• Also see our own Postmeet Commentary for this meet!

TEAM SCORES:
1. Alabama 197.300;
2. Oklahoma 195.875;
3. Illinois 195.425;
4. Boise State 194.150;
Southeastern Missouri State 193.85,
Arizona State 193.200

NORMAN, Okla. - The Alabama Gymnastics team took control of its destiny early here at the NCAA South Central Regional Championships and never let up, cruising to its 23rd regional title and 26th consecutive NCAA Championship final site.

"We did our job," head coach Sarah Patterson, in her 30th season at Alabama, said. "We came here focused on getting to Athens and the NCAA Championships final site. I can tell you that even after 26 years in a row, this feeling never gets old."

The Crimson Tide used a 197.300 to win the title in the Lloyd Noble Center on the University of Oklahoma campus. The Sooners finished second with a 195.875 to grab the second bid available from the South Central regional. Illinois was third with a 195.425.

Sophomore Morgan Dennis won the all-around with a career-best 39.625, eclipsing the mark she set two weeks ago at the Southeastern Conference Championships while sophomore Ricki Lebegern was second with a 39.3. Dennis also won the vault and floor exercise. Sophomore Kassi Price won the uneven bars and shared top honors on the balance beam with junior Brittany Magee, giving the Tide a clean sweep of the individual events.

"I thought our ladies worked hard tonight," Patterson said. "It did not come easy to us, but we fought through. I think we are prepared mentally and physically for the NCAA finals. This was a total team effort and I can continue to be very proud of our cohesiveness and team unity that has helped us reach this point tonight."

Needing only a good score on its last event, the vault, to advance, Alabama didn't let up on the gas, turning in its second highest score of the season, a 49.525, paced by a 9.95 from Dennis, a 9.925 from freshman Kayla Hoffman and a 9.9 from Magee. Junior Casey Overton scored a 9.85 in the lead off spot while senior Kaitlin White and Lebegern both scored 9.875.

The Tide was the model of consistency in its third event, the floor exercise, with the first four gymnasts scoring matching 9.85s followed by a 9.875 from Hoffman and a meet-best 9.925 from Dennis in the anchor spot. Junior Ashley O'Neal's 9.85 tied her season best to get things started on the floor, with White, Lebegern and Price matching her score.

On the balance beam, a pair of 9.9s from junior Brittany Magee and Price pushed Alabama to a 49.25. Overton led the Tide off with a 9.85 while Dennis capped the rotation with a 9.875. Magee's score was her best of the season while Price tied her career-best score.

The Tide got things going with a 49.175 on the uneven bars led by White, in her fourth and final NCAA regional, who scored a solid 9.8 followed by a 9.85 from Lebegern. Dennis scored a season best 9.875 while Price finished off the rotation with a 9.9, marking the fifth consecutive meet that she has thrown that score. For the season Price has scored 9.9 or better nine times and better than 9.875 in 12 of 13 meets.

Alabama will join the 11 other finalists in Athens, Ga. for the national championships. The preliminary sessions are on Thursday, April 24, with six teams each competing two sessions. The top three teams from each of the preliminary session will advance to the NCAA Super Six Team Finals on Friday, April 25. The individual NCAA Championships are decided on Saturday.

—UA—