Denver at Ohio State

Recap

The Big Storyline: Denver had a rock-solid 49.375 on beam to close out its first road win of the season in what was otherwise a step back from last week’s school record opening meet. The Pioneers struggled to find stuck landings, especially on vault, but still put together strong performances across the board. Ohio State rebounded from last week’s bars struggles to post a high 195 score and was led at key moments by its freshman class. Jenna Hlavach and Stephanie Berger appear poised for great careers with the Buckeyes.

Implications: Denver will likely dip in the rankings after missing the 197 mark. Ohio State should rise a few spots but will still be looking for its first win of the season next weekend.

Records: Mabanta posted a career-high 9.950 to win the beam title, and Lynnzee Brown nearly matched her career high with a 9.925 in the lead off position. Edwards set a new career high with a 9.875 on floor while Berger made her Buckeye debut with a 9.850 on bars and a 9.800 on beam.

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 5 Denver at No. 17 Ohio State

Why You Should Make Time to Tune in: The Pioneers had an exceptional start to the year, led by huge performances from Lynnzee Brown and Rylie Mundell. The Buckeyes had a quieter start with some notable absences, but there were bright spots and some exciting routines from freshmen. 

Need More Proof? Don’t miss Brown on floor; she stuck her double layout last week and nabbed a 9.975 for the effort. Elexis Edwards is a name to watch on vault; she has one of the biggest Yurchenko fulls in the NCAA. Ohio State could also debut routines from Tory Vetter and Stephanie Berger, who were missing last week. Denver has a chance to break into the top four with another strong performance.