All-Time Individual Title Records ................................... 1335-137 National Champions

from 2023 Denver Gymnastics Media Guide

Year in Review

LYNNZEE BROWN - 2019 NCAA FLOOR CHAMPION

Lynnzee Brown was instrumental in leading the Pioneers during their historic 2019 campaign and in the process brought home the program’s second Division I NCAA individual national title with a share of the floor championship.

After an injury derailed part of her promising freshman season, the DU sophomore came back strong in 2019, competing in the all-around in every meet. She built momentum on floor throughout the season, scoring the first perfect 10.0 of her career on February 10 against No. 1 Oklahoma. She added three more near-perfect 9.975 during the season and achieved a No. 3 national ranking on floor just before the start of the postseason.

She opened her winning routine with her signature double layout, eliciting “whoa”s from the crowd and the TV commentators. After showing off her crowdpleasing choreography and sticking her final two passes, she celebrated with her teammates and coaches, taking in the cheers from around the arena.

Despite competing on floor early in the meet, Brown’s 9.950 withstood the tough competition still to come and earned her a place atop the standings. During the awards ceremony, she could be seen with almost a look of disbelief as she ascended to the top of the podium. She continually made eye contact with her family in the stands and her teammates nearby as if to assure herself that it was indeed happening.

Brown credited DU alumna Nina McGee with helping her win the title. McGee, Denver’s first individual Division I national champion, became a mentor for Brown. “It’s brought out my personality. It’s brought out my confidence. So just having her support and having her tell me, ‘You know, you’re going to do this. I’m so proud of you,’ and just having her as a mentor has been really good for me,” Brown said.

She enjoyed her triumph shortly before refocusing on the bigger accomplishment of the day: Denver’s advancing to its first-ever NCAA Team Final. “We always talk about character, teamwork and excellence in our program, and just knowing that we’re doing this for the people that came before us and put all of this work in, it’s just really rewarding.”

NINA MCGEE - 2016 NCAA FLOOR CHAMPION

Nina McGee capped off one of the most successful and record-breaking careers in DU Gymnastics history in 2016 by capturing the program’s first-ever Division I NCAA individual national championship.

McGee entered the 2016 NCAA National Championships as the nation’s No. 2-ranked competitor on floor and looked to improve on her 2015 tie for second place on the event--which matched what was the best-ever finish by a DU gymnast at NCAA Nationals. During the 2016 season, she achieved three perfect 10.0s on floor and two more 9.975s.

She headed to floor for the fifth rotation and was the final competitor on any of the four events to close the rotation. With all eyes (in the arena and live on TV) on her, she began her routine with a stuck double layout and rolled the rest of the way to a 9.950. She received a standing ovation from the crowd and her fellow competitors.

“I kept reminding myself to be smooth on my passes--no more, no less,” McGee recalled about her championship routine. “After I stuck my double layout, I heard the crowd roar. By the time, I got to my middle pass, I was like, ‘Kill it!’”

Reflecting on her accomplishments after the meet, McGee added, “I feel honored. My goal has always been to win floor or the all-around at Nationals. I’m kind of at a loss for words.

“Honestly, I was like, ‘Where’s (head coach) Melissa?’ I was just reallly hoping I made her proud.”

While her floor title was the biggest highlight of the meet, McGee earned other accolades including postseason All-American honors in the all-around, and on bars and floor. Her tie for No. 10 in the all-around was, at the time, a program record for the best finish at NCAA Nationals by a DU gymnast.

The 2016 NCAA National Championships was the final meet of McGee’s illustrious career, but she still had thoughts for DU’s future. “This is for the little girls looking up to me and to my teammates in Denver. This lets them know they can do this and be here.”