We have some photos that we did not post during the season. We've combined 2 sets, "Practice on April 19th" and "The Grand Gala" into one photo album.

• Photo Album: "Practice on April 19th" and "The Grand Gala"

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

53 kb GALA-11

49 kb Gala-02

69 kb Gala-03

August 1999...so let the journey begin!

I'll never forget the day Keith loaded the girls into the car and departed for Tuscaloosa, Alabama. They looked like 'Okies' with all of their possessions crammed into the car, and bikes hanging off the back. The commitment had been made, and we turned our daughter over to the capable and nurturing hands of the Pattersons...and to the entire Alabama support system. Kristin was always a great teenager, with potential to be tapped. The coaches assured us they had a PLAN for Kristin, and boy, did they ever!

I'll never forget how completely the team 'adopted' Kristin and Sara, and never made them feel like underclassmen. Genuine friendships followed, and they will last a lifetime. The first season, by all accounts, was a success. Alabama won SECs, Regionals, and placed 5th at NCAAs in Boise. What an honor to be a part of such a fantastic team. One year under her belt, and we sensed that Tuscaloosa was starting to feel more like 'home' than home!

We've got a new photo album for the Medalist Club Banquet (Saturday, May 03, 2003)

• Photo Album: Medalist Club Banquet (Saturday, May 03, 2003)

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

25 kb Kristin-fan-2

37 kb Larissa-trophy-1

39 kb Mari-trophy-1

We've got a new slide show and a photo album for the SEC Championship

• Slide Show: SEC Championship (Saturday, March 29, 2003)
• Photo Album: SEC Championship (Saturday, March 29, 2003)

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

75 kb 01. Michelle straightlines a giant

109 kb 02. Dana F Giengers to the left

93 kb 03. Jeana transitions to high bar

"I think that every parent harbors the hope that their child will grow up to become an adult that is happy, normal and will make a meaningful contribution to society. Kristin's experiences at the University of Alabama have been a major contributor toward the fulfillment of that hope for me. It would be impossible to try to name all of the people that have had so many positive impacts on her during these past four years and it is apparent to me that I have had the privilege of meeting only a small portion of them. They range from the coaching and support staff, her teammates past and present as well as the Bama family of boosters and University faculty. I have been so impressed with their kindness, caring and enthusiasm. With an atmosphere like that, it is seemingly impossible not to succeed! My personal thanks to all of you for your wonderful and caring support."

"I find it hard to believe that four years could have passed so quickly. It seems much more like only one and a half years! These four years have provided her with a chance for growth and the realization of broadened intellectual vistas and perspectives. It has been a continuation of learning to balance her job as a university athlete against the need for scholarship and trying not to lose sight of the collegiate experience as well. It has given her a chance to be "on her own" while still under the gentle (most of the time) guiding influence of her coaches and their staff. She has teammates that will be lifelong friends every bit as close as her own siblings. She has known the agony of defeat as well as the joy of victory and the realization that just plain hard work can be a reward in itself. Perhaps this is a lesson that is even more a realization for her mother and I. She is the kind of kid that doesn't make much of either a defeat or a victory but is far more inclined to be focused on the next competition or test, realizing that the past is past and the future is where we must focus our efforts. She has shared with me that her proudest moments have been her academic accomplishments while at the university and that she is immensely proud of being introduced as an Academic All American, perhaps even more so than and Athletic All American. "

The Alabama Gymnastics team celebrated the 2003 season Saturday night with the annual year-end Medalist Club Banquet.

The banquet celebrated the Crimson Tide's fifth Southeastern Conference Championship, 19th NCAA Regional Championship and its NCAA Runner-up finish last week in Lincoln, Neb. Alabama also celebrated Sarah and David Patterson's 25th season coaching the Tide.

The squad's lone senior, Kristin Sterner, was named captain for the second year in a row. The Ionia, Michigan native earned three All-American honors during her last season, boosting her career total to 11. She was also named the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

THE MEDALIST CLUB NOMINATION COMMITTEE has recommended the following nominees for board members. The Medalist Club membership will vote at the Annual Banquet on May 3rd, 2003.

LINCOLN, NE - Tonight was Ashley Miles' night.

After shining all season for the Alabama Gymnastics squad in team competition, during individual event finals tonight, Miles capped her rookie season by winning the NCAA Vault title with a 9.9375.

"All season long Ashley has been the exclamation point on our floor and vault lineups," Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson said. "Tonight she put an awesome exclamation point on this championship and her rookie season."

In individual event finals, a gymnast must do two different vaults in front of a six-judge panel. The average of the two vault scores constitutes the final total. Miles scored a 10.0 on her first vault and a 9.875 on her second effort. She was able to fend off 2002 NCAA vault champion Jamie Dantzscher of UCLA for the win. Junior Jeana Rice finished eighth on the vault with a 9.8375

LINCOLN, NEB - The kids are alright.

A very young Alabama team stayed with a tough, veteran UCLA squad tonight, but came up just short here in tonight's Super Six team finals, coming up with an NCAA Runnerup finish.

"I told our ladies to go out and have fun tonight," Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson said. "I told them, 'Let's make a great team beat us tonight,' and a great team (UCLA) did. Tonight, UCLA was the most talented team. I wanted our team to put themselves in a position to win tonight and I couldn't have asked for a better job out of us."

Alabama used six freshmen in its lineup to come up with a 197.275, finishing ahead of third place Georgia, 197.150 and fourth place Nebraska, 197.125. Michigan and Utah finished fifth and sixth on the night with a 196.05 and 195.3 respectively.

LINCOLN, NEB -- While the NCAA Gymnastics team title is on the line here tonight, the lineup of competitors for tomorrow night's individual titles is already set.

The participants for individual event finals comes from both Thursday after sessions, with the top four individuals (and ties) advancing to Saturday night. Alabama has five gymnasts going eight routines.

Junior Jeana Rice will compete on the vault, uneven bars and balance beam. Freshman Ashley Miles will compete on the vault and floor exercise while sophomore Alexis Brion will compete in her second consecutive vault final. Senior Kristin Sterner will join Rice on the uneven bars while freshman Mari Bayer joins Rice on the uneven bars.

LINCOLN, NEB -- Alabama, UCLA and Michigan, all advancing from the afternoon session today, are joined by host Nebraska, Utah and Georgia from the evening in the NCAA Gymnastics Super Six Team Final Friday night here in the Bob Devaney Center.

Alabama will start the night on the second bye and finish on the balance beam, the same rotation that the Crimson Tide won the 2002 NCAA Championship with.

--UA--

LINCOLN, NEB - The Alabama Gymnastics team has once again accomplished their perennial goal. Tomorrow night (April 25) the Crimson Tide will be on the floor the last night of the national championships with a chance to win the title.

Using a 196.775, Alabama finished second in the first of two sessions today, advancing to the Super Six Team finals which will pit six teams against each other for the 2003 NCAA title.

"Tonight was the hardest part," head coach Sarah Patterson said. "We won't hold anything back tomorrow. We'll put the best kids in that can score the highest in the event."

LINCOLN, NEB -The regular season is but a fond memory, the conference and regional championship titles are already won and in the book and the travel, practices and press conference leading up to the national championships are done.

Alabama gymnastics is ready to defend its NCAA Championship.

That defense starts today (Thursday, April 24) at 1 p.m. To advance to tomorrow night's team finals, No. 5 Alabama has to be one of the top three teams in today's six team session. Also striving for one of three spots from the afternoon session will be No. 1 UCLA, No. 3 Arizona State, No. 10 Michigan, No. 13 Iowa and No. 14 LSU.

Alabama will be led by all-arounders Kristin Sterner, a senior, and Jeana Rice, a junior, along with super-frosh Ashley Miles.

The evening session starts at 7 p.m. and features No. 2 Nebraska, the host team, No. 4 Georgia, No. 6 Stanford, No. 8 Utah, No. 9 Florida and No. 17 Auburn.

Ashton Welborn has been a fan of the Alabama Gymanstics team and since they have gotten to know her, the 2003 Alabama Gymnastics team has quickly become even a bigger fan of the 7-year-old gymnast.

• Girl scores '10' with gymnasts. Source of inspiration 7-year-old student battles leukemia

Still basking in the glow of their 2003 Southeastern Conference Championship win, the Alabama Crimson Tide marched back home to Tuscaloosa to host the Central Regional Championships on April 12, 2003.  Entering the NCAA National qualifying meet as the top seed in the Central Region, the Tide ironically drew what has become their signature rotation (bye-floor-vault-bye-uneven bars-balance beam]. Feeding off the home crowd's vocal support, Bama proceeded to whack the opposition on all but one event.  Enroute they claimed the all around (Kristin Sterner), vault (Ashley Miles), balance beam (Kristin Sterner) and floor exercise (Ashley Miles) titles as well. Despite their celebrated youth, the Crimson Tide called upon all of their members to forge this victory.  There were several key performances that we'll highlight at this time.

• 2003 NCAA Gymnastics Championships - Schedule of Events

The Alabama Gymnastics team knew Saturday night that they were advancing to the program's 21st consecutive NCAA Championships. Sunday morning they found out who they would be facing in Lincoln, Neb. and where they would start their bid to defend their 2002 crown.

"This never gets old, qualifying for the finals of the NCAA Championships" Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson said. "Our goal year-in-and year out is put ourselves in a position, on the last night of the season, to win a national championship. To do that, we must be in the top-3 teams of our session Thursday and advance."

In addition to familiar faces UCLA and Utah, the 2003 NCAA Championships will be heavy with Southeastern Conferences squads. Including Alabama, five SEC teams will make the trip north, the most in league history, tying the mark set in 1993 when Alabama, Auburn and Georgia all finished in the top 5. It would be Auburn's last trip until this season. Alabama and Auburn will be joined by LSU, Florida and Georgia.

TUSCALOOSA, ALA - The Alabama Gymnastics team will have a chance to defend its 2002 NCAA Championship.

The Crimson Tide earned its 21st consecutive bid to the NCAA Championships here tonight by winning its 19th NCAA Regional title, scoring a 197.550 at the Central Regional. Alabama's total was well ahead of Auburn and Central Michigan's second place 196.350.

"The Regional is the hardest part of the year from a coaching standpoint because you are trying to advance," Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson said. "You never feel comfortable until it is over and it's never over until the last routine is in the books."

TUSCALOOSA, ALA -- The Alabama Gymnastics Team already has one title under their belt this season, having won the 2002 Southeastern Conference Title, but this weekend is their most important meet of the season.

Saturday, April 12 starting at 6 p.m., the Crimson Tide will be one of six teams gathered in Coleman Coliseum with the same exact goal - finish in the top-2 of the NCAA Central Regional Championships and advance to Lincoln, Neb., site of the NCAA Championships.

"This is the biggest meet of the season, because this is the one meet that advances us to the national championships," Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson said. "There are 36 teams around the country that have the same exact goal for Saturday night - Be in the top two and move on."

Alabama gymnast Kristin Sterner has been named recipient of the 2002-03 H. Boyd McWhorter Southeastern Conference Scholar-Athletes of the Year Award, SEC Commissioner Mike Slive announced Wednesday. The awards will be formally presented to the two student-athletes at the annual Awards Banquet at the league's spring meeting in Destin, Fla. on May 29.

Florida basketball player Matt Bonner won the men's award. The two were chosen by a committee of Faculty Athletics Representatives from SEC universities and will each receive a $10,000 post-graduate scholarship.

"The H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Award is the highest honor a student-athlete can receive in the Southeastern Conference," said SEC Commissioner Mike Slive. "Matt and Kristin, through their hard work, dedication and commitment - in the classroom, athletics and in the community - have set a standard for excellence that makes them outstanding recipients of this honor."

We have a new "Chalk Talk" from Coach Patterson:

• Chalk Talk update

The 2003 SEC Gymnastics Championship went down to the wire for the second straight year Saturday Night at Bartow Arena on the campus of the University of Alabama-Birmingham.  And once again, it was a contest between the same two teams from start to finish.  With Alabama holding a one-tenth lead over the Bulldogs after three events each, Georgia knew they had to have their best vaulting of the season to have a chance to pass the Tide's similar scoring power on the floor exercise and they came within a whisker of pulling it off.  But tremendous floor routines from Kristin Sterner and Stephanie Kite helped to set up freshman Ashley Miles for the routine of her life.  After rocking her three passes and raising her hand to the roof in a final dance move salute, Miles began to jump for joy and promptly launched herself at Bama Assistant Coach, Bryan Raschilla, who insisted that he could not lift her in his arms any higher than she was bouncing at the time! Alabama claimed their fifth SEC title with a final score of 197.575 to Georgia's 195.525 while there was still one official rotation to go.  The highlights were many, so we'll dive right in.

BIRMINGHAM, ALA -- The No. 5 Alabama Gymnastics team won its fifth Southeastern Conference Championship here tonight in Bartow Arena by 5/100ths of a point over 2002 champion Georgia.

"We lost this meet last year by a tenth of a point after counting a 9.6 on the balance beam," head coach Sarah Patterson said. "So I did want to win this one again. It's a great win for us...a lot of fun."

Alabama scored a 197.575 while Georgia went 197.525 in a meet that wasn't decided until Crimson Tide freshman Ashley Miles nailed her floor exercise routines in the sixth spot for the Crimson Tide with a 9.975, which tied her career best.

The Crimson Tide's season-ending dual meet with the Auburn Tigers in Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum started off with a display of superior force on the bars and vault from the defending National Champions but a reengagement with the beam gremlin by gymnasts Dana Pierce and Shannon Hrozek sure made things interesting in the closing moments. Nevertheless, Bama finished with a seven-tenths victory over the Tigers and left knowing that their best performance as a team still lies ahead. Whether this will come to fruition at the SEC Championships or Regionals remains to be seen. Regardless, this team is to be commended for finishing strongly despite not having a week off during the regular season, while other teams had this built into their schedules. One more meet (SEC Championships) and the team will have a well-earned break of two weeks before the all-important Regional Championships, which will be in Tuscaloosa on April 12^th. Let's chat about some of the highlights from the Tide-Tigers meet.

The Alabama Gymnastics team makes the short trip to Birmingham and Bartow Arena on the UAB campus for the 2003 Southeastern Conference Championship held this Saturday (March 29) at 6 p.m.

The SEC Championships has long been a six team meet, but this season will be different. Gymnastics newcomer Arkansas will compete. The Ladybacks inclusion in the meet necessitated the addition of a seventh rotation to the meet. And for the last 13 years, the title has gone to either Alabama or Georgia, another thing that could change this year as Florida and LSU both sport strong teams.

The Crimson Tide is coming off its highest scoring regular season, averaging over a 197 for the season. But the competition promises to be fierce with five of the seven teams ranked in the top 20, including No. 4 Georgia and No. 8 Florida. The Gators are perhaps the league's most improved team coming into the meet.

The Championship Draw...Alabama starts on vault and ends on a bye.

We have updated the [ Hall of Fame page ].

The Alabama Gymnastics, which ended the regular season by dispatching No. 16 Auburn last Friday, is No. 5 in the rankings released today.

UCLA is No. 1, followed by Nebraska at No. 2, Arizona State at No. 3 and Georgia at No. 4. In addition to Georgia, Alabama will face No. 8 Florida, No. 12 LSU and Auburn at the Southeastern Conference Championships Saturday (March 29) in Birmingham, Ala. The meet will be in Bartow Arena on the UAB campus for the third consecutive year.

Alabama is ranked second on the floor exercise, third on the uneven bars, fourth on the vault and sixth on the balance beam. UCLA holds down the top rank on all four apparatus.

AUBURN, ALA - It was the closest Alabama-Auburn gymnastics meet since 1997, but the Crimson Tide pulled out its 40th consecutive dual meet win, 197.300-196.600.

Junior Jeana Rice led the Tide with a 39.700 while senior Kristin Sterner posted a 39.525 to take second. The Tide has not lost to Auburn at any gymnastics competition since 1979.

"Kristin Sterner and Jeana Rice have been rocks for us all season and they have led us every step of the way down this home stretch," head coach Sarah Patterson said.

The No. 5 ranked Alabama Gymnastics team will close out the regular season with a trip to Auburn to face the No. 16 Tigers Friday (March 21) at 7 p.m.

Alabama is coming off a narrow loss to Georgia at home while Auburn had last weekend off from competition. The meet marks the Tide's first road trip in a month and the fourth of six meets that will take place within the boundaries of the state of Alabama.

It will be the second meeting between the two schools. Alabama scored a season best 197.975 to better Auburn's 196.600 on March 1 in Tuscaloosa. It was the third highest score in Auburn history.

While the real UGA VI was somewhere back in Athens snoring away in his luxury doghouse, his GymDawgs were busy outperforming the defending National Champions in Tuscaloosa this past Saturday Night, claiming the Dawg's first dual meet victory over the Tide in Coleman Coliseum since February 1999. Despite the loss, Bama had several sparkling moments, starting with Jeana Rice's perfect 10 for the meet's opening routine. Following a superior performance on the uneven bars, the Tide was hoping to break the meet wide open with a similar performance on the balance beam. Unfortunately, either that gremlin was still hanging around from last week or UGA VI belched at just the right moment to scare Larissa Stewart, Kristin Sterner and Mari-Christine Bayer into a trio of uncharacteristic performances on beam that ultimately cost them vital tenths towards the final team score. All joking aside, this was definitely another great meet in the UA-UGA series, which by far continues to be the best gymnastics rivalry in the NCAA.

The bus to the Auburn meet, (Friday, March 21st) will leave Coleman Coliseum at approximately 3:00pm. The cost is $20.00. This does not include a ticket since Auburn does not have reserved seating for their meets(at least they haven't in the past). The cost of tickets in the past has been $4.00. If at all possible (depending on time) there might be a stop in Montgomery to get supper, then continue on to Auburn. There will possibly be a short stop on the return trip also.

Alabama junior Jeana Rice was named Southeastern Conference Gymnast of the Week for the third time this season by the league office today.

The nation's No. 1 ranked all-arounder, Rice won the all-around Saturday against Georgia with a 39.750, matching the top score in the conference which the Longwood, Fla. native set earlier in the year. Rice scored a 10.0 on the vault to get the meet started. She also won the uneven bars with a 9.950.

The bus will leave at 3:30PM instead of 4:00.

See the item below for the rest of the info.

The Grand Gala will be held on April 19 at 7:00. It will be at the Sheraton Four Points hotel. You can purchase tickets from a Medalist Club Board member.

The Medalist Club is sponsoring a bus trip to the SEC Championship meet in Birmingham. Since the meet will start at 6:00, the bus will leave Coleman Coliseum at (and this is a change from the previously announced time) 3:30pm Saturday afternoon, March 29th, going to Bartow arena, attend the meet and return immediately afterward. You could bring a take-out meal with you on board the bus. The cost of the bus is $15.00 and does not include a ticket. These tickets were included on your season ticket order form and you could probably still add these if you didn't order originally by calling the UofA ticket office. Sign-up for the bus trip will be at future home meets or receptions or by contacting Lucy Boteler at lboteler@bama.ua.edu or by phone at 205-752-9058.

TUSCALOOSA, ALA - For the second meet in a row, the No. 3 Alabama Gymnastics team used a big floor exercise score to compensate an off night on another event, but it would not be enough to hold off a solid Georgia team, as the Tide fell 197.625-197.250.

"I told the ladies to hold their heads high tonight and to not be down," head coach Sarah Patterson said. "We took some steps forward tonight and even with a bobble here and a bobble there on the balance beam, we still put together a very good team score."

Junior Jeana Rice won the all-around with a 39.750, which tied her career best mark. Alabama's lone senior Kristin Sterner posted a 39.300 on senior night.

To paraphrase that great song by Little Anthony and the Imperials, things were kind of spooky this past Saturday afternoon when the Kentucky Wildcats and the Alabama Crimson Tide clashed in Coleman Coliseum. For the home team and their devoted fans, the meet appeared to shift from moments of befuddled exasperation to sheer elation and incredulity at the skills being executed. Case in point: after going through terrific long warm-ups on vault and floor, freshman Ashley Miles suddenly experienced the heebie-jeebies during her three-minute touch on vault, resulting in three balks and the coaches' decision to scratch her from the line-up for precautionary reasons. In direct contrast, after struggling during her vault long and short warm-ups, sophomore Alexis Brion proceeded to vault the lights out in the anchor position, earning a 9.925! The Kentucky "mojo" followed Alabama to the uneven bars, where the Tide experienced their first significant problems of the season on this apparatus, having to count a fall in the process. Checking the stands at this point, we noticed that Salto was beyond the benefit of smelling salts. The Tide moved next to the balance beam, preparing to stay on for dear life. While Bama's nerves were apparent at times their tenacity won the day, as the team went 6 for 6 and a collective sigh of relief was heard 'round Coleman Coliseum. Or was that Salto waking up from his fainting spell? Well, he was just in time to witness the Crimson Tide's dynamic floor performances, enroute to a comfortable victory margin of 196.475 to Kentucky's 195.125. Alabama junior Jeana Rice claimed the all-around title once again with a total score of 39.625. Now, for more details...

This Saturday (March 15) will be a night to remember for Alabama Gymnastics fans.

Not only will arch-rival Georgia be in town for the second of two regular season dual meets, but it also the last regular season home meet of the year for the defending NCAA Champions and lone Alabama senior Kristin Sterner will be competing in front of the home crowd in a dual meet setting for the last time.

Sterner is a nine-time All-American, two-time All-SEC, three-year Scholastic All-American and two-year Academic All- SEC standout for the Tide. She was captain of the last year's NCAA Champion squad. Alabama has not lost a "Senior Night" since 1993.

We've got a new slide show and a photo album for the TideTykes and Teens

• Slide Show: TideTykes and Teens
• Photo Album: TideTykes and Teens

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

39 kb 06.Jeana gets her face design and

49 kb 07.Admires Mari's handiwork

40 kb 08.Alexis gets handy with the paint

We've got a new photo album for the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony (Saturday, March 08, 2003)

• Photo Album: Alabama Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony (Saturday, March 08, 2003)
• Press Release: Sarah Patterson Inducted into Alabama Sports Hall of Fame Saturday

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

22 kb Scrushi-Patterson

27 kb patterson autographs

17 kb Patterson-Sloan

Records and rankings are the first things to fly out the window when Alabama and Georgia get together in gymnastics as they will next Saturday (March 15) at 7 p.m. in Coleman Coliseum.

Even so, the rankings still came out and both teams are ranked in the top-5 with Alabama at No. 3 and Georgia at No. 5.

Both squads are in a holding pattern, staying in the same ranking slot as last week. UCLA remains the nation's No. 1 team with Arizona State holding onto second. Nebraska stands between Alabama and the Lady Dogs in fourth place. Stanford is sixth, followed by Utah in seventh, Florida in eighth, Michigan in ninth. Oregon State rounds out the top-10.

We have a new "Chalk Talk" from Coach Patterson:

• Chalk Talk update

The PBAs have put together some info on Bama Vaults for interested fans. This page will be updated with more detail in the coming weeks.

• Alabama Vaults for 2003

TUSCALOOSA, ALA - Despite struggling through its first three rotations, the No. 3 ranked Alabama Gymnastics team pulled out a 196.425-195.125 win over Kentucky.

"We got a little rattled early and we didn't really recover from that," head coach Sarah Patterson said. "I was very pleased with how our fans helped carry us through though. They really did their best to lift us up and put us back on our feet."

Alabama counted a fall in its total for the first time since the season opening Super Six Challenge when the first two athletes on the uneven bars fell. The Tide has scant time to recover with arch-rival Georgia coming in town next Saturday (March 15).

When the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame came calling in September of 2002, Sarah Patterson was more than a little surprised.

"It wasn't really something I thought about a lot," Patterson said. "And I certainly didn't expect to hear from them while I was still coaching. I thought it was nice that my name has been on the ballot the last year or two, but beyond that..."

Even after being voted in this past Fall, Patterson has spent most of the time between now and then getting this year's team, which includes seven freshmen among the 14 gymnasts, heading in the right direction. She's done that and done it well. The Tide is ranked No. 3 in the nation going into Saturday's meet against Kentucky.

David Wasson, executive sports editor of the Tuscaloosa News, spent the day with Sarah Patterson and came away with a view of her on the run days, but the scope of her career.

• Couple build tradition based on commitment

Tim McGraw knows how to sing it and the Bama nation knows what it wants... Alabama gymnastics and record setting performances at Coleman Coliseum.

What a weekend this will be for fans and the storied Alabama Gymnastics program. It will be a rare afternoon meet followed by a night honoring Coach Sarah Patterson.

Smoking! That's what the Tide gymnastics team did in Coleman Coliseum last Saturday night against Auburn. By vaulting the roof off the arena and tumbling the night away to a season high score of 197.975.

• Alabama vs. Auburn (Saturday, March 01, 2003)

TUSCALOOSA, ALA - Sometimes when the person who previously held your job watches you work, it can make you nervous. Such was not the case tonight as the 2003 Alabama Gymnastics team rolled to a season best score, beating Auburn 197.975-196.600, while 40-plus gymnastics alumni, among the 8,306 fans, looked on.

With their past looking on, Alabama's present posted season best scores on three of the four events and its overall score. It was the Tide's highest score since winning the 2001 NCAA Central Regional with a 198.000. For the Tigers it was the third highest score in school history.

"It was obviously a great night," head coach Sarah Patterson said of her 39th consecutive win over the Tigers. "But give Auburn credit, they are closing the gap. We're in the portion of our season where we are home for several weeks now and we have to opportunity to add more skills in and to continue to improve and tonight was a great step in that direction."

It's going to be a big weekend for the No. 2 ranked Alabama Gymnastics team. Not only do they bring No. 11 Auburn to town, sporting its highest ranking in a decade, but Sarah Patterson has also put out the call to her alumni.

Nearly 40 of Alabama's former gymnasts will be in town this weekend, looking on Saturday (March 1) while the current edition of the Tide faces the Tigers starting at 7 p.m. in Coleman Coliseum.

"It's always great to have our ladies back and be able to catch up with them and their lives," head coach Sarah Patterson said. "They are all leading such full and vital lives, it makes me tired just hearing about them."

Not all of accolades gathered by Alabama gymnasts come during competition when the bright lights are focused on them. In fact, the accomplishments the Crimson Tide coaching staff are most proud of come in the classrooms and study sessions.

Always a source of pride, Alabama gymnastics' academic excellence has hit an impressive stride over the last several years providing some truly awe inspiring results.

For the last four seasons, an average of 12 Crimson Tide gymnasts per year have earned Academic All-Southeastern Conference honors. That's nine in 1999, 12 in 2000 and 2001 and 15 last season. The Tide's 15 honorees in 2002 stands as a league record for a single year.

• Alabama vs. Florida (Friday, February 21, 2003)