The University of Alabama Gymnastics Team finished 2^nd at the 2004 SEC Championships and it was once again a fight to the end between the premier programs in the conference, UA and UGA. The Dawgs reclaimed the crown with a 198.175 final score to Bama's 197.950, showing relentless determination on the balance beam and floor exercise to seal the victory.

Alabama started rotation one on the uneven bars.  As a team the Tide finished with a 49.325 score.  Shannon Hrozek (9.825) and Brittany Comeaux (9.825) executed their respective routines at a higher performance level than their final scores indicated.   Ashley Miles rocketed her routine all the way through, highlighted by a superb double layout dismount that she stuck with awesome distance from the high bar for a 9.90 score.  Mari Bayer reached all of her handstands and executed the piked Jaeger release with beautiful toe-point and extension (9.825) while Jeana Rice received a 9.95 for her two inverted giants to ½ turn to Tkatchev, ending with a stuck full in dismount.

Alabama next went to the balance beam for rotation two and posted four solid routines by Michelle Reeser (9.875), Rachael Delahoussaye (9.850), Alexis Brion (9.825) and Shannon Hrozek (9.800).  Unfortunately,  Mari Bayer fell on the beam for the first time in her career at Alabama, the glitch coming on a switch leap towards the end of her routine, for which she received a 9.300.  Jeana Rice was ice personified and arguably should have scored a 10 for what appeared to be a perfect routine (9.975).  Bama's total on the beam was a 49.325, one of their highest team totals of the season.

The Tide went out on a bye in the third rotation with a running total of 98.650.  Bama returned in rotation four to the floor exercise and did a terrific job, scoring a 49.675, highlighted by Ashley Miles' perfect 10 along with super routines by Jeana Rice (9.950) and Alexis Brion (9.950).  Mari Bayer also had an excellent routine for a 9.90 and Lauren Holdefer opened the set with a strong 9.875.  Stephanie Kite struggled on her opening pass of the difficult front-double full-punch front, almost sitting the third element down (9.675).  The Tide really was pumped up by the large Bama contingent on hand and responded accordingly with one of their best floor sets of the season.

Bama went on another bye in rotation five before returning to finish up on the vault in rotation six.  The Tide won this event as a team, scoring a 49.625.  Shannon Hrozek once again got things started off in a huge way, scoring a 9.90 for her Yurchenko 1/1.  Dana Filetti had her best vault of the year, scoring a 9.90 for the Yurchenko full twist on back pike off.  Brittany Comeaux scored a 9.90 as well, coming on strong two weeks in a row with her very difficult and unusual vault, the Yurchenko ½ on front tuck with a ½ tuck off.  Jeana Rice scored a 9.975 for another superb vault, a Yurchenko 1/1 that was executed flawlessly.  She won this event overall in the meet.  Alexis Brion scored a 9.875 after fighting very hard to stick the landing of her front pike ½ twist and this vault was thrown out of the final total.  Ashley Miles finished strong with a Yurchenko 1/1 for a 9.95 that was just shy of perfection. 

Despite losing the SEC crown to the GymDawgs, the Crimson Tide remained ahead of them in the final RQS poll (#3) and will be seeded #1 in the West Region at Corvallis, Oregon, against Oregon State, Oklahoma, California, Boise State and Cal-State Fullerton.  Fortunately, the online commentary will not be restricted during this meet so we look forward to bringing you all of the scores and highlights.  Meet us back at www.gymtide.com on April 3^rd and Roll Tide Roll!