DENVER - The preseason-ranked No. 20 University of Denver gymnastics squad held its annual Crimson and Gold Intrasquad on Saturday night at Hamilton Gymnasium.

Junior Emily Barrett (Norman, Okla.) highlighted the Crimson's vault corps in the first rotation, anchoring the group with a 9.85. On the other side of the competition floor, sophomore all-arounder Julia Ross (Henderson, Nev.) earned a 9.800 in her beam routine to close out the first rotation.

Third-year all-arounder Maggie Laughlin (Scottsdale, Ariz.) inked a 9.800 in the Crimson's second rotation on beam. Classmate Rachel Fielitz (Walden, N.Y.) scored a 9.800 for gold in the final vault performance of the evening. Ross turned in a 9.75 in her second of three performances on Saturday night. In the fifth spot of the second rotation for Crimson's beam lineup, sophomore Leah Lomonte (Katy, Texas) tallied a 9.750.

Senior Nina McGee (Cincinnati, Ohio) highlighted the third rotation with a 9.850 on bars to close out Crimson's bars set. Fellow senior Ellese Sakai-Hart (Aptos, Calif.) recorded a 9.800 on her floor routine for gold in the third rotation.

Laughlin ended the competition with a 9.800 in the floor exercise, matching junior Katie Menhinick's (Paramus, N.J.) opening floor routine of the fourth rotation. McGee added a 9.750 on floor in Crimson's final rotation. On the gold side, freshman Nikole Addison (Lehigh Acres, Fla.) led the final bars set of the evening with a 9.750.

Denver will open up its regular season at North Carolina State on January 9 at 5 p.m. MT. The Pioneers will then open up their home slate with two meets in three days, as Denver hosts Utah State in Hamilton Gymnasium on January 17 (6 p.m.), before welcoming seventh-ranked Georgia to Magness Arena for a special 2 p.m. start on Martin Lutcher King Day.

Tickets are now on sale for the Pioneers' six home meets--including the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference Championships. Tickets are $9 for each meet, and season tickets are available for the five regular season home meets for $35. For ticket information, visitdenverpioneers.com/tickets or call the Ritchie Center Box Office at 303-871-2336.

About Denver: Head coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart leads the Pioneers for her 17th season in 2015. The squad returns Nina McGee (Cincinnati, Ohio), who finished fourth on bars and floor at the 2014 Regionals. Seniors Ellese Sakai-Hart (Aptos, Calif.) and Alix Angelopulo (Burlingame, Calif.) will join McGee. Saturday's intrasquad will be fans' first chance to meet DU's three freshmen: Nikole Addison (Lehigh Acres, Fla.), Brittany Franklin(Carrollton, Texas) and Claire Hammen (Loveland, Colo.).

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