TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - After back-to-back weekends on the road, the No. 4 ranked Alabama Gymnastics team returns to Coleman Coliseum Friday, Feb. 23 to face the Tar Heels of North Carolina.

"I know that after two weeks on the road, our ladies are excited to be back home competing in front of the best fans in the nation."

Not only are Alabama Gymnastics fans the best in Patterson's estimation, they are also the most numerous. After three home meets this season, the Crimson Tide leads the nation in attendance, with 12,537 fans per meet, the best average by more than a 1,000 per meet. Alabama is also riding a streak of nine regular season home meets in a row where the attendance was over 10,000.

The Tide will be facing a North Carolina squad that has just missed advancing to the NCAA Championship final site the last three years. Alabama last saw UNC during the 2005 season when the Tar Heels visited Tuscaloosa. Much like Sarah and David Patterson, who are in their 29th season coaching Alabama, North Carolina's coach Derek Galvin is a fixture at his school, in his 26th season in Chapel Hill.

"David and I have a lot of respect for Derek and what he has accomplished at North Carolina," Patterson said.

The two teams have more than mutual respect in common. Alabama's Ashley Miles and UNC's Courtney Bumpers tied for the 2004 NCAA Floor Exercise Championship and both routines were choreographed by Tide volunteer assistant coach Dana Duckworth.

In addition to facing off against the Tar Heels, Alabama will also be working hard to upgrade several of its routines on Friday with an eye toward the championship season.

"We are more than halfway through the regular season," Patterson noted. "Now is the time to start getting our routines where we need them to be for the postseason so that in a few weeks we're just fine tuning things."

Alabama has six meets under its belt, including three each at home and on the road. Patterson and company are at home for the next three meets including Friday night and will finish off the regular season March 16 at Auburn.

Tickets for Crimson Tide gymnastics meets can be purchased through the Alabama Ticket Office (205.348.2262) or online at RollTide.com.

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