meet with the Nittany Lions and Arizona, Saturday, January 14th. A post-meet report will be up on the website by mid-week. Until then, Roll Tide! Great start for the 2006 season as the Tide wins the Super Six Challenge in Baton Rouge. Goodnight to the Bama Nation around the globe.

as follows:
1 Alabama 194.250
2 Nebraska 194.100
3 ISU 194.050
4 LSU 193.900
5 Auburn 193.675
6 Missouri 192.700

to compete in this first meet of the season despite only a week and a half of practice with the Tide. She started off on the beam and as earlier noted threw a terrific routine for a 9.775. She also threw her difficult routine on the floor for Bama tonight and was deducted for stepping out of bounds on her second pass, a whip-whip-back handspring to huge double pike.

other up tonight. For example, Cassie Martin started the bars rotation and had a fall but Courtney Priess came through two routines later and hit hers where she had been struggling a big earlier in long warm-ups and Cassie had been hitting. Mari Bayer is now being interviewed and talked briefly about the uneven bars line up change when she was not hitting her Jaeger release. As a senior she knows that you have to think what's best for the team and if pulling your routine out for someone else to step it up who is hitting, that's what you do. She vows to be ready next week to throw this routine at PSU. Mari has been one of the most consistent bars workers for the Tide over the past four years, so we know she will be ready to go.

today! Balance beam saw four freshmen debut, bars had two, vault had four and floor had three. Amazing.

They have lots of film to review to figure out where the judges took their deductions and how they can polish up their routines on all four events to get those scores up this next week at Penn State. By the way, it looks like snow is in the forecast for that meet on the 14th of January!

3rd with a 9.775. Iowa State's Janet Anson receives a 9.80 for 2nd and Burkholder gets 1st with a 9.825. Burkholder also won the all around.

with a 9.775 and Terin in 2nd with a 9.800. Burkholder gets a 9.850 and wins the beam title.

received a 9.875 and tied with Vanessa Meloche, Kelly Phelan and Michelle Zabawa.

9.90. Magee finished tied for 5th with a 9.85 (yahoo!)

them to you:
1st Alabama
2nd Nebraska
3rd Iowa State
4th LSU
5th Auburn
6th Missouri

Scores to follow soon. Chad Anderson, WVUA Sports, is glowing, this is his first multi-team win with the Tide and he made the call!

but the LSU team suffered heavy deductions for missed connections and bobbles as well from the beam judges. One gymnast also fell for the Tigers.

double-checking all the scores.

and distance)and Kaitlin White just threw her Yurchenko 1/1, one step forward on the landing. She receives a 9.675 for bending forward at the waist on the landing and gaining limited distance from the vault table.

Magee is next with a beautiful Yurchenko 1/1, small step back on the landing for a 9.850!

Yurchenko 1/1 very well for a 9.825. Let's go Tide!

Nebraska on the floor and Auburn on the uneven bars. LSU's floor mat has alot of bounce, as several of the Tide's and now Nebraska's gymnasts went bounding forward after their tumbling passes were landed. New springs?

Ashley Miles opens with a double layout and had to lift her leg on this pass and the double pike second pass, too much energy! This is a new routine for her as well; selling it well and she finishes with a front-front full front punch layout. She receives a 9.775, the lowest of her career; she has been unbelievably consistent on this event for four straight years, hitting in the 9.90 or higher range 95% of the time.

and she opens with a 2 1/2 twist to punch front but has to take several steps back to balance her landing and comes right back with a double pike, a balance step back as well. Nice double turn and some nifty choreography and then finishes with a 2 1/2 twist, nice landing and a salute to the roof on her final dance pass. About 3-4 tenths deductions, maybe more coming.

and Banville is through her opening double pike (nice landing) and the 2 1/2 twist to punch front (big smile for Evelyn Chandler after landing this). She finishes with a double twist but steps back and out of this a bit, so get ready for a hit there. Otherwise, very nice presentation for her first collegiate floor routine.

follows up with a whip-whip-back handspring to a double pike, one foot out of bounds and she ends with a front through to a Rudi, a little bobble on the landing. Nice effort for her first time out. Bama is throwing the big-time difficulty but must clean up the landings to get the big scores. Judges are not rewarding the difficulty without the polished landings included because Alabama is blowing out the teams tonight in terms of difficulty, they just are not finishing the moves enough to garner the higher scores.

She throws the double front Arabian and stands it up! Second pass of front handspring to front layout to front full and she will finish with a double twist, perfect landing. She looks a little lost in some of the dance sequences near the end but threw some difficult leaps, including a ring leap to split leap full and and a cat leap full near the end of her routine after the final tumbling pass, always difficult to pull off with grace. She gets a 9.625.

and she opens with a front through to a 1 1/2 twist (Rudi). She bounds forward out of the front-front full-front tuck (was supposed to be a front layout) but recovers nicely. This is a new routine for Erin and she will finish with a double twist, rather sluggish landing unfortunately, step forward. This will be deducted anywhere from 3-5 tenths.

it's Super Six Finals to get those scores up and put the pressure on ISU and Nebraska. LSU is just behind the Tide by two tenths so they are chomping at their heels as well and will go next on the uneven bars, where the score separation has not been nearly as strong as the other three events. So if the Tigers hit their routines without major breaks, they could easily break the 49 level.

with her leap series and connections in general, so this will probably be deducted heavily as well. Wolf full and a double twist dismount, a little sluggish but she pulled it around. She receives a 9.375.

She throws a solid back handspring to two layouts, nice leap series of straddle-double stag and a punch front. Dismounts with a Rudi, one step on the landing for a 9.775.

and Woo is now up. Anson received a 9.750 for her bars routine. ISU is sticking their dismounts! Dethloff gets a 9.800.

the pak Salto transition. The judges on beam are staying pretty consistent, as Nebraska has received similar low scores despite staying on the beam with their second gymnast (Carter a 9.600) and Sniatynski has just finished but bobbled her way through every element and will likely be deducted accordingly.

and Oiness of ISU gets a 9.625 for her bars routine.

Nebraska (1st).

One handed back handspring to layout step-out, a front aerial (up on her toes!), a punch front, a switch leap to wolf and a double tuck dismount, one step forward. But she receives a 9.775, very conservative for such a beautiful effort.

Melanie Banville was looking great in her routine until the double turn effort, which she had to jump off on. She finishes with a stuck double pike for a 9.200. Excellent effort, which included a straddle jump to straddle full combination, a punch front, a 3/4 turn out of a switch leap and a back handspring to layout step-out.

routine and had no major balance checks either.

Terin is through her Humphrey mount, the Kotchetkova flight series, the punch front and the Omelianchik before dismounting with a gainer full twist. Not predicting what they'll give this routine.

throwing a strong back handspring to back pike, followed by a switch leap to switch side straddle, terrific control! She throws a punch front and then the switch leap to gainer back pike, nailed it!

her Yurchenko 1/1 very well, this should score well.

Mari received a 9.450 for her routine and apparently was not given full credit for connecting some of her elements on either the flight series or her leap series.

Cassie Martin is through her front aerial and the flight series of a back handspring to layout step-out and lots of difficult leaps, including a ring leap and a double stag leap. Tiny balance checks here and there. Judges gave Holtz of Auburn a 9.625 for her floor routine, perhaps because she throws too much front tumbling?

but she pulls it off. Nice switch leap 1/2 turn and a beautiful double stag leap, a switch leap to side straddle combination (little bend to balance) and she finishes with a gainer back pike, nice routine.

warm-up. The coaches are putting up the freshmen to get them seasoned early. But senior Mari Bayer will start us off, she is a second team All American on this event for Bama.

with her usual funky blend of music. She opens with a tuck full in, landed nicely. Second pass of a 2 1/2 twist to punch layout, in bounds. She finishes with a double tuck. Burkholder's freshman and sophomore routines were much more energetic in terms of music and choreography blend. The judges apparently agree, giving her only a 9.825.

and her first tumbling pass looked like she left out an element (only threw a front through to a front full). The judges are deducting for those front tumbling passes that are not in line with the new code of points. Nerves are affecting some of these performances as well. Bama has a 48.600 total on the bars and this is certainly better than last year, so let's hope the Tide will be able to relax and kick it in for the remaining events.

far this evening. We would have given it a 9.95 of course but you know we're biased!

watch Ashleigh Claire-Kearney crash on her final tumbling pass, a nasty head drop and she slowly stands up and throws her final pose. Terin Humphrey completed her routine beautifully, including the new Geinger release and a terrific double layout dismount.

until the dismount of the difficult double front, sitting it down. So the Tide will have to count a fall on this event for the second year in a row. Terin Humphrey will finish up for the Tide and we need a big score from the sophomore sensation. Priess received a 9.825 for her first collegiate start on the bars.

Super girl we are calling her here on press row.

LSU's Klein fell on one of her tumbling passes and received a 9.125.

She has beautiful form on the uneven bars as well and will be dismounting with the most difficult move tonight, an Arabian double front.

and Cassie Martin received a 9.100 for her bars routine after the release fall. White receives a 9.775 on the bars and Ashley Miles just hit her routine beautifully, marred only by a step forward on the landing of the double layout dismount, super distance from the high bar.

double backs in her routine. Kaitlin White is now through her Geinger release out of the full turn and the pak Salto transition to the low bar, hitting all of her elements, including the full turn to double tuck dismount, nice!!! Way to go sophomore!

and then remounts the bar and completes the pak Salto and the rest of her elements with gorgeous form, landing a high double tuck dismount, small step.

so let's hear a hearty Roll Tide Roll!

Bama on the uneven bars, Missouri on the beam and Iowa State on the vault. We're still waiting for first rotation official scores but it looks like Missouri might be just a little ahead of Nebraska.

beam and Missouri's Heinicka received a 9.850 for her final bars routine in rotation one. Most of the Missouri gymnasts had Tkatchev release moves in their uneven bars routines

later with a nice double tuck for a 9.275. Barnett earlier received a 9.400 for her beam routine.

9.775 for her bars routine, so that is a terrific start for her collegiate career as was Perry's routine earlier (9.725).

Kvach of Iowa State scored a 9.550 on floor and the judges are deducting heavily for front tumbling that is not landed precisely and not in sync with the new code.

and freshman Adrienne Mills is up for the Tigers. Auburn is not making any major mistakes on the beam but the judges are deducting for even small hesitations and missed connections on leaps.

freshman Sabrina Long follows with a Yurchenko 1/1, two steps back on the landing. Long receives a 9.600 and Alden of Iowa State a 9.625 for her floor routine. Somero received a 9.550 for her beam routine.

rotation can start. Brittney Williams starts them off with a front pike, hop forward on the landing. Somero for Auburn is through her flight series and dismounts with a double twist, one step on the landing. Missouri's first gymnast, Nicole Bowman is through her bars routine as well without significant problems.

Missouri on the uneven bars, Auburn on the balance beam, and Iowa State on the floor exercise. LSU and Alabama will sit this rotation out on a bye and when the second rotation comes around, LSU will be on the floor and Bama on the uneven bars.

The Missouri Tigers will need strong leadership from Lauren Schwartzmann and confident, hit routines from their super freshmen, Alicia Hatcher and Adrienne Perry, if they are to put pressure on the favorites, LSU and Alabama.

The Auburn Tigers will look to their sophomore and last year's freshman of the year, Julia Dwyer, for early leadership on all four events, but especially the balance beam, floor and vault but they will be calling on several new gymnasts, including Adrienne Mills, to help push the scores up.

Iowa State will look to the senior Canadian, Laura Kay Powell and junior sensation Janet Anson to pace them on their best events, vault and floor exercise. They have a realistic chance to win this meet if the favorites falter and are gunning to finish in the top three.

Nebraska is well-coached with a lot of talent but must rely on youth like several of the other teams. Look for a quick adjustment from their freshmen, Sabrina Long and Tricia Woo to help Emily Parsons and Stephanie Carter lead the way to a possible victory.

LSU is probably the most balanced of the six teams in terms of depth and experience across their upper three classes but this does not always transfer to a victory. But they do have the home arena in their favor and are determined to throw down the gauntlet early in the SEC, thereby stating that they intend to be a force this year on the national scene as well.

Alabama will need leadership from their senior class to pave the way for the freshmen who will factor into key roles on each event. Even sophomores Kaitlin White and Terin Humphrey will be called upon to show grace under pressure or it could be a bumpy ride tonight. The uneven bars will be the first challenge and we will look for the All Americans, Filetti, Miles, Humphrey and Bayer to set the tone early.

start time of 6:00 pm. The LSU pep band is here and will provide entertainment between rotations.

they depart the main floor to dress for the competition. The Bama fans are here and to our immediate right behind us and are yelling Roll Tide Roll as the ladies head out of the main floor area.

Brittany Magee, Ashley Ford, Ashley Miles, Kaitlin White, Melanie Banville and Erin Rightley. Bama will throw five 10.0 vaults tonight and one 9.90 (Ford).

will be inserted into the line-up if one of the other gals are not hitting their passes. Cassie Martin is throwing the difficult double front Arabian, Banville a pike full in, Magee a 1/2 in 1/2 out, Miles the double layout to open their respective routines. Yowza!

for the Tide. Nice front punch layout to immediate Rudi from Kaitlin White!

Dana Pierce will throw the double pike and end with a double twist to punch front if she gets tapped for the floor tonight.

Magee is selling her routine like it's the Super Six Finals in April! And Melanie Banville is now up (three frosh in a row). Magee will throw a 2 1/2 twist or a Rudi as her final pass and Rightley the Rudi (1 1/2 twist looking very good).

Erin Rightley, Melanie Banville, Brittany Magee, Ashley Miles, Cassie Martin, Kaitlin White, Dana Pierce and Terin Humphrey warm up. Meanwhile, Dana Filetti and Ashley O'Neal are leading the cheers on the sideline and they are raucous!

Medalist Club Group has arrived!

who will be performing tonight. They are from the same club, Great American Gymnastics Express, that Terin Humphrey trained at in Missouri. Perry throws a double layout on the floor and looks ready to go for her first collegiate competition.

still pressing on confidently through their warm-ups, including floor and now uneven bars.

Nebraska on the beam this year will be without All American Kristi Esposito, who requested a release this past summer from her scholarship and is expected to compete for LSU next year after sitting out for one year per NCAA rules on transfers. They still have steady sophomore Emily Parsons and junior Stephanie Carter and Canadians Kylie Stone and Vanessa Meloche.

another bye.

but she was a little hesitant on that switch leap to straddle side leap series. Erin Rightley is in the warm-up on beam as well and looking pretty solid on her flight series (front aerial to back handspring to layout step-out).

then during the long warm-up and a super double pike dismount right after her from freshman Melanie Banville and her signature 3/4 switch leap turn. Too much difficulty for us poor folks to handle!

very confident, including the freshmen Cassie Martin, Melanie Banville, Brittany Magee and Courtney Priess. Looks like Ashley Miles will not be going on the beam to allow Bama to utilize their awesome youth depth on this event right out of the chute.

she will add a full turn right before the dismount.

Mari Bayer has not hit her Jaeger release yet so she might be replaced or the coaches could decide to remove it for this first meet if she does not get it in the 3 minute touch. This first event is crucial for the Tide to set momentum and stabilize the freshmen, so look for some adjustments here.

and the next gal is up for a practice rep.

Huge Geinger release just then from Dana Filetti, All American on this event. Bama needs to spot those landings a little better however, just like sophomore Kaitlin White just did. Awesome!

with Roots about the new media guide (hot pink and compact!)

Bama has Terin, Cassie, Ashley Miles, Courtney, Mari, Dana Filetti, and Kaitlin warming up on the bars.

Terin just nailed her double layout dismount but is still getting spotted pretty closely on her new major release, the Geinger.

Nice rep by freshman Courtney Priess just then, including the huge Tkatchev release and the toe-on toe-off to Arabian dismount.

for their first warm-up, second rotation officially.

Looks like Cassie Martin will start the warm-up as she did in the intra-squad this past Monday. Let's go Tide!

We are in early long warm-ups, first rotation, and the Tide is out on a bye along with LSU.

Auburn is warming up on the balance beam, Iowa State on the floor exercise, Missouri on the uneven bars and Nebraska on the vault.