The Alabama Gymnastics team celebrated the fruits of a season that culminated in a runner-up finish at the recent NCAA Championships at its annual awards banquet Saturday night.

The banquet, hosted by the Crimson Tide's booster organization, The Medalist Club, was held in the Bryant Conference Center.

The Crimson Tide honored 2005 co-captain Ashley Miles as its MVP. The junior earned four All-American honors and posted a third place all-around finish at the NCAA Championships. The San Antonio, Texas native became the first gymnast in NCAA history to score two 10.0s during the Super Six team finals, leading the Tide from the back of the pack during the middle at the NCAA Championships, to a second place finish. Miles, a four-time SEC Gymnast of the Week, won three individual SEC titles, including her third consecutive floor title, as well as four NCAA Central Regional Titles, including her third consecutive vault and floor exercise titles.

Sharing in one-half of the Perfect-10 Grand Gala $10,000.00 grand prize was a group of 10 teachers from Brookwood, who have sent us a picture of themselves with the check! The Perfect-10 Grand Gala was held on Saturday, April 16th at the Sheraton Four Points Hotel Ballroom and the proceeds from the event will go toward funding the Medalist Club's Postgraduate Scholarship Fund.

Pictured from left to right are: Kristie Gray, Vickii Marchant, Darlene Farris, Meredith Barringer, Sandy Miesse, Marti Ball (holding check), Molly Wagner, Fay Gwin, and Jackie Norton. Not pictured is Kirk Robertson.

We've got a photo album and slide show for the 2005 Senior Night-SEC

• Photo Album: 2005 Senior Night-SEC
• Slide Show: 2005 Senior Night-SEC

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

151148 kb 01. Brittany leads off bars warm up for Senior Night

152474 kb 02. Dana F's line makes a ruler look crooked

192174 kb 03. Mari makes her move to high bar

AUBURN, ALA - She turned silver into gold.

Alabama freshman Terin Humphrey, a two-time Olympic Silver medalist this summer in Athens, won the NCAA Uneven Bars Title here in Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum with a 9.9375.

Humphrey, who joined the Tide on Dec. 26 after spending the fall on the T.J. Maxx Olympic Tour, has learned the team concept of gymnastics very quickly.

Alabama used a fierce rally here at the NCAA Gymnastics Championships to jump from fourth place after three rotations to second place in the end with a 197.400, its best score of the season.

Alabama started the night strong with a 49.325 on the uneven bars before struggling through a 48.85 balance beam set.

"Yesterday we struggled with vault and today it was beam," Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson said. "We just can't seem to hit all four events on the same night. We had a bunch of 9.70s on beam, we just didn't rock it. Georgia rocked all four events and that is what you have to do to win."

We've got a photo album for the 2005 NCAA Nationals - Super Six (Fri)

• Photo Album: 2005 NCAA Nationals - Super Six (Fri)

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

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AUBURN, ALA -- The Alabama Gymnastics team will start its bid for a fifth NCAA Championship will start on the uneven bars, after a first rotation bye, Friday night here in Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum.

In a blind draw, the Crimson Tide drew the bye before bars to start the meet. It will then start on the uneven bars, progress to the balance beam before taking another bye. It will then finish off the night on the floor exercise and vault.

Several Alabama athletes will compete for individual honors on Saturday, including Ashley Miles who will compete for her third straight NCAA Vault title and second consecutive title on floor exercise.

AUBURN, ALA - The Alabama Gymnastics team used a 197.000 to advance to tomorrow night's Super Six team finals here in Auburn, Ala.

The Tide finished third in a very strong evening session, just behind Georgia's 197.325 and UCLA's 197.025. Florida finished fourth with a 196.225, followed by Iowa State, 195.975 and BYU 194.625. Between Alabama, Georgia and UCLA, the evening session counted 14 past NCAA titles between them.

"One of our goals prior to each season is to be on the floor the last night of the NCAA Championships, competing for a national title," Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson said. "It isn't easy. It was nerve-wracking out there for us tonight with so much pressure placed on each of the teams to make it to the Super Six. We will be more relaxed tomorrow. We made some mistakes tonight that we will be working towards correcting in the Super Six. This is the deepest field I have ever been a part of for an NCAA Championship and Super Six competitions."

We've got a photo album for the 2005 NCAA Nationals - Team Preliminaries (Thurs)

• Photo Album: 2005 NCAA Nationals - Team Preliminaries (Thurs)

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

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AUBURN, ALA -- With the practice day here at the 24th annual NCAA Gymnastics Championships in the books, Alabama is ready to make its run at a fifth national championship.

The Crimson Tide is making its 23rd consecutive appearance at the NCAA Championships, starting tomorrow night at 7 p.m. when it will face five other teams in attempt to move on to Friday night's team finals. Three teams from each of the two preliminary sessions on Thursday will advance to the Super Six. Alabama, which won the 2002, 1996, 1991 and 1988 NCAA Team Championships, Alabama enjoys a rich history of success at these championships, finishing in the top-10 every year since 1983, a stretch that includes 19 top-4 finishes.

Alabama has also never lost an NCAA Championship hosted in the state of Alabama, winning the 2002, 1996 and 1991 national championships in Tuscaloosa.

Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson
"Obviously we are excited to be here in the state of Alabama.  Although we have made it 23 consecutive times, it never gets to be old.  I am excited about it this year just like I was my first year.  I can say from experience that the quality always seems to improve.  There has never been any more quality here than this year. Legitimately, there are eight-to-nine teams who could win it.  It is exciting and fun for athletes, coaches and fans alike."

On Terin Humphrey*
"Terin is extremely excited about being here. She has spent a lot of time in the gym.  When we were at the SEC Championship and had a fall, I remember her telling me when she came up next that she felt more pressure at that moment than she did at the Olympics.  I think that speaks volumes about collegiate gymnastics."

On competing at Auburn University*
"We compete here regularly, but this looks so different from a dual meet.  Obviously, we will have a lot of fans here but Georgia, LSU and Florida will also have respectable numbers.  When you spend all the time, effort and energy putting this championship together, obviously you want to be involved.  I was pulling for Auburn at the Regionals because I know they wanted to be here.  I was pleased to see that they have four people competing."

"Roll Tide, GymTide fans, Salto here, it's time once again for the National Championship and that can mean only one thing, my web-log updates are back! After a tough time getting on the internet last year in (of all places!) California, I have been assured and reassured by the folks at my hotel in Auburn that their high-speed internet is ready and able to handle all my updates. It's a good thing, because I already have sources 'on the ground' in east Alabama and I will be there myself in a day or two. Be sure to visit [ this link ] starting, well, now, for the latest news. National Championship, here we come!"

We have a new Postmeet Commentary for the NCAA Central Region Championships

• NCAA Central Region Championships (Saturday, March 26, 2005)

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

• Chalk talk - 4/18/2005

The Alabama Gymnastics team will start its 23rd consecutive NCAA Championship appearance on the floor exercise during the evening session of the championships first day in Auburn, Ala.

"Qualifying to the NCAA Championships never gets old," Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson said. "No matter how many times we make it, I never take it for granted. It's always a great feeling."

In a random draw, Alabama was grouped with two-time defending champion UCLA, Southeastern Conference foes Florida and Georgia as well as Iowa State and BYU in the evening session which will start at 7 p.m. in Beard-Eves Memorial Coliseum. Utah, Michigan, Penn State, Oklahoma, Nebraska and LSU will compete in the afternoon session. The top three teams from each session will advance to Friday night's Super Six team finals.

TUSCALOOSA, ALA -- The Alabama Gymnastics team won its 20th NCAA Regional title Saturday night, posting a 196.675 here in Coleman Coliseum.

By winning the NCAA Central Region Championship, the Crimson Tide advances to its 23rd consecutive NCAA Championships.

"I thought our performance tonight was great," Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson, in her 27th year at Alabama, said. "I told the girls not to judge themselves on the scores but on their performance. This is always the hardest meet of the year because we never have the pressure of wins or losses or an RPI, but on this night we become like basketball. Its win or don't advance."

We've got a photo album and slide show for the 2005 Regional Warmups

• Photo Album: 2005 Regional Warmups
• Slide Show: 2005 Regional Warmups

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

110933 kb 01 stretching.JPG

109747 kb 02 more stretching.JPG

113429 kb 03 Brittany on bars.JPG

We've got a photo album and slide show for Alabama at Arkansas & Stanford

• Photo Album: 2005 Alabama at Arkansas & Stanford
• Slide Show: 2005 Alabama at Arkansas & Stanford

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

85844 kb 01.Ashley makes her move to the high bar

64979 kb 02.Brittany finds another way

148831 kb 03.Dana P swings a giant