Sporting an amazing consistency when it comes to success doesn't change the fact that no two years are the same when it comes to the Alabama Gymnastics Team, and that is especially true in a year when half its roster is made up of rookies.

Coming off its 10th NCAA top-2 finish, Alabama returns two NCAA Champions with four titles between them, four All-Americans with 16 honors among them and eight veterans in all. Added to the mix is the largest rookie class in school history, eight strong and ready to step up for the Tide.

"Our ultimate goals never change," head coach Sarah Patterson said. "We want to do well in every aspect of the program. Whether it is in the gym, in the classroom or out in the community, we want to do our absolute best. And of course our goal is to be on the floor the last night of the national championships with a chance to win."

"That being said, while our goals never change, the road we travel to achieve them is never the same and that will be especially true this year with eight freshmen."

Blending new and old together into a cohesive team is the challenge that stands in front of Sarah and David Patterson, now in their 28th season, assistant coach Bryan Raschilla, celebrating his 10th year with the Tide and volunteer coach Dana Duckworth.

For the 2006 edition of the Crimson Tide, it starts with senior Ashley Miles. The three-time NCAA Champion just keeps getting better, which is hard to imagine for those who watched her win the NCAA vault title as a freshman. Last year was her first going all-around and she was amazing, winning seven titles over the course of the season, including the NCAA Central Region Championship. All together she has won 16 postseason championships during her career, including three NCAA, five SEC and eight NCAA Regional championships. Last season she earned two 10.0s during the team finals of the national championships, becoming just the second gymnast in NCAA history to do so. Already considered one of the greatest collegiate gymnasts ever, she is looking to finish off her storybook career in a big way.

After a year that saw her earn two silver medals at the Athens Olympics as part of the United States team and then come in and win the Southeastern Conference, NCAA Regional and NCAA Uneven Bars Championships, sophomore Terin Humphrey comes into her second year having already accomplished a tremendous amount, but there is still much for her to do. Humphrey worked her way into the all-around by midseason and posted the Tide's best scores on the balance beam, where her signature move, "The Humphrey" is a crowd favorite and the uneven bars, where she won the Tide's 18th individual NCAA title. She had her best meet of the year at the NCAA Championships, setting season-best marks on the vault and floor exercise during team finals. As hard as it may be to believe, Humphrey has the talent to make her sophomore season even better than her rookie outing.

Miles is joined in the senior class by All-Americans Mari-Christine Bayer and Dana Filetti as well as Dana Pierce and Rachael Delahoussaye. Bayer was a mainstay on three events last season competing on the uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise in every meet. She broke her toe during a trip to the water park this summer and that injury has slowed her, but she is expected to be a big part of the Tide's uneven bars and balance beam plans. Filetti had a breakthrough year in '05, going in the all-around eight times last season and earning All-American honors on the uneven bars. She will again be counted on in the all-around as she looks to keep things rolling through her final season.

Pierce competed in all four events at different points last season and won her first all-around at Stanford. A strong senior year could see her back in the all-around during the season. Delahoussaye, a three-year member of the Tide's beam team, held down the leadoff spot last season and should figure in that event again.

Erin Rightley, the lone member of the Tide's junior class, was a regular on the floor exercise last season and also saw time on the vault and balance beam. A confident Rightley should see action on those three events again this season. Kaitlin White joins Humphrey in the sophomore class. After a slow start last year, White worked her way into the vault lineup, putting up her best score of the season during the team finals at the NCAA Championships. This season White should see immediate action on the vault and uneven bars and could work her way into the all-around later in the season.

And then there are the freshmen. This year's class of eight is headlined by Canadian Olympian Melanie Banville. She is the Tide's second Olympian, coming hard on Humphrey's heels. She is also the Tide's second international gymnast, following in the footsteps of All-American Natalie Barrington, a member of the Tide's 2002 NCAA Championships squad. Banville, who won the all-around at the Canadian Olympic trials, was a finalist at the Athens Olympiad. She won the all-around at last summer's Canadian Nationals and was a member of the Canadian's 2003 World Championship and Pan-American Games teams. She has the experience and skills to make an immediate and all-around impact for the Tide.

Originally, Brittany Magee was going to be a member of the 2007 freshman class. She was going to sit out this season with an eye toward competing internationally of the United States. She decided during the fall that she wouldn't wait and joined the Tide for the second semester. She competed at the 2005 North American Tri-meet. The two-time USA Championships competitor will make her presence felt early and often for the Crimson Tide.

Cassie Martin comes to the Tide after winning the 2004 U.S. Level 10 National All-Around title. She is a legacy to Alabama, hailing from the same gym that produced All-American Raegan Tomasek and 2004 NCAA All-Around Champion Jeana Rice. A member of the U.S. Level 10 National team, Martin has the potential to go in the all-around this season. Courtney Priess is a two-time national finalist in the all-around. A six-year qualifier to the U.S. Level 10 championships, she racked up three top-10 all-around finals at the national championships, including a runner-up finish. She should give the Tide an immediate boost on the uneven bars and balance beam and could work her way into the floor exercise lineup during the season.

Bianca Puello is another U.S. Level 10 all-around finalist. The 2001 national uneven bars champion has competed as an international elite as well. She has the potential to compete in the all-around, but should see most of her action early on the balance beam and uneven bars. Ashley O'Neal finished seventh in the all-around at the national championships in 2005. She also won the all-around, vault, balance beam and floor exercise at the 2005 Region 8 Championships. Bringing a lot of power to the table, O'Neal will be vying for spots on the vault and floor exercise early on.

Amanda Montgomery was a member of the 2003 U.S. Junior Olympic National Team. The 2005 Florida balance beam champion experienced a two-inch growth spurt over the summer and has been working on adjusting to that. She will be looking to make the Tide's uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise lineups. For Ashley Ford, the trip to the University was a short one. She went to high school in Tuscaloosa and competed for the Bama Bounders, which trains in Coleman Coliseum. The Level 10 State all-around, vault, uneven bars and floor exercise champion in 2005, she will have a shot at cracking the Tide's vault and balance beam lineup.

Things start off fast for the Crimson Tide and never really slow down. For the sixth year in a row, Alabama opens the regular season with the Super Six Challenge, this time in Baton Rouge, and finishes off at home against Auburn. In between, Alabama, ranked No. 4 in the preseason coaches' poll, will face five other members of the top-10 and 11 members of the top-20. The Tide opens up the championship season in Birmingham, Ala. with the SEC Championships before traveling cross country to Corvallis, Ore. for the NCAA Championships.