The Alabama Gymnastics team jumped three spots nationally to No. 2 in the latest rankings released today.

As of this week, the national rankings are determined by scoring average. The Crimson Tide has averaged 196.856 over the course of its first four meets of the season, all coming on the road.

The University of Utah holds the top spot with an average of 196.900 while Georgia is No. 3 at 196.800. Nebraska and ULCA are fourth and fifth respectively. Arizona State is No. 6 while 2003 Alabama opponents Florida and Denver are seventh and eighth. Stanford and Washington round out the top-10.

Alabama has its home opener Friday against the Michigan Wolverines who are just out of the top-10 at No. 11. Alabama is ranked second on the floor exercise, fifth on both the vault and uneven bars and sixth on the balance beam.

The Tide has a trio of All-Americans in the top-20 of the all-around. Junior Jeana Rice is No 2 while sophomore Shannon Hrozek is No. 15 and senior Kristin Sterner is No. 18. Rice is also the No. 1 ranked gymnast on the balance beam, No. 4 on the uneven bars and No. 11 on the vault. Sterner is also ranked 24th on the beam.

Freshman Ashley Miles is ranked third in the floor exercise, seventh on the vault and 25th on the uneven bars. Freshman Mari-Christine Bayer is No. 10 on the balance beam while junior Lauren Holdefer is 13th on the vault.

--UA--