Roll Tide!

in the audience behind us.

reading and perhaps listening to her on the radio??? She broke out with a huge smile when Chad flashed the message to her after she finished responding to Leesa's questions.

90.7 WVUA. They are wearing headphones and we can't hear what they're asking her but we'll get some of her responses in a few minutes regarding her impression of tonight's meet and where the team goes from here.

in Tuscaloosa. Get ready to be introduced to our freshmen and we can promise you the team will do much better for their hometown crowd. Sarah is now answering questions on the radio for the debut of the Tide's coverage. WVUA's Chad Anderson and Medalist Club rep Leesa Davis have brought the action live tonight for the first time on the radio through the internet. There were a few glitches but we hope it went off well for those of you who had access.

6th Iowa

5th PSU

4th Arizona

3rd Alabama

2nd Florida

1st Georgia

Breanne King of Florida in second and Katie Heenan of Georgia in third.

announced that this is the third year in a row that Ashley has won this title and that she is the defending NCAA floor champion.

and Nikki Childs and Breanne King of Florida won it.

Ashley Kupets, Kristal Uzelac and Samantha Lutz of Florida was the winner with a 9.875.

Did she win it? Well, she won the vault and Alexis Brion came in second.

They will likely finish a distant third to Florida (194.450) and Georgia (194.850). The winner of this meet was the team that fell the least and that was the Gymdawgs. This is a great accomplishment considering they are paced by several freshmen in key positions. Every team can use this as a stepping stone to better performances down the road.

Yurchenko 1/1 and received a 9.525. However, Shannon Hrozek comes right back and throws her Yurchenko 1/1 with just a slight check on the landing for a 9.775 (stingy!). Alexis Brion comes behind her and nails her pike 1/2 twist but was bent at the waist so that will be a deduction. She receives a 9.875 and Ashley Miles then simply nails her Yurchenko 1/1 for a 9.90. Way to recover gals!

Filetti touches down on her vault, the difficult Yurchenko full twist on back pike off. That's a first for her in competition. She receives a 9.00.

and about one step back. It's difficult for us to see the complete vault in terms of any steps as the runway ending is way down to our left. This vault will score no higher than a 9.80 if done perfectly. It's done at this lower level tonight by Erin to get her some competition experience. She will start twisting it within the next few weeks and she has incredible height when she completes the 1/1 with confidence.

No one has broken the 49 barrier on vault though Florida came close at 48.950.

but there are new faces on this event and we are waiting for some others to reenter the line-up down the line to provide that much needed depth.

A brand new routine, her first time showing it and she brings it home. She receives a 9.90 but the judges again are being very picky tonight, not necessarily a bad thing. We will take it! Bama is the first team to break the 49 barrier tonight (49.100) and they have much needed momentum to go into their final event, vault. Let's roll!

national champion is up next so let's see what she can do.

of a whip to backhandspring to double pike. Huge! Perfect second pass, landed on a dime. She is in her element on the floor. Let's finish strong senior. She smiles at the Bama Nation before turning to finish with a front-front layout-front tuck. Strong routine. She will add the double tuck soon as her final pass. Let's see what the judges say about this one.

nailing her opening passes (double pike, front-front full-front tuck) and she finishes with a strong double full. The crowd liked this one so hopefully the judges will too. Kelsey Ericksen of Georgia fell on her mount and again on another move on the beam. Otherwise, Georgia is putting together a pretty good beam, with Nikki Childs getting the highest at 9.825.

stays in bounds. She is through her second pass (whip 1/2 to whip full) and finishes with a front full to front layout, landed well. She receives a 9.75. She is so much more confident now on the floor and we look forward to seeing her throw her new skills in the near future (double front Arabian and perhaps even her triple twist).

second pass of two front layouts, landed very well. Super ring leap after the worm move on the floor and she was just a little sluggish on the landing of the double twist as her third pass. She receives a 9.725.

to make sure it works properly for the next gymnast, Dana Pierce. In fact, they are going through the entire next music reel.

of the 1 1/2 twist. Nice double twist and she is selling the routine well. Her music has stopped! She keeps going though and completes the routine! Way to go Erin; she gets a hearty cheer from the crowd for her efforts. So they will score it without any deduction for this since it was a technical malfunction. You know, those Gators will do just about anything to win (grin).

events she will perform on tonight. That shows us what determination and hard work in the gym can do for you. She is a walk on from Florida and has made great strides this year.

the side and then comes back with a double tuck. Nice difficulty to some rocking music. She receives a 9.650.

up that team score. But first, Kate Stopper of Penn State has to go in the sixth spot for the Nittany Lions on floor. Clark receives a 9.55 for her routine.

But several gymnasts are flying out of bounds as a result. Lisa Clark threw a full in on her first pass and took three steps back and out of bounds. Those yellow flags are flying tonight by the side judges as a result. Georgia's total on the uneven bars is 48.575.

bars routine for a 9.80. Heenan receives a 9.300 for hers.

dismount. Nikki Childs completes her routine that included a Gienger and receives a 9.85 as well (double pike dismount). Katie Heenan just fell on her mount so the Dawgs will have to count a fall.

just completed solid vaults. Savannah Evans just completed a nice Hristakieva with one step forward.

and a double pike dismount. She receives a 9.700. Samantha Sheehan just wrapped her body around the low bar on her transition move and it is a wonder she could finish the routine. Incredible will and ability to endure what was obviously a painful miss (hit at the chest and abodomen on the low bar). She receives a 9.375. Dismount was a double tuck.

Kelsey Ericksen fell on the floor and vault. This is what the first meets are often like but every team is giving great effort and trying some difficult skills early on in the season.

difficulty in the process. Tracey Rai, freshman, fell on her final pass, as did Orley Szmuch and Ashley Reed. So they will count at least two falls on this event. Penn State had about three falls on the balance beam and Arizona had two falls on the bars.

not showing it to you folks back home. They will go out on a bye and then return on the floor and finish on the vault, two of their strongest events. Georgia is on bars, Florida on the vault, Penn State on the floor and Arizona moves to the balance beam.

the difficulty being thrown (9.70). We saw no obvious bobbles but will have to check closer on the replay of the tape and give more feedback on the post-meet commentary. Mari Bayer is looking solid with her elements so far and she shows a little hesitancy on the leap series (switch leap-straddle-wolf) and takes a few steps on the dismount of the gainer back pike. She receives a 9.625. The judges are doing a great job of taking off for every hesitation, step or slight miscue to separate the routines.

step to the side on her dismount of the double twist. She threw the two layouts and was rewarded for the extra difficulty. She receives a 9.825. One of the higher scores of the night on this event. Filetti is through her flight series and leap series (straddle-straddle-wolf)looking very confident and her tuck full jump this time is right on. She is looking great with the bhs-Korbut and the sheep jump. All moves completed with deliberation but the judges took off apparently for her taking long with the moves and gave her a 9.700. Folks, we'll have to take another look at that one on tape because that score seems too low.

layout to balance). Nice switch leap combination (two) to a Korbut and the straddle-straddle-wolf jump looked terrific as well. She dismounts with a bhs-gainer full off the side, one small step. Delahoussaye received a 9.675 for her routine and Erin will score a 9.600, again for that balance check on the third element of her flight series. But she stayed on! First competitive routine for her.

tonight.

A nice wolf to Korbut is solid, along with her new side switch leap, very nice extension and amplitude. She dismounts with a gainer back pike, tiny hop in place.

Rachael, Erin, Shannon, Dana F., Ashley and Mari. Again, lots of new faces so this also may be a work in progress. On the uneven bars, we must say that Alabama was tip top in terms of form, toe point and extension, along with beautiful giants but several of the gals were just rough on some of the big moves, so hopefully this will work out in the coming weeks of practice and more competition.

event. Georgia had a 48.600 on the vault and a running total of 97.400. Penn State has a running total of 96.050. All other teams have only completed one event. Bama is in last place behind those teams.

Bama's total on the bars is a 47.575 and even I can't remember the last time we scored that low on this event. The girls are going through their beam routines on the sideline, preparing for the next rotation announcement.

transition to the low bar. So her routine score will definitely be dropped. Now the coaches will have to rally the girls to put this one out of their mind and move on to the next event, beam, where there truly is no room for error. Mari receives a 8.45 for her bar routine.

What a spectacular routine. She always comes through in the meets big time. A super Shaposhnikova, Hindorff and double layout, stuck cold.

as she released her toe on straddle to the high bar. Nice Gienger release and a super dismount landing of the double front. She receives a 9.725.

and a 9.775 (Emmons).

were truly looking terrific in the long warm-ups but there are so many new faces and new moves that you have to let them get out there to get the kinks and nerves out. Let's hope the rest of the gals can pull through some strong scores.

learn from this. It appears that she just slightly clipped her toe on the low bar as she completed a giant out of her 1/2 turn before dismounting with the double tuck, which naturally would have slowed her momentum going into the tuck and forcing her forward and down on the landing (touch of hands on the mats). Ashley Miles had a mishap on her dismount last year to open the Super Six and she was almost perfect the next week. Alexis Brion just missed her Tkatchev so we will have to count a fall again this year on the uneven bars. Nice dismount and recovery overall.

Our freshman Kaitlin White is doing us proud but then on the dismount of the double tuck loses momentum and falls forward, touching her hands down. Drat!

Shannon Hrozek had an uprise on her mount to the high bar that stopped in the straddle position but she then kept going and completed the routine without further problems, landing the 1/2 turn to double tuck. There will be anywhere from a one tenth to two tenth deduction for that stall.

on the floor. The judges are pretty tight on the beam and vault tonight.

Iowa on the floor and Penn State on the balance beam. We need six strong routines from our gals to get this meet going in a positive way for the Tide. The Tide is in their 2004 NCAA Super Six Finals outfit, deep cranberry velveteen with hologram (yes, 3-dimensional reflecting material) contrasting panels at the upper bodice (at a diagonal angle) and lower waist areas, one of the most attractive outfits the team has ever worn in our humble opinion. Iowa is in solid black.

while Penn State is at 48.275 and Arizona 48.500. Ericksen received a 9.300 for her floor routine and this was deleted from the final team score on this event.

Dan Filetti, Danny Pierce, Dan and Laura Brion, Jerry Delahoussaye, Trisha Rightley, Joan and Ray Gnat and Robert and Kay and Robert Harris (manager Clare's parents). And a host of other Bama loyal fans who came along with them, about 50 strong.

of the double pike (hands down forward). So the Gymdawgs will have to count the initial lower scores of a 9.650.

and Lutz a 9.650.

and Samantha Lutz of Florida took several steps back and sideways on her dismount off the beam, so she will suffer some deductions for that. But the Gators are through the beam rotation without a fall, which is great for the first meet of the year.

and a high five from Coach Shepherd. Michelle Emmons just completed her floor routine and should score higher than Childs since she had more difficulty and no major problems.

Nice routine so far by Nikki Childs of Georgia for a 9.750. Bowers gets a 9.650 for her previous routine for the Gymdogs and Dowlen a 9.650 as well. Florida's Breanne King receives a 9.85 for her solid beam routine. Erinn Dooley is on with a punch front mount for the Gators.

the knee so that will be a deduction but she is selling the routine well with a huge smile. Penn State's second gymnast fell on her release (Borkan). Orley Szmuch of Florida receives a 9.725 for her beam routine.

Katie Rue of Florida completes her beam routine with no significant errors and dismounts with a gainer back pike for a 9.650. Megan Dowlen opens on floor with a double pike and a double twist, no problems in the landing of either. Muirhead of Arizona receives a 9.625 for her vault

Arizona is wearing a metallic red bodice with contrasting blue/black sheer netting on the shoulder and arms. Penn State is in marine blue nylon with contrasting white on the shoulders and arms and the Nittany Lion logo embossed in silver sequins on the chest. Florida is wearing almost a black with the Gator logo embossed in blue sequins on the chest and a contrasting metallic orange on the cuffs. Georgia is in black and red with sweetheart bodice design and contrasting silver sequins and a sheer black netting on the upper arms.

are about to begin. Arizona on vault, Penn State on bars, Florida on the beam and Georgia on the floor.

Jackson of UF, a dental student. She receives strong applause for her terrific singing and now the meet is about to get underway.

who log on at gymtide.com or rolltide.com.

crowd and visiting fans. Georgia has their group here as well across the way cheering for them. Iowa is next followed by Penn State and the Gators of Florida.

Michelle Reeser, Jessie Silver, Terin Humphrey, Dana Pierce, Alexis Brion, Dana Filetti, Rachael Delahoussaye, Shannon Hrozek, Erin Rightley, Meredith Laxton, Kaitlin White, Mari Bayer and Ashley Miles.

They start with the best, our University of Alabama Crimson Tide.

on every event. Ashley Reed will do all around and Murry will do three events (vault, bars, floor) while Tracey Rai will do one (floor). Senior Erinn Dooley will only do beam tonight. This is a solid team across all classes. Senior Orley Szmuch will do all around along with sophomore Breanne King for the Gators as well.

Joanne Giannini, Catherine Batsche, Lois Colburn, Pat Ethredge, Carol Ide, Dianne Aitken, Evelyn Chandler, Rebecca Oppenheimer.

fans of each team can congregate together if they choose. This is a general admission arena for home gymnastics meets.

be ready to go. David Patterson noted it's just first meet nerves and she will be fine. Roll Tide! They're on to the locker rooms to get dressed for the competition.

but she is standing her vaults up well (Yurchenko 1/1). Ashley is telling her that it's all in her head (ha ha).

Ashley Miles. Dana Pierce just nailed hers as well and David Patterson is vigorously nodding his head with approval.

would be Filetti's, Miles, Brion's, and Hrozek's. Rightley is showing more confidence with each repetition.

tonight with either a Yurchenko layout or a 1/1 (full twist). Mari Bayer is also in the warm-up rotation and has two vaults she will possibly be throwing this year, including the already familiar Yurchenko 1/1 or the Yurchenko 1/2 off front pike.

and the Tide will be on vault, Florida on the bars, Arizona on the floor and Iowa on the balance beam.

and are already drowning out the few Gator fans here. Our gals show their appreciation by turning quickly and cheering right along with them.

for the final rotation.

Georgia will have Brittany Smith on the beam tonight, along with several freshmen (Heenan, Childs, Dowlen, Bowers)and either Ericksen or Kupets.

in response. Alexis Brion has her prom hairdo going tonight. She is dancing to the same music from her freshman routine with a few new dance changes.

So she won't be down-grading tonight. Mari Bayer had alot of power on her double pike and Rachael helped keep her in bounds.

Erin Rightley to start, followed by Dana Pierce (yeah!), Dana Filetti (double yeah!!), Mari Bayer, Alexis Brion and Ashley Miles. Reeser will fill in if anyone ahead of her does not warm up sharply.

of the long warm-ups. We see Ashley getting ready to groove to her new moves on floor. Alexis Brion, Mari Bayer, Michelle Reeser, Dana Filetti, Erin Rightley, Dana Pierce are also warming up.

in this rotation. Georgia is on the uneven bars and the first three up are all freshmen: Katie Heenan, Sam Sheehan and Nikki Childs. Beautiful extension and toe-point from Heenan and Childs especially. It looks like Kupets will be in the line-up tonight as well. Heenan is throwing the Shaposhnikova release and a double front dismount.

long beam warm-ups and Filetti got a high five from freshman Kaitlin White after doing a terrific set of her own. Erin Rightley is struggling with her flight series and this will pose a challenge to Coach Patterson regarding which gal to put in there. But there she just did another sequence and nailed it! Atta girl!

the floor tonight. Freshman Tracey Rai is working on throwing a double front Arabian but she is using the heavy mats and is landing them low and forward. Freshman Tiffany Murry has so much power on her double pike that she is struggling with staying in bounds. She is also practicing a tuck full-in. Senior Erinn Dooley will not be on the floor tonight for the Gators.

had problems with her routine, very uncharacteristic of her. It looks like she may be replaced tonight by sophomore Erin Rightley if the initial line-up holds. Her warm-ups so far look pretty solid.

Warming up right now we see Ashley, Dana Filetti, Rachael, Erin, Alexis, Shannon, Mari and Michelle.

as well, including Penn State on the uneven bars. We noticed a beautiful Tkatchev from Cecile Allen, a senior for the Nittany Lions. Freshman Kristal Uzelac is also looking strong on this event though she missed the Tkatchev we saw her attempt. The Lions look to be in good condition for early in the year as well.

adjustment during the long warm-ups. She has a crimson "A" on her cheek and is ready to roll. After a very strong 15 minute warm-up on the bars the Tide will move next to the balance beam.

Ashley Miles and Alexis Brion are going for the best uprise to handstand award on the high bar and we're going to give it to both of them. Dana Pierce will be in the 7th position for the bars tonight in case someone ahead of her does not warm up well. She looks like she is ready to go.

site of the 2005 Super Six Challenge. We are watching Alabama warm up on their first event rotation, the uneven bars, and they are looking terrific in comparison to this past Sunday's intrasquad. Maybe it's the bars here at UF but they are liking them!