Alabama returns home this Friday night after spending last weekend on the road. The Tide not only brought home personal bests for many of the gymnasts, but also brought home two season high road scores that vaulted them past the Georgia Gymdogs into the number one ranking. Kentucky will face a hot road team that has yet to compete its best at home. The Gymkats bring to Coleman Coliseum a team with three strong all-arounders: junior Kristin Hoeferlin (#25 AA), and freshmen Katie Toups and Jessie Lemp. Hoeferlin was SEC freshman of the year in '97 and has gone all-around for Kentucky in every meet this season.

On vault, look for junior Lori Freeman, along with Toups, Hoeferlin, and freshman Jennifer Simmons to push the Tide. Swinging bars for the Gymkats this year is Toups, Lemp, and Hoeferlin who have put up high scores against LSU and BYU. On beam, Kentucky will send their three 'Kats up (Hoeferlin, Toups and Lemp), while adding to the lineup with senior Misty Marinik and Simmons. Kentucky will be led on floor by Hoeferlin and junior Mila Chitwood who has scored a 9.90 this year and will hope for the same scoring at Bama.

Alabama needs a high home score, so look for the coaches to send in The Big Guns. After last weekend's performances, the entire team can be considered "The Big Gun." On vault, the lineup should start with Dara Stewart and include Whitney Morgan, Raegan Tomesak, Robin Hawkins, Andree Pickens and Gwen Spidle. Bars will showcase Dara, Andree and Natalie Barrington. Joining them will be Mandy Chapman, Gwen Spidle, Robin, and possibly Katie Hornecker who scored a 9.90 in exhibition against UMASS. On beam, some road warriors could see their names in the lineup joining Mandy, Andree, Raegan, Gwen, and Lissy Smith. Among these are Dara Stewart, who hit two beam routines last weekend and the return of freshman Alexa Martinez, who exhibited beam at Penn State. Floor exercise should be a high scoring and fun event for the Tide who tumbled their way to season highs last weekend. Mandy and Gwen will start and end a lineup filled with newly confident Tiders. Raegan has changed her double front arabian to a double pike on opening and is hitting it big time. Robin and Andree both had scores in the 9.90's and will go for Bama on Friday. The last position will be filled by either Lissy, freshman Krista Gole, or Whitney Morgan. Whit scored a season high 9.925 at UMASS. Alabama has the number one ranking heading into Friday's match, and if they hit 24 of 24 routines, they could possibly maintain the number one spot when the RQS averages go into effect on Tuesday. Here's hoping that the team stays healthy and has fun.