DENVER - The University of Denver women's gymnastics team finished second in the 2015 Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, earning two first-place votes (14 points total) and falling behind first-place Boise State (15).

DU, which was ranked No. 20 in GymInfo Preseason Coaches' Poll, leads Southern Utah, BYU and Utah State in the poll. Last season, Denver won the inaugural MRGC Championships and will seek to defend its title when Magness Arena plays host to the 2015 Championships on March 21.

The Pioneers are lead in 2015 by senior Nina McGee (Cincinnati, Ohio), who earned First-Team All-MRGC honors in 2014 on beam, floor and in the all-around. McGee won the conference titles on beam and floor in 2014. Sophomore Rachel Fielitz (Walden, N.Y.) earned First-Team All-MRGC honors on vault, while senior Ellese Sakai-Hart (Aptos, Calif.) earned Second-Team honors on floor.

After opening the 2015 season on the road at North Carolina State on Friday, January 9, the squad will begin its regular season against conference opponent Utah State in the home opener on Saturday, January 17, at 6 p.m.

The Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference is one of only two NCAA Division I gymnastics-only conferences in the nation and is made up of member institutions: Boise State, BYU, Denver, Southern Utah and Utah State.

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