Coming off a tough loss to No. 12 Utah, the Cyclones are trying to turn their season around this weekend as they prepare for an away dual meet against No. 17 Denver (4-0, Big 12 1-0).
Iowa State (2-6, Big 12 0-1) is looking to win its first away meet of the season and snap Denver’s undefeated record. This meeting will take place in Denver, Colorado.
Iowa State hosted its first home meet of the season vs. Utah. Although they did not win, the Cyclone gymnasts continued to show improvement.
Sophomore Haylee Hardin continues to be a powerhouse as she stunned fans with her floor routine. She earned a podium spot at last Sunday’s meet, with a score of 9.925. It marks her second-highest career score.
At the same time, freshman Finley Weldon led the scoring on beam with a new career high of 9.75. Junior Noelle Adams gained a new season high (9.875) against No.12 Utah on the floor.
Sophomore Frederique Sgarbossa continues to compete all-around for Iowa State. She set a career high of 39.100 at the New Hampshire quad meet.
This meet is Denver’s annual “My Ribbon, My Reason” meet, in which all the DU gymnasts will raise awareness for their chosen causes by wearing colored hair ribbons that correspond to each cause.
Denver has partnered with campus and local organizations in coordination with the gymnasts’ causes and fans are encouraged to arrive at Magness Arena early to visit with each organization on the concourse before and during the meet
The University of Denver is renowned as a premier NCAA Division I program, consistently ranked among the top teams nationally with 26 consecutive appearances at NCAA Regionals.
The Pioneers are known for high-level performance, specifically on the floor, reaching the 2019 NCAA championship final and finishing fourth nationally.
Denver is coming off a successful meet against West Virginia with a team score of 196.000. Denver returns seven student-athletes from its 2025 roster, led by its three seniors, Mila Brusch, Cecilia Cooley and Kiley Rorich.
Entering the year, they had competed in 157 total routines. Denver welcomes seven newcomers to its roster in 2026, including its freshman class, which ranks as the No. 9 recruiting class in the country with six star-rated gymnasts.
Head Coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart is in her 28th season. She is the winningest (513-226-6) and longest-tenured coach in program history.
Denver gymnastics holds a dominant 35-8 record against Iowa State, riding a 10-meet winning streak as of early 2026. As Big 12 rivals, Denver has controlled the series (20-1 since 2016).
While Iowa State has historic NCAA title experience, Denver has emerged as a consistent national competitor.
The meet is scheduled for 4 p.m. Sunday at Magness Arena and will be available to stream on ESPN2.
