DENVER - The University of Denver women's gymnastics team is ranked No. 14 in the Preseason Coaches' Poll on RoadToNationals.com, released on Sunday. It is the team's highest preseason ranking since the 2009 season.

Defending NCAA National Champion Oklahoma is No. 1 with 2519 points. Rounding out the top three teams are LSU (2412 points) and Alabama (2336 points). DU totaled 1433 points.

Denver is the second-highest ranked Big 12 Conference team behind Oklahoma. West Virginia is ranked No. 29 with 494 points. Iowa State is not ranked in the preseason poll but did receive votes.

In 2017, DU will compete against nine teams that are ranked in the top 36, including six teams in the top 25: No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 6 Utah, No. 12 Nebraska, No. 15 Boise State, No. 16 Minnesota and No. 24 Illinois. Boise State, Minnesota and Illinois will all makes trips to Denver.

Also on Denver's 2017 schedule are No. 26 Southern Utah, No. 27 Ohio State and No. 29 West Virginia.

DU returns three seniors this season: Rachel Fielitz (Walden, N.Y.), Leah Lomonte (Katy, Texas) and Julia Ross (Henderson, Nev.). Both Fielitz and Lomonte missed the 2016 season with injuries.

Joining the Pioneers are freshmen Maddie Karr (Stillwater, Minn.), Courtney Loper (West Des Moines, Iowa) and Sam Ogden (Allen, Texas).

The Pioneers will host five meets in 2017, including two meets in Magness Arena. Season and single-meet tickets are now on sale for DU's five home meets. Tickets are $9 for each meet, and season tickets are available for $35. For ticket information, visit denverpioneers.com/tickets or call the Ritchie Center Box Office at 303-871-2336.

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