Finally, they are coming home. Those road-toughened warriors, who last saw their beloved coliseum on January 5th at "Meet the Team." It has been so long since we first saw this team that we may have forgotten what they looked like.

Naaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!

Bama Nation keeps up with their Rolling Tide via the website. But, nothing is as good as seeing Alabama live.

Friday night, the defending National Champions and current #2 ranked Tide open their home schedule against #11 Michigan at what better be packed Coleman Coliseum. Michigan suffered its first loss of the season last weekend at Georgia. The Tide split a long weekend of gymnastics with a 197.200-194.575 win at Arkansas and a 197.175-197.475 loss at Nebraska. Ready to shake off the dust from the road well traveled, Alabama will be without junior All-American Jeana Rice in the all-around due to her suffering a sprained ankle at Nebraska while performing on the Floor Exercise. Jeana will perform on Uneven Bars and Balance Beam Friday night according to Coach Patterson. Senior Kristin Sterner will most likely see all-around action also.

On vault, look for Junior Stephanie Kite, Sophomore Shannon Hrozek, Freshmen Mari-Christine Bayer and Ashley Miles, and Sterner. Junior Lauren Holdefer was held out in the Nebraska meet on vault and floor due to a missed timer in long vault warm-ups that resulted in a slight injury. If healthy, Holdefer will take Rice's place on vault, or freshman Dana Pierce may possibly debut her Yurchenko 1/1.

Rice will also perform on bars, along with Hrozek, Sterner, Freshmen Dana Pierce and Dana Filetti, and Miles. The coaches can also slide Michelle Reeser into the line-up. Look for Freshman Larissa Stewart and Mari-Christine Bayer to possibly exhibit on bars.

Balance beam has come together fast for this young team after starting off shaky at the Super Six. Freshman Rachel Delahoussaye competed at Arkansas and exhibited in Lincoln. Michelle Reeser likes to get things started and has taken over the lead off spot on beam. Joining her for all the road trips have been Pierce, Hrozek, Sterner, Bayer, Kite and Rice. Scoring 49.375 and 49.425 last weekend on beam, the coaches will be hard pressed to change this line-up…but they may!

Larissa Stewart, Dana Filetti, and Ashley Miles can beam it up with the rest of 'em.

Floor will be the highlight of the meet, with the elegance of Hrozek and Bayer, the power of Sterner, Miles and Kite, and the spark of Reeser. If healthy, Holdefer could compete as well as Filetti.

Michigan will be without Junior All-American Elise Ray due to a shoulder injury. Ray has been making good progress on the beam in order to return to their line-up as soon as possible. Senior Janessa Grieco and Junior Calli Ryals are the big scorers for the Wolverines in the all-around. Freshman Jenny Deiley is also a top all-arounder for Michigan. Becca Clauson will be on vault, beam and floor and has scored well on those events this season. Chelsa Kroll will probably see action on all four events while Lauren Mirkovich will vault and swing bars for the Blue and Maize.