#1 GEORGIA

Coach Suzanne Yoculan will bring the currently undefeated and defending SEC and National Champion Gym Dawgs to Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa this Saturday night for a hoe-down of historic proportions. Look for the Dawgs' four super seniors to try and power their way to a fourth straight title. Karin Lichey is the clear leader of this team and will go all-around for them along with her sister and sophomore Kristi Lichey. Senior Sam Muhleman will also be in the all-around, while senior Jenni Bethard will compete on bars, beam and floor. Vault will see the addition of Suzanne Sears, Amanda Curry and Brooke Anderson. On bars, Eileen Diaz and Anderson will see action along with the all-arounders. Beam will add senior Stacy Galloway and Talya Vexler. Sears and Galloway will rotate onto floor with the Licheys and Muehleman. Short of counting a fall on at least one event, it is unlikely that the Dawgs will let this title get away from them despite their fiercest competition in over three years from Alabama and LSU.

#2 ALABAMA

Alabama is healthy, hungry and determined to win their fourth SEC title in front of a partisan home crowd. Led predominantly by a strong freshman and sophomore class, seniors Gwen Spidle and Mandy Chapman nevertheless balance out these talented underclassmen with strong leadership. Freshman Andree Pickens and Spidle will compete all-around with the possibility of Robin Hawkins and Raegan Tomasek also going on each event. On vault, look for sophomore Katie Hornecker, Robin Hawkins, and Pickens to lead the Tide to high scores while Raegan, Whitney Morgan and Dara Stewart should provide scores in the 9.80 to 9.90 range. On bars, Bama must have big scores from Stewart, Pickens and Natalie Barrington, who will anchor the line-up of Spidle, Hawkins, Chapman, Hornecker, or Morgan. With Chapman leading off and Lissy Smith closing, balance beam will be interspaced with Pickens, Spidle, Tomasek and Alexa Martinez. On floor, expect some interesting and exciting mix-ups: Chapman, Smith, Hawkins, Pickens, Martinez, Spidle, Tomasek, Morgan, Evans, and Gole will show up in some form or fashion, but not necessarily in the usual order!

An upset is certainly possible but Tide fans need to keep their eyes on the bigger prize: surviving regionals and making it to Salt Lake City in one piece!

#5 LSU

The Bayou Tigers return to Coleman Coliseum after competing here in Tuscaloosa on March 6th, at which time they achieved their highest road score of the season. Last week at home, the Tigers suffered a set-back with a 194 range score, due in part to several falls on the floor exercise and Colleen Barger's illness (three falls on the bars last week and on the balance beam). For SECs, expect a revitalized and healthier Tiger team that will see the return of freshman Nikki Arnstad (9.775 on vault last week) to the line-up. The Tigers are trying to find some much-needed depth in the all-around with Marina Degteva and Shanyn McEachern but will struggle to keep up with UGA and UA on vault and bars as a result of Stephanie Hyett's absence and the limited contributions of Arnstad during the latter part of the season. Nevertheless, the Tigers may be the most relaxed team present because they know they will be heading into regionals in their own arena in two weeks, so they really have nothing to lose at SECs. High scores on beam and floor from Abbey Burns, a healthy Barger, and Stacey Wegener should pave the way to no less than a top-three finish.

#11 Florida

What a difference a year makes! The Florida Gators have struggled through injuries to key gymnasts on their team this year, as well as disciplinary problems with junior Jamie Graziano, resulting in a less than impressive season that has seen them fall as low as #18 in the rankings. However, Judy Markell has her team steadily progressing towards regionals with this week's move into the Top 12. Betsey Hamm, Graziano and Chrissy van Fleet will have to establish strong scores from the beginning to challenge the teams currently ahead of them and it is possible that this team too will be relaxed as they set their sites on the higher goal of making it to NCAAs with a strong regional performance in two weeks. Should Alabama and LSU slip up, look for the Gators to take the second place trophy.

#21 Kentucky

Kentucky always seems to find gymnasts that enjoy competing, regardless of where they may end up in the final standings. As an example, junior Kristen Hoeferlin has been a steady contributor in the all-around and she appears to be her most confident and expressive on the vault and floor exercises. Freshmen Jessie Lemp and Jennifer Simmons have been pleasant surprises on all events this year and should provide much-needed depth in the future for the Kats. Look for Kentucky to have a solid performance with hopes of moving up in the rankings to prepare for regionals at Baton Rouge.

#37 Auburn

This is the final coaching year for Robert Dillard and he would love to see his team perform well to end on a high note. Unfortunately, the Tigers continue to be plagued year after year with either injuries, limited skills, or persistent execution errors that prevent them from seriously contending for a higher standing in the conference and nationally. Senior Sarah Balogach, despite being a former USA National Team member, has never been completely healthy during her four years at Auburn and has had to contend with a growth spurt of her own her senior year in high school, but she has continued to strive to perform the bigger skills as her body allows. Junior Sarah Wentworth is the healthiest and most consistent all-arounder for the Tigers, currently ranked #10 nationally, but she needs help from her teammates. The uneven bars has been Auburn's nemesis this year (with the exception of Wentworth) while they have shown stronger skills and more consistent execution on the balance beam and floor exercise with the help of former team member and now assistant coach, Erin Gannon. Auburn will be competing mainly for pride and to possibly remain alive for a berth at regionals in Baton Rouge.