Who's the Leanest, Fastest, Strongest, Meanest In the SEC?

This Friday Alabama will be playing host to Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky and LSU at the SEC Championship meet being held in Birmingham. Alabama has met with all these teams at least once this season and has some idea of what to expect.

Kentucky rose to the occasion during their February meet against Alabama, posting the second highest team total in school history with 195.825 and a school record on balance beam with 49.35. Sophomore Mindy Smith's consistency on the beam continues, with her lowest score of the season being 9.8, and has yet to count a fall in her college career, which totals 20 meets so far. Freshman Aronda Primault is showing greater confidence with her steady improvement on vault and floor. Junior Jennifer Simmons has come back from a season ending ankle injury in 2000, to become the team's strongest and most consistent vaulter. On floor exercise, freshman Julie Joy has improved steadily and become a real asset to the team.

The Auburn Tigers have been without the talents of Sally Cantrell since early January due to a torn ACL. Freshman Kristi Boyte has been their most dependable vaulter, scoring a team season high of 9.875 this past weekend despite a shoulder injury suffered the previous weekend. Sophomore Cheryl Lancaster has been consistent for the team on bars, with a high of 9.90. Perhaps the most impressive member of this team has been freshman Erin Gettle. She is the only team member competing all around on a regular basis, and has scored highs of 9.925 on both floor and beam.

LSU has shown improvement throughout the season on all four events. They share the SEC's highest team score on bars with Alabama and Georgia, with 49.525 and have the second highest floor score in the SEC with 49.50. Junior Nicki Arnstad has been a strength and inspiration to the Tigers, winning 3 events on Mar. 9, just 16 days after knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus. Her energy, tumbling, dance, and smile are a treat to watch on the floor exercise. Junior Beth Boudreaux is a very powerful gymnast holding the team's high score for all around of 39.425. The team has shown beautiful form on bars. Junior Marina Degteva has been the most consistent member on this event. Senior Sharene Mamby was able to put together a 10.00 routine earlier in the season, but has not been consistent since. Mamby has been strong on floor since stepping into the lineup only a few weeks ago. Freshman Kristin Uransky has made a powerful statement as a specialist on vault with a high score of 9.925, but has not been consistent with her vault through the season. They will need to put all the inconsistencies of the season behind them in order to contend at the SEC meet.

The Florida Gators are ranked 11^th in the nation all around. Junior Hilary Thompson has been the most consistent all around competitor for the Gators, posting scores of 9.975 on floor and beam within the last month. Freshman Kara Waterhouse keeps building on her experience, and it shows in the improvements of her performance over the season. She has become a strong all around competitor for this team. On vault they have improved steadily, and as of last weekend were competing with a full lineup of 10.0 start value vaults. Senior Teal Chiabotti has been the strongest and most consistent for the team. Senior Gabby Fuchs and freshman Erin Pendleton have led the team on bars. Beam has been one of the team's stronger events, with sophomore Jenny Carow being an important member of the lineup along with Thompson and Waterhouse. Joining the all arounders on floor is sophomore Lindsey Miner whose power and strength has been a great asset to the lineup.

Alabama's stiffest competition in the SEC Meet will come from the Georgia Bull Dogs. They are ranked 2^nd nationally, just above the Tide. Their power and strength is apparent on vault and floor exercise where they rank 1^st and 2^nd respectively. Senior Kristi Lichey leads the team all around with a 2^nd place ranking. She has been very consistent on vault scoring 10.0 several times this season and ranked first in the nation on this event. All that power translates well onto floor exercise. But she also has the poise and control to pull off big scores on beam in pressure packed situations, earning an 11^th place ranking. Lichey suffered an ankle injury in competition last weekend and will likely sit out for the SEC competition. The two freshman looming on the horizon are Cory Fritzinger and Marline Stephens. Fritzinger is very impressive on bars, ranking 5^th in the nation. Stephens is ranked 3^rd on floor, just behind her talented tumbling teammate, senior Suzanne Sears. Sears is also ranked 9^th on her only other event, vault. A favorite on beam is Talya Vexler with some unique moves and lovely poise.

It will be exciting to see the improvement of all these young teams, as they have grown with their experiences throughout the season. The toughest battle will be fought between Georgia and Alabama. They tied at the Super Six, and each has a win on their own turf by .15 of a point. A win at this meet goes beyond the usual SEC bragging rights, as it is truly the tie breaker for the season. And as has happened many times, the competition between Georgia and Alabama will likely come down to the final routine by each team. And for all you fans headed off on Spring Break, pack your laptops... the PBA's will make sure we don't miss a thing!

SEC Championship
Fri., March 23, 2001
7:00 p.m.
Bartow Arena, Birmingham