LOGAN, Utah - The No. 18 University of Denver gymnastics squad reigned supreme at the Western Athletic Conference Gymnastics Championships on Saturday evening at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, combining for a 196.350. Sacramento State finished second (195.675), Southern Utah (195.025) finished third, San Jose State finished fourth (194.800) and Utah State rounded out the five-team field (194.775).

 "I thought it was a tremendous Championship," head coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart said. "It was a total team effort, from top to bottom, from the first event to the last event. We still have room for improvement, but I am very proud of these student-athletes for being able to perform like this on the road, and to keep up our streak of over 196 scores."

Denver has scored above a 196 in five of the last six meets.

Sophomores Moriah Martin (Lake Mary, Fla.), Melodie Pulgarin Linero (Barcelona, Spain) and freshman Ellese Sakai-Hart (Aptos, Calif.) finished second, third and fifth, respectively in the All-Around. Martin scored a 39.375, Pulgarin Linero a 39.350 and Sakai-Hart a 39.225.

The Pioneers opened the meet on Beam, scoring a 48.800 in the first rotation. DU was led by sophomore Jorie Hall (Denver, Colo.) who scored a 9.800. Pulgarin Linero added a 9.775, and the Pioneers found themselves in third place after the opening rotation.

The rest of the night, the Pioneers were looking down in the team standings. All six gymnasts scored a 9.825 or higher on Floor in the second rotation to give DU the lead. Senior Louise Mercer (Nottingham, England) led the way for DU with a 9.875. Martin and Pulgarin Linero tallied matching scores of 9.850. Sakai-Hart, Hall and sophomore Kaitlin Moorhead (Palo Alto, Calif.) posted matching 9.825s, and the Pioneers inked a 49.225 to take a 0.325 lead halfway through the meet.

Pulgarin Linero and Martin led the Pioneers on Vault with identical scores of 9.900 in the third rotation. Sakai-Hart led off the lineup for the third-straight rotation, tallying a career-high 9.875. Junior Simona Castro (Santiago, Chile) added a 9.825, and the Pioneers combined for a 49.050 heading into their bye before Bars with a score of 147.075.

Denver had a bye for the first time this season, but the Pioneers didn't let that bother them, tallying a season-high 49.275 on Bars to wrap up the Championships. Mercer led the way with a 9.900, Martin and Castro earned scores of 9.875, Pulgarin Linero tallied a 9.825 and Sakai-Hart finished her second-career All-Around meet with a 9.800.

San Jose State clinched a spot into the NCAA field to join the Pioneers as the two schools that will represent the conference in two weeks.  

Denver will now wait for Monday afternoon's NCAA Selection Show to find out which of the six NCAA Regionals it will compete in. The show will be streamed live on NCAA.com at 1 p.m. MT. Check DenverPioneers.com on Sunday for more information.

Notes: The WAC also announced this season's first and second teams for each event, based on scores from tonight's meets.

Notes:

WAC Awards:

Gymnast of the Year: Thomasina Wallace (San Jose State)

Coach of the Year: Kim Hughes (Sacramento State)

Freshman of the Year: Kalliah McCartney (Sacramento State)

All-Around:

First Team

1) Thomasina Wallace - San Jose State - 39.400

2) Moriah Martin - Denver - 39.375

3) Melodie Pulgarin Linero - Denver - 39.350

3) Kalliah McCartney - Sacramento State - 39.350

Second Team

5) Ellese Sakai-Hart - Denver - 39.225

6) Sarah Landes - Utah State - 39.125

7) Rebecca Holliday - Utah State - 38.900

Vault:

First Team

1) Melodie Pulgarin Linero - Denver - 9.900

1) Moriah Martin - Denver - 9.900

3) Kalliah McCartney - Sacramento State - 9.875

3) Ellese Sakai-Hart - Denver - 9.875

Second Team

5) Kaitlyn Betts - Utah State - 9.825

5) Nicole Meiller - Sacramento State - 9.825

5) Thomasina Wallace - San Jose State - 9.825

5) Simona Castro - Denver - 9.825

Bars:

First Team

1) Alyssa Click - Southern Utah - 9.925

2) Louise Mercer - Denver - 9.900

2) Thomasina Wallace - San Jose State - 9.900

Second Team

4) Nicole Meiller - Sacramento State - 9.875

4) Moriah Martin - Denver - 9.875

4) Simona Castro - Denver - 9.875

Beam

First Team

1) Kailey Hansen - Sacramento State - 9.925

2) Alyssa Click - Southern Utah - 9.900

2) Kalliah McCartney - Sacramento State - 9.900

Second Team

4) Rebecca Holliday - Utah State - 9.875

5) Brooke Cersosimo - Southern Utah - 9.850

5) Cayla Beutler - Sacramento State - 9.850

Floor:

First Team

1) Kailey Hansen - Sacramento State - 9.900

2) Sarah Landes - Utah State - 9.875

2) Thomasina Wallace - San Jose State - 9.875

2) Katie Valleau - San Jose State - 9.875

2) Louise Mercer - Denver - 9.875

Second Team

6) Christina Nye - Utah State - 9.850

6) Moriah Martin - Denver - 9.850

6) Melodie Pulgarin Linero - Denver- 9.850