The 2003 Alabama Gymnastics Media Guide will be on sale in the Alabama Media Relations Office after the first of the year. The guide is $12 if bought in the Alabama Athletic Media Relations office, located in the basement of Coleman Coliseum, or $15 if purchased through the mail.

The ONLY way to purchase media guides through the mail is to send a check or money order for $15 per media guide to:

• Gymnastic Media Guide,
  Box 870391,
  Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0391.

One of the most decorated athletes in the history of The University of Alabama athletics was named one of the NCAA Top VIII award winners for 2002.

The NCAA announced today that Andreé Pickens, a two-time national champion who led the Crimson Tide to the 2002 NCAA Championship last season was one of the nation's elite seniors, earning the Top VIII Award.

"We are extremely proud of Andreé Pickens," Alabama Athletics Director Mal Moore said. "She is a remarkable representative of The University of Alabama and our athletics department. This award is a fitting tribute to her career, just as she is a wonderful ambassador for the Crimson Tide."

ATLANTA, GA -- Two-time NCAA Champion Andreé Pickens picked up her Southeastern Conference Athlete of the Year award at a banquet before the SEC Football Championship game.

After receiving her award from SEC Commissioner Mike Slive, Pickens thanked the conference athletics directors for the honor. She also thanked her coaches.

"Thank you to my coaches, Sarah and David Patterson and Bryan Raschilla for giving me the opportunity to be all that I could be and helping me discover how far I could really go, not only in athletics, but in all aspects of my life," Pickens said.

• 2003 Alabama Gymnastics Season Ticket Info

The University of Alabama Gymnastics team signed Brittany Comeaux to a national letter of intent in the early signing period.

While Alabama needed just one gymnast to fill this year's recruiting class, the coaching staff spent the last year scouring the country to make sure they found just the athlete to fill their need.

"When you only have one scholarship to give, I think in many ways it's tougher than when you have to fill a large class like we did last year," head coach Sarah Patterson said. "We had to make sure that we found just the right student-athlete for our team. We did that with Brittany."

Spirits were high after the Tide's awesome football victory Saturday night against the LSU Bengal Tigers, which may have sparked the gymnasts as a whole because everyone appeared relaxed yet confident with their routines today. The coaches were paying particular attention to the performances on vault, bars and beam. Coach Patterson spent the majority of her time on the beam with the freshmen while Bryan and David focused together on the vault and bars. With Alabama's depth on each event this year, trying to choose the top six routines for the Super Six Challenge will be a daunting task but our coaches love this kind of dilemma. We'll provide some general impressions from our observations today, starting with the new kids on the block.

We've got a new slide show and a photo album for this year's Meet the Team BBQ and also for the Crimson Tide BakeSale

• Slide Show: Meet the Team BBQ and Crimson Tide Bake Sale (2003)
• Photo Album: Meet the Team BBQ and Crimson Tide Bake Sale (2003)

Here are a few of the Bake Sale Photos:
(Click on a thumbnail to view a full size picture)

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237 kb 29-2002 gymnastics bake sale

The Alabama Gymnasts will join in at The Medalist Club's annual Fall BBQ Sunday, November 10th from 4 - 6 p.m. in the Scholarship Room of Bryant Denny Stadium.

The Medalist Club is the booster organization for the four-time NCAA Champion Crimson Tide. The BBQ is open to members of the Medalist Club only, but memberships can be obtained and renewed at the door. The BBQ costs $8.50 per person and will be catered by Cottondale's Pottery Grill.

The Alabama Gymnastics Team, the defending NCAA Champions, will be hosting its fourth annual Crimson Tide Bake Sale to benefit Project AngelTree, which provides Christmas gifts for area children who would otherwise go without. The Bake Sale will take place Wednesday, November 6 up until 3:30 p.m. on the University of Alabama Quad diagonally across from Reese/Phifer Hall. All items are homemade by the gymnasts and all proceeds go to purchasing gifts for Project AngelTree.

Andree Pickens won a national championship with her last performance as a University of Alabama gymnast. But she still has a chance to represent the state, her school and her team. Pickens will travel to Indianapolis for the NCAA Woman of the Year banquet.

• Pickens gets another chance to represent Tide at NCAA Woman of Year banquet

Even with her competitive career behind her, former Crimson Tide NCAA Champion Andree' Pickens isn't done representing the University of Alabama.

Saturday night, Pickens represented not just her team, but the University and the state of Alabama as well at the 12th annual NCAA Woman of the Year banquet held in Indianapolis, Ind. Tanisha Silas, a former track and field standout at the University of California, Davis, was named the 2002 NCAA Woman of the Year at the banquet.

IMPORTANT: The Bus Trips page has been updated.

We've got the PBA's report on this year's Ghosts vs Goblins Intra Squad Competition

We've got a new slide show and a photo album for "Ghosts and Goblins"

• Slide Show: Ghosts and Goblins (2003)
• Photo Album: Ghosts and Goblins (2003)

The annual affair found the Crimson Tide split into two squads and competing skills and parts of routines for a predetermined amount of points. Because each gymnast has a different amount of points they can score, the meet was scored by percentages.

The weather outside was conducive to the "Halloween" themed event, with overcast, damp and chilly weather predominating, but the mood inside the gym was upbeat and excited as the Tide's seven freshmen got their first taste of collegiate competition.

We've got a new slide show and a photo album to go along with PBA's first Practice Notes of the season!

• Slide Show: Parade 'n Practice (2003)
• Photo Album: Parade 'n Practice (2003)

This weekend, the Crimson Tide's NCAA Champion gymnastics team will be recognized twice during the swell of activities surrounding The University of Alabama's 2002 Homecoming celebration.

Friday night (Oct. 18) the 2002 gymnastics squad, which won Alabama's fourth NCAA gymnastics title, will be recognized at the pep rally that will start at 7 p.m. on the steps of the library. The gymnasts will join the Alabama football team, cheerleaders and a host of special guests in making the pep rally an affair to remember.

We've got a new slide show and a photo album to go along with the "Meet The Team On The Quad and Ring Ceremony"

• Slide Show: Meet The Team On The Quad and Ring Ceremony (2003)
• Photo Album: Meet The Team On The Quad and Ring Ceremony (2003)

For most, it is an honor that if it comes at all, comes after they are done with their career, but as Sarah Patterson prepares for her 25th season coaching the University of Alabama gymnastics team, she is in.

Patterson, hired by legendary football coach and athletics director Paul "Bear" Bryant in 1978, found out last week that she would be a member of the 2003 class of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. It was an announcement that left her a little overwhelmed.

"I really didn't expect this," Patterson said. "And to be found worthy to join such a prestigious group, one that includes Coach Bryant... I think Ozzie Newsome said it best when he was inducted several years ago. He said there should be two halls of fame - one for Coach Bryant and one for everybody else. I now know how he felt."

Tuscaloosa News reporter Andrew Carroll sits down with Sarah Patterson and discusses her election to the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame after four national championships and 24 years as Alabama's head coach.

• Sarah Patterson Elected To Alabama Sports Hall of Fame

The Medalist Club's Annual Fall BBQ is set for the Sunday, November 10th from 4:00-6:00 pm at the Bryant-Denny Stadium Scholarship room. This will be the first time members will get to "Meet and Greet" the defending National Champions. The cost of the BBQ is $8.50 per person. This year's fest will be catered by Cottondale's The Pottery Grill.

Members need to enter the East Tower of the Stadium, Gate 35 and take the escalator or elevator to level two. This is a great time to renew your membership if you have not done so.

Any questions about the BBQ contact Randy Howell Chairman of Special Events for the Medalist Club.

TUSCALOOSA, ALA -- The weather was soggy here at Bryant-Denny Stadium but the spirits of the 2002 Alabama gymnastics team were bright here tonight as they received their national championship rings at the halftime of the Alabama-Southern Mississippi football game.

Interim President Dr. J. Barry Mason presented the rings while athletics director Mal Moore and Associate Athletics Director Marie Robbins were on hand to add their congratulations.

What is Ten Troupe?

Ten Troupe is an student organization that has helped supercharge the atmosphere at UA Gymnastics Meets and is open to any current UA student and is similar to Mark's Madness at Alabama Men's Basketball games. A membership fee of $15.00 will be assessed and membership will be available on a "first come, first served" basis.

What will Ten Troupe do?

Ten Troupe will sit in the red seats currently used by Mark's Madness during basketball games and will lead cheers and help the Pep Band create a "home floor" advantage. These are the prime seats in the Coliseum as the gymnastics floor exercise is right in front of these seats. We will be developing a new pre-game video emphasizing the role of the crowd in gymnastics meets. Pep Rallies and tailgate parties will be held prior to certain home meets and Ten Troupe will take a role in those pep rallies and parties. Food will be provided at meets and each member will be given a T-Shirt to wear. Members will also be invited to a preseason "Meet the Team" get-together with the coaches and team. The Ten Troupe will also help out the Alabama Gymnastics Medalist Club with certain events. Ten Troupe will be an opportunity for people who want to cheer at the meets to do just that and help make a difference.

How Do I Join?

• 2002 NCAA Championships(Finals)

For the sixth time in the 12 year history of the award, a University of Alabama gymnast has been named NCAA Woman of the Year for the state of Alabama.

Andree' Pickens, who finished her career last spring as a 14-time All-American and a two-time NCAA Champion, was named one of the 51 state winners by the NCAA. The 10 finalists will be named in mid-September and the NCAA Woman of the Year will be crowned November 2 at a banquet held in Indianapolis.

With eight freshmen, there are lots of new faces on the 2003 edition of the Crimson Tide Gymnastics team (the defending NCAA Champions no less) and here is the first official photo of the whole group.

(Click on a thumbnail to view a full size picture)

2003 Crimson Tide Gymnastics Team - Back row, from the left - Ashley Miles, Lauren Holdefer, Mari Bayer, Lauren Pruitt Second Row - Rachael Delahoussaye, Shannon Hrozek, Jeana Rice, Kristin Sterner, Larissa Stewart, Michelle Reeser Third Row - Alexis Brion, Dana Pierce, Stephanie Kite, Katie Wiley Front - Dana Filetti

With classes right around the corner, Alabama's freshmen class moved into their respective apartments on the Tuscaloosa campus and got right to work making themselves at home.

(Click on a thumbnail to view a full size picture)

38 kb Ashley Miles Lauren Pruitt and Katie Wiley	35 kb AshleyMiles and MariBayer	45 kb Dana Filetti	30 kb Dana Pierce
72 kb Freshman Ashley Miles	70 kb Larissa Stewart	55 kb MariBayer

We have the 2003 season Medalist Club Brochure suitable for printing.

• Click here for Printable 2003 Medalist Club Brochure - Adobe Acrobat(C) format
  The free Acrobat reader can be downloaded here

The 2002 NCAA Gymnastics Champion Crimson Tide earned the third highest GPA in the country this past season while 13 gymnasts earned Scholastic All-American honors.

• Alabama gymnasts earn academic honors

Starting this fall, posting on The Medalist Club message board will be a benefit of membership. While we encourage everyone to drop by and read messages not just from the membership, but from coach Sarah Patterson as well, posting will be limited to members who have a valid username and password.

Club members will be able to sign up for their username and password when they join or renew their membership.

We encourage everyone to join the Medalist Club and hope you'll be with us for another great season of Alabama Gymnastics - the 2002 NCAA Champions!

Gasden Times Sports Editors is a big Sarah Patterson fan. In the midst of football preseason, he sat down with coach Patterson, returned home and wrote a column about their visit.

• Patterson carrying on winning tradition

Kevin Scarbinsky, lead columnist for the Birmingham News, makes a case for Coach Sarah Patterson to be voted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.

• This candidate shouldn't have to campaign

Two-time NCAA Champion Andreé Pickens was named the 2002 Southeastern Conference Female Athlete of the Year by a vote of the league's athletics directors.

"We are extremely proud that the conference athletics directors join the Alabama family in recognizing the high standard of excellence that Andree' maintained this season," Alabama Athletics Director Mal Moore said. "With this award, not only is she acknowledged as the conference's best, but she joins a very elite group among Alabama's storied athletic history. She is a great ambassador for the Crimson Tide and represents all the qualities we cherish in a student-athlete. We are very proud of her."

Pickens is the seventh Alabama athlete to earn SEC Athlete of the Year and the first since fellow gymnast Dee Foster in 1990. The Houston, Texas native is the third Crimson Tide gymnast to earn the honor, joining Tide legends Penney Hauschild (1985) and Foster. Of the four conference gymnasts that have earned the award since its inception, three competed for Alabama.

Two-time NCAA Champion Andree Pickens is taking time out from a summer spent at the University of Virginia's Medical Academic Advancement Program, a six-week program designed to prepare students for careers in medicine, to travel to her home state of Texas today.

It's not just a trip home to see family though. Pickens is being honored as the 2002 Honda Award for Gymnastics. Honda Awards are presented in a dozen sports, and signify the top athlete in each of those sports. The 12 winners will gathered at the Wyndam Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas tonight. One of the 12 women will be honored tonight with the Honda-Broderick Cup, given annually to the nation's top female student-athlete.

"This is obviously a great honor, one that I share with my teammates and coaches," Pickens said. "I could not have competed at this level without them. I am proud of the recognition this award has brought to my team and to the University of Alabama. While winning the NCAA team title is the highlight of my career, this certainly is a great achievement."

There was no way of knowing for sure what the heat would be like when they pulled out of the parking lot of the Tuscaloosa I-Hop on their bicycles to start their 140-mile trek, but 10 and a half hours later, "very intense" was the word they used to describe it.

But David Patterson and Stephanie Wilkins weren't out for a joy ride that could be put off by the elements. The duo, friends for more than five years, rode through the brutal heat of Alabama summer and over some of the state's hilliest terrain to raise awareness and funds for Camp Smile-A-Mile, a non-profit organization for children who have or have had cancer in Alabama. The program provides year round programs for them at no cost to their families.

They were riding for a cause near to their hearts, which kept them going through the day. Each time the heat started to beat down their spirit, they would glance down to the pictures of campers they had on their handle bars or at each other and kept pedaling. As Wilkins said, "we get to pick our challenges; those that we are riding for do not."

While assistant head coach David Patterson pedals 140 miles through the day toward Camp Smile-A-Mile, several articles from papers around the state tell the story behind his and Stephanie Wilkins efforts.

• Coach crosses state for cancer victims
• Tide's Patterson finds inspiration for 10-hour ride
• Avoiding a vicious cycle by riding
• Tyler Greer: Patterson's next ride will be one for life
• Coach who overcame cancer celebrates by helping others

Birmingham Post-Herald writer Ray Melick talks to David Patterson about his upcoming ride to and for Camp Smile-A-Mile.

• Story on Assistant Head Coach David Patterson's Ride for Cancer

Crimson Tide signee Dana Pierce surprised the gymnastics community when she showed up for the national Junior Olympics. Wasn't this the same Dana Pierce who was once a contender for the 2000 Sydney Olympics?

• Indianapolis Star Story on 2003 Freshman Dana Pierce

A lot went into the University of Alabama Gymnastics program winning its fourth NCAA Championship, but the foundation for the 2002 NCAA Champion came from the basic coaching tenets of Sarah and David Patterson and Bryan Raschilla.

The Pattersons and Raschilla, along with a host of top-notch coaches, will be bringing their talents to bear on the next generation of gymnastics greats at the 2002 Alabama Gymnastics Camp. The camp will feature two sessions June 16-20 and June 23-27. More information, including registration and fees, can be found at www.geocities.com/bamagym2001/ or by calling 205.348.4578.

This summer marks the 23rd year the camp has been under the Patterson's direction while Raschilla is in his 10th season with the camp.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. --- University of Alabama Athletics Director Mal Moore announced Monday that Marie Robbins has been promoted to senior women's administrator (SWA) at Alabama. She has served the last five and one-half years as Alabama's director of compliance and has served as the interim SWA since November of 2001.

"This is a move I have been contemplating since I became athletics director," said Moore. "Marie is a very capable administrator and she will serve the department well. As senior women's administrator, she will hold one of the highest administrative positions within the department."

Robbins will have individual sport oversight along with responsibilities involving all Title IX and gender equity issues. She will also represent Alabama at the SEC and NCAA level in all areas related to women's intercollegiate athletics.

For the fourth time since 1985, an Alabama athlete has earned the Honda-Broderick Award for Gymnastics.

Senior Andree' Pickens, just days after leading Alabama to its fourth NCAA title, earned the award that denotes the nation's top gymnast. The Houston, Texas native is now eligible for the Honda-Broderick Cup, given annually to the nation's top female student-athlete. Pickens and 11 other sports winners, will gather in Dallas, Texas June 17 when the Cup winner will be announced.

"This is obviously a great honor, one that I share with my teammates and coaches," Pickens said. "I could not have competed at this level without them. I am proud of the recognition this award has brought to my team and to the University of Alabama. While winning the NCAA team title last week is the highlight of my career, this certainly is a great achievement."

A week to the day that the 2002 NCAA Gymnastics Championships concluded with yet another Alabama national championship, the Crimson Tide, athletes, coaches, staff and fans gathered to celebrate the season.

The Medalist Club, the booster organization for Alabama gymnastics, hosted the annual affair at the Bryant Conference Center Saturday night. The 2002 NCAA Champion gymnastics team was there in full force and more than 300 fans.

Senior Andreé Pickens and junior Kristin Sterner were named captains of the 2002 squad by a vote of their teammates.

We have Jan 'n Jim's Postmeet Commentaries for Thurs, Friday and Saturday. Also check out the new photo Album which contains more of Jim's Photos.

• Thurs, session II
• Friday Finals
• Individual Events

• 2002 NCAA Championships(1)

Huntsville sports writer Paul Gattis provides an insight into our very own Andree' Pickens.

• Pickens In Focus

Tuscaloosa, Ala. -- Alabama senior Andree Pickens ended her gymnastics career on the perfect note with a team trophy under one arm and a second individual trophy under the other and a tired but satisfied smile on her face.

Tonight she won the NCAA Uneven Bars during the individual event finals of the NCAA Gymnastics Championships held here this week adding the balance beam title she won as a freshman.

Pickens performed first on both the balance beam and the floor exercise, a notoriously difficult position to start for scoring purposes. Pickens performed seventh on the bars rotation, her last rotation, and scored a 9.925. The crowd gave Pickens a much deserved standing ovation, and she blew farewell kisses to them.

With the glow of their fourth NCAA Championship still burning bright, the Alabama Gymnastics Team picked up some more national hardware Saturday morning at the NCAA Championship Awards Brunch.

Alabama's Andree' Pickens earned the American Award, given annually to the senior gymnast who best represents the ideal combination of athleticism, academic excellence and civic responsibility. A 14 time All-American, Pickens was the 1999 NCAA Balance Beam Champion. After sitting out last year's NCAA Championships with a torn tendon in her ankle suffered just days before nationals, Pickens returned with a vengeance this season, leading the Tide to the team title Friday night.

In addition to winning her fourth NCAA title, Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson earned her fourth National Coach of the Year award. In her 24th season as the Tide's mentor, Patterson was previously named coach of the year in 1985, 1988 and 1991, Patterson was quick to spread the credit around to her staff, athletes and family.

The Super Six ended in a "super" way for Alabama. The Crimson Tide won the 21st NCAA Championship Friday night in front of a home crowd in Coleman Coliseum.

In one of the closest Super Six Championship nights in recent history; the Alabama gymnastics team (197.575) beat out SEC rival Georgia (197.250) and Pac-10 opponent UCLA (197.150.) in the final rotation to seal the victory. Utah (196.950), Nebraska (196.425) and Stanford (196.025) finished in fourth, fifth and sixth place respectively.

"To do all of this after we lost Raegan [Tomasek] last night is amazing," head coach Sarah Patterson said. "I thought that the crowd would elevate them to the next plateau and they did."

We've got a slide show to go along with the SEC Championship Meet.

• Practice Session I - 11am - 12:40 pm: Georgia, LSU, Arizona, Nebraska
• Practice Session II - 1 - 2:40 pm: Alabama, Utah, Florida, Michigan
• Practice Session IV - 4 - 5:40 pm: Minnesota, Stanford, UCLA, Oregon State

Coach P's topic this week: [ "The Tide Continues to Roll" ].

Starting Monday (April 15) morning at 9 a.m., tickets to this week's NCAA Gymnastics Championships, held on the University of Alabama Campus will be sold on a session by session basis.

There are four sessions over the three days of the NCAA Championships held in Coleman Coliseum. Adult tickets are $12 per session while tickets for college students (with ID) and children 15 and under are $8 per session.

The championships get underway Thursday, April 18 with two sessions. The first session starts at 1 p.m. and features Georgia, Utah, Michigan, LSU, Nebraska and Arizona. The second session starts a 7 p.m. and features Alabama, two-time defending NCAA Champions UCLA, Stanford, Florida, Minnesota and Oregon.

With the NCAA Gymnastics Championships just days away, prime ticket packages are still available and now you can enjoy the fun and festivities of the A-Day Spring Football Game and get your NCAA tickets at the same time.

The Alabama Ticket Office will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 13. The ticket packages are $40 for adults and $30 for college students (with their ID) and children 15 and under.

The three-day, four-session event gets underway Thursday, April 18 at 1 p.m. There will be a second session on Thursday which starts at 7 p.m. Georgia, Utah, Michigan, LSU, Nebraska and Arizona will compete in the 1 p.m. session while Alabama, two-time defending NCAA Champions UCLA, Stanford, Florida, Minnesota and Oregon State will compete in the 7 p.m. session.

We have the rotations for the NCAA Gymnastics Championships:

• 2002 NCAA Gymnastics Championships Rotations

We have some fine photos from last Saturday's NCAA Southeast Regional Championships:

• NCAA Southeast Regional Championships Pictures

The Alabama Crimson Tide Gymnastics team certainly left an impression in the coliseum on the campus of the West Virginia Mountaineers last Saturday night. Not only did they garner a season high score of 197.900, which was almost two full points higher than their closest competitor (Minnesota), they also quietly and confidently shattered the NCAA record for team total on the balance beam with a 49.725, in the final rotation.

We've got a