The Alabama Gymnastics team, NCAA Runner-up a year ago, is third in the national preseason coaches' poll released this week.

"We're obviously pleased to be ranked in the preseason top 5," head coach Sarah Patterson said. "But we also know that it's not where you start but where you finish. If we can stay healthy we can achieve our goal of being on the floor the last night of the season with a chance to win a national title."

Defending NCAA Champion UCLA is ranked No. 1 by the coaches while Georgia, who finished third in 2003, is second. Utah and Michigan are fourth and fifth respectively.

"This is a tribute to our program," Patterson said. "It doesn't seem to matter who is on our team, or what our circumstances are, we are traditionally ranked in the top 5 in the preseason."

A year ago the Crimson Tide won the SEC Championship and finished second nationally with one of the nation's youngest teams, including seven freshmen and three sophomores. This year Alabama is still young, with 10 athletes in the freshman and sophomore classes, but far more experienced than in 2003. UCLA and Georgia are both veteran laden teams. Georgia in particular has six senior All-Americans on their team.

"Once again UCLA is the most talented team in the nation and I think Georgia has arguably the most talented senior class in the nation," Patterson said. "Those six seniors have not won a national championship and that is a driving force for them."

UCLA received 27 first-place votes while Georgia tallied eight. Alabama, Utah and Michigan all received one each. Stanford is sixth while SEC rival Florida checks in at No. 7. Nebraska is eighth and Arizona State ninth. LSU rounded out the top 10. Alabama will face four members of the top 10 during the regular season and eight teams in the top 20.

Alabama has been ranked top 5 in the preseason each of the last six years. And while the Tide has been a fixture in the preseason top 5 for the last several years, they have been a top-3 fixture in the end of the year rankings. Alabama has been to 21 consecutive NCAA Championships and finished in the top 3 a total of 14 times, including four NCAA titles and nine top-2 finishes.

Season tickets for Crimson Tide gymnastics are on the sale at the Alabama Ticket Office (205.348.2262) or online at www.rolltide.com.

* Indicates Alabama's 2004 opponents

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