• Full name: Gwen DeLaine Spidle
• Year: Senior
• Events: All Around
• Major: Social Work
• Height: 5-3
• Born: July 28, 1977
• Hometown: Raytown, Missouri
• HighSchool:
• Club: Great American Gymnastics Express
• Coach: Al Fong
• Parents: Ron and Kim Spidle

• Attended Raytown High School 
• 1994 Level 10 National All Around Champion 
• Member of the U.S.A. National Team 
• Member of the 1991 Gold Medal U.S. Pan 
• America team along with Stephanie Woods 
• Came from the same gym as Marna Neubauer and Kim Masters 
• 1994 Level 10 State and Regional All Around Champion  

• 1996 (Freshman):
  • 1996 NCAA Championship team member
  • Helped Alabama to an NCAA record 198.075 team score by posting a career-high 9.9 balance beam score at the NCAA Central Regional Championship
• 1997 (Sophomore):
  • Second team All-American on the floor exercise
  • Posted career-high marks on the bars, beam and floor
  • Scored career highs on the bars and the beam against Auburn, helping extend the Tide's win streak against the Tigers to 30
• 1998 (Junior):
  • Earned All-American honors in the all-around and the balance beam
  • Earned second team All-American honors on the vault
  • Co-Captain, along with Merritt Booth
  • NCAA Central Regional Balance Beam Champion
  • First Alabama gymnast to compete a Yurchenko vault
  • Made all-around debut in season opener against Minnesota
  • Posted career best scores on three of four events including a 9.850 on vault, a 9.925 on the uneven bars (twice) and a 9.950 on the floor exercise
  • Career best all-around score of 39.400 came at the NCAA Super Six Championships

Q) How old were you when you started gymnastics? Where? Coaches?
A) I was 7 years old and I started at the YWCA. I moved to G.A.G.E. when I was ten and was coached by Al Fong.

Q) When did you determine that you were talented enough to compete nationally/internationally?
A) I went elite when I was twelve years old and that was when I knew my coaches thought I could go to higher levels.

Q) Do you have a favorite gymnast? Who? what is it about that gymnast that you like in particular?
A) Lilia Podkapayava. I was really impressed with her skills and her presence at the '96 Olympics. I also like Auriela Dobre and Daniella Silivas from Romania.

Q) What is your favorite apparatus? Why?
A) Floor because I love to perform to the crowd.

Q) What was your best competition performance?
A) My best club performance was '91 USA Championships.
My best collegiate performance was '98 NCAA's.

Q) Favorite competition location?
A) Pheonix or LA

Q) Interesting travel experience through gymnastics competitions?
A) I went to Cuba for the 1991 Pan-American Games.

Q) Tell us about your collegiate recruiting experience. who recruited you, how many visits did you take, and at what point did you decide to attend the University of Alabama?
A) I was recruited by twelve schools. I visited U of Nebraska, Missouri, Arizona and Alabama. I decided to come to Alabama on my trip here.

Q) What are your academic and athletic goals for the upcoming season?
A) Academic - a 3.5 this year.
Athletic - another NCAA Championship.

Q) Do you have a best and worst experience involving gymnastics?
A) My best experience was the first night of the '98 NCAA's when we made it to the Super Six!