Ashley Priess and Julie Cotter

Despite the 93 degree weather outside that belied the fact that September is here, the Alabama Crimson Tide gymnasts signaled the official beginning of Fall with their first team practice. There were many new faces spotted, including four walk-on gymnasts that hope to add their names to the starting line-up by January: Erika Pearson, Rachel Terry, Jocelyn Fowler and Kara Feeney. Joining them were Bama's three top recruiting targets in 2007: Julie Cotter, Ashley Priess, and Geralen Stack-Eaton. Veterans returning that went through full workouts: seniors Brittany Magee and Ashley O'Neal, juniors Ricki Lebegern, Morgan Dennis, Casey Overton, Kassi Price and Alyssa Chapman, and sophomore Megan Mashburn.

Rehabbing from off-season shoulder/clean-up surgery were sophomore Kayla Hoffman and senior Amanda Montgomery, who focused on conditioning workouts while their teammates rotated each apparatus. Both are expected to be cleared for practice soon, but Kayla couldn't resist getting ahead by doing some extended work on the lower balance beam on this date. Here are some of the moves that caught our eyes:

(Sr) Brittany Magee - she was particularly impressive during her balance beam and floor reps. A new move for Britt this year on the beam is the side Somi, which she was throwing on this date with easy confidence. She also worked a double twist dismount on the soft mats. Double pike reps on the floor tumbling track looked really clean, with tight leg control mid-air and strong, controlled landings. Ditto for the front tumbling pass she worked on the hard floor (front-front full to front tuck: very crisp).

(Sr) Ashley O'Neal - solid beam reps with particular focus on her double front dismount, which she also was practicing again on the floor. She has trained well in the off-season and seems ready to contribute once again on three events this year after struggling in 2008 with a knee problem.

(Jr) Morgan Dennis - rock solid as well on her layout-layout beam flight series reps and even threw a few double tuck dismounts onto the soft mat. On bars she was working an immediate pak Salto out of her pike Jaeger release with steadily improving results on this date. This will require not only perfect timing during the exchange but alot of power from her to get the needed amplitude on that second element. If she is able to master this sequence she will immediately improve her ability to score 9.90 or higher. Several double front dismounts looked confident as usual. Vault reps were mainly timers (yurchenko layouts).

(Jr) Casey Overton - she was working a new dismount off balance beam (double twist) and a hip drop down to sole circle (rotation of hips under and back on top of the beam) for a nifty new move to wow the crowd. On bars she worked the Tkatchev to pak Salto sequence and a toe on toe off series as well.

(Jr) Ricki Lebegern - we saw lots of beam reps and on the uneven bars she was working a Khorkina release move with Coach Raschilla's help. On floor her double pike reps showed really impressive amplitude and form as usual.

(Jr) Kassi Price - threw extra reps on bars to perfect the Hindorff release and added a Tkatchev in for a second release and the straddle toe-shoot transition move at various points of her workout. On balance beam her front aerial received a lot of focus with help from Coach Dana Dobransky and it looks like she is keeping most of her 2008 routine intact, including the double tuck or pike dismount. Lots of reps also on the vault (yurchenko layouts and a few full twists).

(Jr) Alyssa Chapman - it's clear she has worked very hard in the off-season with her conditioning and looks to be in her best pre-season shape since arriving at the Capstone. And the results are showing already, with much cleaner double pikes on floor while the flight series on beam was being completed with more amplitude, polish and control.

(RSo) Jac Shealy - uneven bars reps focused on her front giants, Tkatchev release to straddle back to handstand on the low bar transition sequence. She was also back on the beam and threw a nice front aerial to a stag leap combination. Jac did not have to wear the brace but did have her left leg wrapped to provide a little extra support (suffered ACL during first routine of her freshman year).

(So) Megan Mashburn - her vault reps of the front pike 1/2 showed good amplitude and solid landings on the soft mat but she struggled with the Shaposhnikova transition move on the bars. Also worked on the floor with her front tumbling pass mainly.

(Fr) Julie Cotter - mainly worked on the bars with her giants and the double layout dismount reps and on beam we saw her work on the flight series (bhs to layout) and her punch front (tuck).

(Fr) Geralen Stack-Eaton - really impressive balance beam work on this date, seemed very focused and consistent in finishing her skills, including a side aerial, bhs to layout, front aerial, switch leap to split jump and an Onodi (really pretty form maintained throughout). Vault reps mainly consisted of timers with David Patterson assisting. Bars work focused on giants and some basic double tuck dismount reps.

Ashley Priess

(Fr) Ashley Priess - worked on her Khorkina release move on the bars - legs showed more amplitude and flare, similar to Terin's execution of this skill. Beam work was solid - front aerial to sheep jump and a couple of double tuck dismounts; she did a lot of work on the vault (yurchenko timers as well, some twisting later). She was getting some teasing out there about her hair bands coming loose (bird's nest effect, very chic) and even got a hug from big sister Courtney who was there visiting for awhile.

(Fr) Erika Pearson - on the beam she was practicing a bhs to layout with nice confidence, and her dismount is a bhs to full twist off the side. Nice double pikes shown on the floor as well.

(Fr) Rachel Terry - lots of vault reps, some 1/1 twisting. On bars she was practicing a hop full and Khorkina release but will need some work on pointing her feet (too flexed, with ankles bandaged on this date) and extending her legs to sharpen the body line presentation of these impressive skills.

(Fr) Kara Feeney - working hard to regain her skills on uneven bars (lots of giants) and balance beam on this date (punch front, flight series and leap series). She and Rachel are tiny brunettes.

(Fr) Jocelyn Fowler - nice sequences observed on the balance beam (bhs to layout and a switch leap to tuck full combination). On bars she was focusing on a double layout dismount and a Tkatchev release.