Georgia was forced to count a fall in the final rotation on beam and No. 15 Auburn rallied for a 195.225-194.900 upset win over the eighth- ranked Gym Dogs last Friday at Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum.

It was Auburn’s first ever victory over Georgia, which had won all 64 previous meetings dating back to 1980.

Auburn led 48.950-48.875 after the first rotation. Kat Ding led the Gym Dogs on bars with a 9.850 while Gina Nuccio added a 9.775.

Georgia took the lead after the second rotation with another 48.875 on vault. Ding again had the high score for the Gym Dogs with a 9.850, and Hilary Mauro had a 9.800. Ding’s 9.850 on vault and bars were both meet-highs. The Tigers posted a 48.750 on bars, and halfway through the meet Georgia held a slim 97.750-97.700 lead. The Gym Dogs increased their lead to 146.575-146.400 with a 48.825 in the third rotation on floor. Courtney McCool scored a 9.875, while Mauro and Grace Taylor each scored a 9.800. Auburn scored a 48.700 on beam.

The Tigers outscored Georgia 48.825-48.325 in the final rotation. McCool led Georgia with a 9.850 on beam, and Noel Couch posted a 9.825. Couch was forced into action after an injury scratched Cassidy McComb from the beam lineup. The Gym Dogs counted three scores at 9.700 or below in the last rotation.

Auburn’s Krissy Voss won the all-around with a 38.725 while teammate Kylie Shields had a 38.450. Georgia did not have an all-arounder.

DENVER - No. 2 Denver (16-6-4) hosts Mercyhurst (12-14-2) on Friday, Feb. 5 and plays at Air Force (12-10-6) on Saturday, Feb. 6. Puck drop is set for 7:37 p.m. MT on Friday at Magness Arena and 7:05 p.m. MT on Saturday at Cadet Ice Arena. Saturday's game will be televised live on FSN Rocky Mountain. Both games can be heard on FM 104.3 the FAN and DenverPioneers.com.

THIS WEEKEND'S STORYLINES

DU is 4-2 in nonconference action and 6-3-2 against unranked opponents.

Air Force and Denver rank No. 2 and tied for No. 4, respectively, in the nation on the penalty kill.

DU is 8-4-1 on the road and 8-2-3 at home.

FOR OPENERS

Denver steps away from WCHA action for two nonconference games this weekend.

Denver is first in the WCHA with 28 points and second in the latest PairWise Rankings.

Joe Colborne and Marc Cheverie are this week's Red Baron WCHA Offensive and Defensive Player's of the Week, respectively.

Cheverie leads the nation in shutouts (6), ranks second in saves percentage (.932), third in winning percentage (.775) and fifth in goals against average (2.02).

Rhett Rakhshani leads Denver in goals (17) and scoring (17-16=33).

Jesse Martin (9-5=14) is out this weekend with an upper body injury.

The Pioneers achieved their first regular-season No. 1 ranking in both polls on Jan. 11, 2010, since holding the top spot in the USCHO.com/CSTV poll on Feb. 14, 2005. DU has been ranked No. 5 or higher in both polls all season.

DU began the season as the top-ranked team in the first USCHO.com/CBS Sports Poll. The preseason No. 1 ranking was DU's first since the start of the 2005-06.

DU ALL-TIME VS. MERCYHURST AND AIR FORCE
Denver is 2-0 all-time vs. Mercyhurst and 28-3 vs. Air Force. DU meets Mercyhurst for the first time since charting a 3-0 win on Dec. 29, 2007. The Pioneers defeated Air Force, 4-1, on Nov. 29, 2008, but lost 5-2 in their last meeting at Cadet Ice Arena on Jan. 18, 2007. DU has won nine of the last 10 meetings against Air Force and and 19 of the last 20.

LAST TIME OUT
Joe Colborne scored his second game-winning goal of the weekend and Marc Cheverie made 22 saves to lead then-No. 3 Denver to a 4-2 comeback win over then-No. 4 North Dakota on Jan. 30 before 11,750 fans at Engelstad Arena. Kyle Ostrow, Drew Shore and Rhett Rakhshani also scored as the Pioneers recorded the weekend sweep. Anthony Maiani setup two goals, while Shore and Rakhshani added assists as the Pioneers swept their first four-game, regular-season series against North Dakota since 1992-93. North Dakota jumped to its 2-0 lead on a pair of goals from Chris VandeVelde. Denver then scored three consecutive goals to take a 3-2 lead after two periods. Ostrow netted a nifty centering feed from Maiani at 10:31, Shore ripped a blast by Brad Eidsness (24 saves) from the high slot at 13:37 and Colborne gave DU's first lead when he converted from the slot at 17:52. Rakhshani iced the win for DU with a blast from the right circle at 12:16 of the third period. DU outshot UND, 28-24, and went 1-for-3 on the power play. The Pioneers sparkled on the penalty kill with a 4-for-4 effort.

ABOUT THE 2009-10 PIONEERS
DU has been led by senior forward Rhett Rakhshani (17-16=33) and junior goaltender Marc Cheverie (14-3-3, 2.02 GAA and .932 Sv%) this season. Senior Tyler Ruegsegger (13-16=29), sophomores Joe Colborne (11-15=26) and Patrick Wiercioch (4-14=18), and junior Jesse Martin (9-5=14) have made major contributions. Cheverie leads the WCHA in goals against average, saves percentage and shutouts, and is second in winning percentage (.775). He missed three games (Oct. 31-Nov. 7) with a left calf injury and DU went 1-1-1 without its No. 1 goaltender. Rakhshani, who is a candidate for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award, is tied for second in the WCHA in goals and tied for third in points.
Ruegsegger enjoyed a career-best, 11-game point streak (6-11=17) from Nov. 21-Jan. 9, while Wiercioch is fifth in WCHA defenseman scoring. Colborne (4), Rakhshani (3), Kyle Ostrow (3), Ruegsegger (2), Martin, Anthony Maiani, Drew Shore and Matt Glasser have netted DU's 16 game-winning goals. Colborne leads Denver with six power-play goals and Rakshani is second with five. Matt Donovan leads DU rookies in scoring with 3-12=15. Ruegsegger leads the team with a +11 plus/minus rating.

IN THE POLLS
DU is ranked No. 2 in the USCHO.com/CBS College Sports and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls after being ranked No. 3 in both polls last week. DU is predicted to win the WCHA in annual Grand Forks Herald's preseason coaches poll and Madison.com media poll. The last time Denver was picked to win the WCHA was in 2002-03 when the Pioneers finished seventh.

SPECIAL TEAMS
DU leads the WCHA on the penalty kill at 88.5% and is fourth on the power play at 19.7%. DU is 18-for-18 on the PK and 3-for-13 (23.1%) on the power play over the last three games. DU is 12-4-3 when scoring on the power play and 12-1-2 when holding opponents scoreless with the man-advantage. The Pioneers are 98-for-106 (92.5%) on the penalty kill with Marc Cheverie in net.

CHEVY DRIVES DU TO NO. 1 RANKING
Goaltender Marc Cheverie has arguably been DU's most valuable player this season. The Pioneers are 15-3-3 when Cheverie starts and 1-3-1 when freshman Adam Murray has started. Cheverie set the DU all-time consecutive shutout minutes mark at 223:51 this season and tied Peter Mannino's school record with his third consecutive shutout at Minnesota on Oct. 24. Cheverie earned INCH National Player of the Week, Red Baron WCHA Defensive Player of the Week and AHCA National Player of the Month (October) honors after becoming the first goaltender to shut out Minnesota in back-to-back games. He has also recorded shutouts against Ohio State, North Dakota (2) and Nebraska Omaha. He was also named WCHA Defensive Player of the Week on Nov. 24 and Feb. 2. Cheverie was named to the Wells Fargo Denver Cup All-Tournament Team on Jan. 2.

SCOUTING THE MERCYHURST LAKERS
The Lakers are 12-14-2 overall and third in Atlantic Hockey with a 12-8-2 mark. Mercyhurst returns to action after splitting a two-game series  against Bentley on Jan. 22-23. Brandon Coccimiglio leads the team in goals (14) and points (27), while Scott Pitt leads the team with 18 assists and is second with 24 points. Steve Cameron has added 10 goals and Mike Gurtler leads the nation with four shorthanded goals. Goaltender Ryan Zapolski leads the team with a 12-12-2 record, 2.79 GAA and .915 Sv%. Mercyhurst is third in Atlantic Hockey on the penalty kill at 81.2% and ninth on the power play at 11.8%. Head coach Rick Gotkin has posted a 396-266-51 record in 22 seasons.

SCOUTING THE AIR FORCE FALCONS
The Falcons are 12-10-6 overall and second in Atlantic Hockey with a 12-6-6 mark. Air Force lost (4-2) and tied (3-3 ot) last weekend at Army. Jacques Lamoureux leads the team in goals (17) and points (34), while Derrick Burnett leads the team with 18 assists and is second with 26 points. Matt Fairchild has added nine goals and Tim Kirby leads Air Force blueliners with 4-11=15. Goalie Andrew Volkening leads the team with a 12-10-6 record, 2.58 GAA and .913 Sv%. Air Force is first in Atlantic Hockey on the penalty kill at 89.5% and fourth on the power play at 18.6%. Head coach Frank Serratore has posted a 210-222-38 record in 13 seasons.

TWICE AS NICE
Denver has had one player record two goals in a game 12 times this season. Rhett Rakhshani leads the team with five two-goal games, while Joe Colborne, Tyler Ruegsegger and Jesse Martin have each recorded a pair of two-goal games. Kyle Ostrow has tallied one two-goal game. 

JOE C. OFF TO FAST START IN SECOND HALF
Sophomore forward Joe Colborne has tallied 5-7=12 during his career-best, eight-game point streak to start 2010. Colborne earned his second Red Baron WCHA Offensive Player of the Week honor on Feb. 2 after netting both game-winning goals at North Dakota on Jan. 29-30. Colborne had 1-4=5 en route to all-tournament honors at the Wells Fargo Denver Cup after tallying 6-8=14 in 16 games during the first half of the season. Colborne has at least one point in 12 of his last 16 games. Colborne, who broke his left index finger at Ohio State on Oct. 16, earned Red Baron WCHA co-Offensive Player of the Week honors on Nov. 24 after netting four points on two power-play goals and two game-winning assists in DU's sweep of North Dakota on Nov. 20-21. He tied a career-high with three points (2g, 1a) and had 11 shots on goal in the 3-2 win on Nov. 21. Colborne has 14 career multi-point efforts and 22-35=57 in 64 career games.

DONOVAN HELPS USA CAPTURE GOLD
Freshman Matt Donovan and incoming recruit Jason Zucker helped Team USA to the gold medal at the 2010 IIHF World Junior Tournament. Donovan tallied 3-2=5 and a +6 plus/minus rating in seven games, while Zucker had two goals.

RAKH CLIMBING
Captain Rhett Rakhshani (56-78=134) is DU's current career scoring leader. Rakhshani is tied for No. 34 on DU's all-time scoring list with Dave Berry (1980-84) and Tom Miller (1966-69). He is also DU's current leader with 37 multi-point games.

RUEGSEGGER JOINS 100-POINT CLUB
Senior Tyler Ruegsegger became the 91st member of the Pioneer Century Club for 100-point scorers with an assist on Dec. 11. Ruegsegger has 53-58=111 in 132 career games and has 29 career multi-point efforts. He is tied for No. 62 on DU's all-time scoring list.

WIERCIOCH MAKES HIS POINT
Sophomore defenseman Patrick Wiercioch is averaging close to a point per game during his two-year career at DU. Wiercioch has 16-37=53 in 60 career games. He injured his right knee after tallying a goal and an assist at Alaska Anchorage on Nov. 7, but returned to the DU lineup on Nov. 21 to help DU to a 3-for-11 effort on the power play. Wiercioch has points in 13 of his last 20 games. He earned Red Baron WCHA Defensive Player of the Week honors on Jan. 5 after being named to the all-tournament team at the Wells Fargo Denver Cup. Wiercioch was named to the All-WCHA second team and All-WCHA rookie team last season.

CARLE NAMED TO ALL-DECADE TEAM
Former Pioneer All-American and Hobey Baker Award winner Matt Carle was named to the College Hockey News All-Decade First Team for the 2000s on Jan. 12. Carle helped DU to back-to-back NCAA titles in 2004 and 2005, earned All-American honors in 2005 and 2006 and became Denver's first Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner in 2006. Carle finished his brilliant three-year DU career with 122 points on 29 goals and 93 assists in 112 games. Carle became the first player to earn WCHA Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year after leading all NCAA defensemen with 53 points on 11 goals and 42 assists in 2005-06.

TEAM OF THE WEEK
DU was named Team of the Week by College Hockey News on Oct. 27 for its performance at Minnesota on Oct. 23-24. Marc Cheverie had 30 saves in each 3-0 shutout and Rhett Rakhshani tallied three of Denver's six goals. Minnesota suffered back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 1930.

ROOKIE CLASS LOADED WITH TALENT
DU arguably has one of the top freshmen classes in college hockey. The class is highlighted by forward Drew Shore, defensemen Matt Donovan and William Wrenn, and goaltender Adam Murray. Shore, Wrenn and Murray were standout members of the United States National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich., while Donovan was the top scoring defenseman in the United States Hockey League. Defenseman Paul Phillips and forwards Shawn Ostrow and Chris Knowlton complete the 2009-10 recruiting class. Donovan (3-12=15), Shore (4-10=14), Wrenn (0-6=6), Ostrow (2-1=3), Phillips (0-1=1) and Knowlton (1-0=1) have each registered points this season. Wrenn (SJ), Shore (FLA), Donovan (NYI) and Phillips (CHI) have all been selected in the NHL Entry Draft.

NEW LEADER IN THE CLUBHOUSE
Rhett Rakhshani is the first forward to captain the Pioneers since Mark Rycroft in 1999-2000.

EARLY HONORS
DU's Patrick Wiercioch was named to the 2009-10 Preseason All-College Hockey News Second Team and Inside College Hockey All-America Third Team. Wiercioch, Rakhshani and goaltender Marc Cheverie were named to the preseason All-WCHA first team by the Madison.com media poll.

CARLE RETURNS FOR SECOND SEASON
Sophomore David Carle returns for his second season as student assistant coach. Carle was forced to retire from competitive hockey prior to the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and his freshman season at DU after being diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The disease is a thickening of the myocardium, which is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH
The 2009-10 DU roster sports seven Coloradans. Jon Cook (Denver), Chris Knowlton (Colorado Springs), Chris Nutini, (Centennial), Tyler Ruegsegger (Lakewood), John Ryder (Colorado Springs), Luke Salazar (Thornton) and Drew Shore (Denver) all hail from the Centennial State.

NHL DRAFT PICKS
DU's roster sports a program-high 13 NHL Draft picks this season. The total surpasses the 11 NHL draft picks DU had in 2006-07. Ten NHL teams have selected current Pioneers in the NHL Entry Draft from 2004-09. Sophomores Joe Colborne (16th) and Patrick Wiercioch (42nd) are the two highest drafted Pioneers in head coach George Gwozdecky's 16 years at DU. Student assistant coach David Carle was also selected in the seventh round in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft by Tampa Bay.

OH BROTHER!
Freshman defenseman John Lee is the younger brother of former North Dakota and Ottawa Senators defenseman Brian Lee. Student assistant coach David Carle is the younger brother of former Pioneer and current Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Matt Carle. Jon Cook is the younger brother of former Pioneer Steven Cook and current Pioneers Kyle and Shawn Ostrow are brothers.

TEN-FOUR GOOD PIONEERS
The DU roster has 10 players that honed their skills in the United States Hockey League and four players from the U.S. National Team Development Program. Nate Dewhurst (Des Moines), Matt Donovan (Cedar Rapids), Brian Gifford (Indiana), John Lee (Waterloo), Chris Knowlton (Des Moines), Anthony Maiani (Sioux City), Jesse Martin (Tri-City), Paul Phillips (Cedar Rapids), John Ryder (Ohio) and Patrick Wiercioch (Omaha) joined DU from the USHL. Rhett Rakhshani, Drew Shore, William Wrenn and Adam Murray joined DU from the USNTDP.

DU VS. RANKED TEAMS
The Pioneers are 10-3-2 against ranked teams and 56-37-10 against ranked teams over the last five seasons.

HOME ICE IS NICE
The Pioneers are 138-66-11 (.671) all-time in 11 years of competition at Magness Arena. The Pioneers are 8-2-3 at home this season and were 15-5-3 at home in 2008-09.

IN THE PROS
Tyler Bozak (Toronto), Chris Butler (Buffalo), Matt Carle (Philadelphia), Wade Dubielewicz (Minnesota), Matt Pettinger (Vancouver) and Paul Stastny (Colorado) are former Pioneers currently playing in the NHL. Bozak has 1-5=6 in 11 games, Butler has 1-16=17 in 42 games, Carle has 3-21=24 in 54 games, Dubielewicz in 0-1 with a 4.14 GAA and .778 Sv%, and Stastny has 11-37=48 in 54 games. Stastny was named to the 2010 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team on Jan. 1

CHAMPIONSHIP HOCKEY
The Pioneers are tied for second in NCAA Division I men's ice hockey with seven NCAA National
Championships. DU captured national championships in 1958, 1960, 1961, 1968, 1969, 2004 and 2005.

ON THE HORIZON
DU hosts Minnesota on Feb. 12-13.