After a successful season, the Pioneer women’s gymnastics team will host the NCAA North Central Regional this Saturday at 6 p.m. for the third time in the past six years. The last time was in 2004 when DU finished third behind the University of Iowa and Stanford. In 2002, DU also finished third, this time behind Georgia and Stanford.

DU’s last and only time DU qualified for the NCAA Championships was in 2001 when the team finished second behind Utah at the regionals.

There are six regionals that take place nationwide and each includes six teams, five all-around competitors not on qualifying teams and one individual event specialist also not on a qualifying team. The top two teams and top two all-around competitors not on advancing teams, advance to the NCAA Nationals which take place April 28 in Salt Lake City.

DU has sent an individual qualifier to the NCAA Nationals for each of the past four season’s. They were senior Casey Dobyns on vault last year and senior Heather Huffaker the two years before that.

The two spots up for grab for Nationals will most likely be between No. 2 Georgia, No. 11 Penn State and No. 14 Pioneers. Outside contenders include No. 23 BYU and No. 25 Minnesota.

The only team at regionals that DU has faced this season is Penn State. Denver finished two spots behind Penn at the season-opening Super Six Challenge.

DU ended the regular-season on a high note, recording its second-best score (196.525) of the season at Air Force.

The team feels that DU has a good shot at an NCAA Nationals berth this year.