to start, solid! BHS LOSO, brings front foot up of covers it well. Ends with RO 1.5 and a hop forward. 9.725
Kasparian (BB): Starts with BHS LOSO, great landing. Beautiful side aerial. Switch leap, leap. beat to split 3/4. Full turn, great. RO 1.5 with a hop forward but good control! 9.7
Bhatia (BB): Exhibition routine. Front toss pike. BHS LOSO with no wobbles. Switch leap to split jump. RO to stuck 1.5! Great routine! 9.775
Brusch (BB): Another exhibition routine. Full turn. BHS LOSO with some leg form and a wobble. Front toss, solid. Split to split 3/4. BHS to side gainer full with a stick! 9.675
AFTER THREE: A solid beam rotation for DU! There were no major deductions in the lineup. With some small wobbles here and there, they are going to want to control those nerves, but a great beam preview for the Pioneers! I would not be surprised to see Bhatia and Brusch in lineups during season.
Rotation 4: Crimson FX
Gallen (FX): Double back to start, under rotates and steps forward. Fun dance! Switch leap to straddle 3/4, straddle. Front layout to front full to end. Great routine! 9.7
Hargraves (FX): Starts with layout to Rudi, great control. Switch full to split full (?) looks good. RO 1.5 to front layout, mistimes and lands a little low. 9.6
Bhatia (FX): Ooo I love her dance. Starts with front double twist, good control. Ends with punch front 1.5 to back layout! 9.875
Brusch (FX): Starts with double pike, hop back to lunge. Switch ring, split half, to wolf. Another fun routine! Ends with front tuck to RO BHS double back, keep foot planted on this one! 9.6
Reidenbach (FX): Nickelodeon themed routine, love it. Round off half to front full, nice. switch side to straddle half. Ends with RO BHS double back and great control, keeps a foot down! 9.925
Cooley (FX): New York themed routine, so good. Front layout to Rudi split jump, great control on that. Finishes with back 1.5 to front layout, perfect landing! 9.85
FINAL: I know I sound like a broken record but I loved all of those floor routines, they were so fun! DU looks amazing on Floor! Throughout each event, Denver showed It’s skill through execution and confidence, with only one fall and minor mistakes. Judging from what the Pioneers did today, I would predict that they are going to have an amazing season! I’m excited to see what the 2026 season has in store for them!
READ THIS NEXT: 2026 Denver Potential Lineups
Live blog by Jenna Garcia
