A new ranking system left the nation's top-2 gymnastics teams the same, but scrambled the middle of the top-10 a bit.

The rankings, determined now by the regional qualifying score (RQS), again has UCLA and Alabama first and second respectively, but drops last week's No. 3, Utah, down two spots, leapfrogging Nebraska from fifth to third. Last week's No. 4, Georgia, flip flops with Arizona State, which was seventh last week. Florida remains No. 6 while Stanford, Oregon State and Michigan remain eighth, ninth and 10th respectively.

RQS is the formula that determines which teams receive bids to the six NCAA Regional Championships in April. The regional score is figured by taking a team's top three road scores adding them to its next three highest scores, either home or away, and dropping the highest score. That number is then divided by five. Alabama's RQS is 197.100.

Part of Alabama's high ranking comes from a string of 197-plus road scores during the Tide's opening four-meet road stretch. Now, after competing away from the state of Alabama for six of the first eight meets of the season, the Crimson Tide will now compete exclusively within the state's boundaries for the next six meets, including the next three in Coleman Coliseum, staring with a meet against No. 11 ranked Auburn.

The Tide, which had three athletes in last week's all-around rankings, including junior Jeana Rice at No. 2, had no one this week, because no one on the Alabama roster has competed in the all-around for the pre-requisite six meets.

Rice is ranked No. 2 on the uneven bars, No. 4 on the vault and No. 10 on the balance beam. Senior Kristin Sterner is ranked 21st on the beam.

Tickets for the Tide's three remaining home meets are on sale through the Alabama Ticket Office (205.348.2262) or online at www.rolltide.com.

24 February 2003 - by Regional Qualifying Average

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