Two Alabama gymnasts were named to the 2005 ESPN The Magazine University Division Women's Academic All-District IV At-Large Team, selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of American (CoSIDA). District IV is comprised of colleges and universities in the states of Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee.

Senior Michelle Reeser was named to the first team, while senior Shannon Hrozek was named second team. Both women come to the team after All-American seasons in the gym.

"Michelle and Shannon had outstanding careers at Alabama, both in the gym and in the classroom, and this honor is a fitting cap to their careers," Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson said. "To have two of our ladies make the at-large team, which encompasses such a wide pool of student-athletes, is really very gratifying."

It's been kind of slow lately, newswise, so we have prepared a nice treat for you. (Thanks to Salto for putting these together!)

• 2005 GymTide Highlight Slideshow

We have a season wrap up and preview from the PBAs

• A Look Back at the 2005 Season, A Peek Forward to 2006

This past season, the Medalist Club was involved with what we believe was a first-time-ever, groundbreaking enterprise: full season, home-and-away broadcast radio and internet-audio coverage of college gymnastics. The person who not only came up with, but also enthusiastically promoted, developed - you might even go so far as to say 'invented' the whole idea - was Chad Anderson, a University of Alabama student and the sports director of the University's award-winning, student-run radio station, WVUA-FM 90.7. Although Chad is a very busy young man (for instance, as I write this he is in College Station, Texas preparing to broadcast Bama softball's Super-Regional games versus Texas A&M), I was recently able to grab enough of his time to ask him a few questions about himself and his radio coverage of Bama gymnastics this past season:

University of Alabama gymnastics signee Melanie Banville followed up a stellar performance at the Summer Olympics by winning the national all-around title Wednesday night at the Canadian National Championships being held in Vancouver on the University of British Columbia campus this week.

Banville took the gold with 36.675 points posting the best score on floor (9.600), second best on vault (9.250) and third best on uneven bars (9.325). She finished nearly half a point better than defending champion Kylie Stone of the Stampede City Club in Calgary.

"I was confident and had a lot of fun out there tonight," Banville told the Vancouver Sun. "I'm excited it turned out this way. I definitely worked for it. This win pumps me up for the individual finals."

University of Alabama gymnastics signee Melanie Banville is in first place after day one of the Canadian National Championships behind held in Vancouver on the University of British Columbia campus.

Banville, a native of Long Sault, Ontario, scored a 36.850 in the all-around to lead the competition. Her score included a 9.5 on both the uneven bars and floor exercise. She will compete in the all-around finals Wednesday night. The scores from the two days of competition are added together to determine the overall winner. Banville will also compete in individual event finals on Saturday.

A member of the 2004 Canadian Olympic team, Banville won the all-around at the Canadian Olympic trials last summer. She was a finalist at the Athens Olympics and took fifth in the all-around at the 2003 Pan-American Games.

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

• Chalk talk - Greetings from the Patterson household!

We've got a photo album and slide show for the 2005 Annual Awards Banquet

• Photo Album: 2005 Annual Awards Banquet
• Slide Show: 2005 Annual Awards Banquet

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

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University of Alabama assistant head gymnastics coach David Patterson underwent successful spinal surgery today to correct a long standing back ailment.

Patterson, who just completed his 27th season at Alabama, had a multi-level lumbar spinal fusion performed at Carraway Hospital in Birmingham. The surgery, performed by Dr. Evan Zeiger, got underway at 1 p.m. and took about four hours.

"The surgery was a success and now we are looking forward to a full recovery," Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson said of her husband's procedure.

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)

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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:
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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)

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We have a new Postmeet Commentary for the SEC Gymnastics Championships

• SEC Gymnastics Championships (Saturday, March 26, 2005)

INDIANAPOLIS -- The 2005 National Collegiate Women's Gymnastics Championships regional selections were announced today by the NCAA.

The University of Alabama, host of the Central Regional, will host No. 9 ranked Iowa State, No. 14 Utah State, Auburn, Kentucky and Kent State. Alabama is No. 4 going into the regional. The NCAA Central Regional is Saturday, April 9 at 6 p.m. CT in Coleman Coliseum. Tickets are available through the Alabama Ticket Office (205.348.2262) and online at www.rolltide.com.

Six teams, five all-around competitors (who are not on a qualifying team) and one individual event specialist per event [who has a minimum qualifying score (RQS) of 9.4] were named to each of the six regions. The top two teams and the top two all-around competitors (who are not on an advancing team) from each regional will receive an automatic berth to the national championships in Auburn, Alabama, April 21-23, hosted by Auburn University.

DULUTH, GA --- Junior Ashley Miles won the vault, uneven bars and floor exercise at the Southeastern Conference Gymnastics Championships being held here in the Arena at the Gwinnett Center, leading Alabama to a third place team finish.

Miles scored a 9.95 on the floor exercise and uneven bars and a 9.925 on the vault. It marked her third consecutive floor exercise title and first SEC vault and uneven bars title. She was tied for top honors on the uneven bars by freshman Terin Humphrey. Miles and Humphrey were both named All-SEC.

It marks the fourth consecutive year that Alabama has won three of the four apparatus at the SEC Championships. Miles has now won five SEC individual titles over her first three seasons. As a team, Alabama has won 20 individual SEC titles (including ties) since 2000.

DULUTH, GA -- Alabama Gymnastics team will start tomorrow's Southeastern Conference Championships on the balance beam in the Arena at Gwinnett Place.

Head coach Sarah Patterson drew the starting rotation at today's media luncheon. After beam, the Tide will have a bye, followed by the floor exercise, a second bye, vault, and then a third bye before finishing off on the uneven bars.

The competition begins Saturday at 6 p.m. ET. This is the second consecutive year the championship has been held at the Gwinnett Center. Last year, Alabama finished second, just behind Georgia.

Birmingham, Ala -- The Southeastern Conference sponsors a Good Works Teams for all 20 sports it sponsors. The Gymnastics Good Works Team represents seven SEC gymnasts, one from each competing institution. The Good Works Team looks to highlight an athlete from each school who gives back to their community in superior service efforts. The first annual Gymnastics Good Works Team follows:

Dana Pierce, Alabama
Active in the community from day one, Dana Pierce has worked steadily to make Tuscaloosa a better place. She has read to area school children several times over the years, including on "Read Across America Day" in early March. Pierce has also helped raise money for the Salvation Army's Project Angel Tree. She has visited patients at the VA Hospital in Tuscaloosa as well as working with children at the Children's Hands On Museum. Pierce has also spoken to children at local schools on the importance of making positive choices. She is a Scholastic All-American and member of Academic All-SEC, as well as recipient of Council of Presidents' Freshman Academic Achievement Award. She was also inducted into Phi Eta Sigma honor society

We have a new Postmeet Commentary for the Alabama vs North Carolina meet

• Alabama vs North Carolina (Sunday, March 18, 2005)

Alabama gymnast Ashley Miles closed out the regular season ranked No. 1 nationally on the vault and floor exercise.

Miles, the defending NCAA vault and floor exercise champion, will attempt to win her third consecutive Southeastern Conference floor exercise title this weekend at the SEC Championships March 26 in Duluth, Ga.

The junior is ranked eighth in the all-around and 24th on the uneven bars. Senior Alexis Brion is fourth on the floor exercise and 19th on the vault. Freshman Terrin Humphrey is ninth on the uneven bars and 17th on the balance beam.

We've got a photo album for the Alabama at Stanford (during-meet photos)

• Photo Album: Alabama at Stanford (during-meet photos)

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

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TUSCALOOSA, ALA - In the final home meet of the regular season, the University of Alabama gymnastics team relied on strong performances from junior Ashley Miles and senior Alexis Brion to overpower the North Carolina Tar Heels, 196.325-194.550.

"On the vault and floor, I thought we were at a championship level, not only the performance but the level of enthusiasm," Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson said. "We just need to the same on the bars and the beam."

Miles won the all-around title, scoring a 39.500, including a 9.925 to win the vault and a 9.950 the floor. Brion tied her career best to win the floor exercise with a 9.975. Freshman Terin Humphrey won the uneven bars with a 9.85.

We've got a photo album and slide show for Alabama at Florida & Georgia

• Photo Album: 2005 Alabama at Florida & Georgia
• Slide Show: 2005 Alabama at Florida & Georgia

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

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Back from an extended road swing, the Alabama gymnastics team closes out its regular season Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Coleman Coliseum.

Alabama, who hasn't had a home meet since February 11, takes on the UNC Tarheels, which features Courtney Bumpers, who shared the 2004 NCAA Floor Exercise Championship with the Crimson Tide's own Ashley Miles.

The Tide has enjoyed great success on the road, racking up wins against Southeastern Conference foes Georgia and Arkansas as well as a west coast win against Stanford. But all that time on the road has made them hungry to return to the friendly confines of the Coliseum.

The Alabama gymnastics team, which faces UNC Friday night in its regular season finale, is ranked fourth in the latest national rankings.

The Crimson Tide, coming off its lone off-week of the regular season, closes out the regular season at home after three straight weeks on the road. It will also be Senior Night in Coleman Coliseum.

LSU is currently No.1, followed by Utah and Nebraska. UCLA follows the Tide to round out the top five. The rest of the top 10 looks like this, No. 6 Florida, No. 7 Michigan, No. 8 Georgia, No. 9 Oklahoma and No. 10 Iowa State.

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

• Chalk talk - Tuesday, March 15, 2005

We have a new Postmeet Commentary for the Alabama vs Stanford meet

• Alabama vs Stanford (Sunday, March 06, 2005)

We've got a photo album for the Alabama at Stanford (pre-meet photos)

• Photo Album: Alabama at Stanford (pre-meet photos)

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

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Alabama jumped to third this week in the latest national gymnastics rankings, up from seventh a week ago.

The Crimson Tide is the Southeastern Conference's top ranked team, coming just behind No. 1 Utah and second ranked Nebraska. LSU and UCLA round out the top five.

Alabama's bounce in the rankings comes from an outstanding 197.100 road performance against Stanford. It was the Tide's second highest score of the season and best road mark. Off from competition this weekend, the Tide will face UNC Friday, March 18 in Coleman Coliseum for its regular season finale.

We've got a photo album and slide show for the Alabama vs LSU meet 2005

• Photo Album: Alabama vs LSU meet 2005
• Slide Show: Alabama vs LSU meet 2005

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

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PALO ALTO, CALIF. -- With a very different lineup, the Alabama gymnastics team scored its highest road score of the season to beat Stanford here in Roscoe Maples Pavilion, 197.100-194.975.

As part of the pre-meet entertainment, a world class juggler came out and went through his routine. As good as Matt Hall was, he had nothing on the Alabama coaching staff, who had to put together a lineup without senior co-captain Shannon Hrozek or junior Dana Filetti. Filetti battling the flu, had not practiced all week and was not expected to compete. Hrozek on the other hand became ill just this morning.

"We talk about this all the time," head coach Sarah Patterson said. "This is exactly why everyone has to be ready to go at all times. With two all-arounders out of our lineup, things looked a lot different out there, and we challenged the ladies to step up. We talk about how anything can happen on the eve of the national championships and we just used this to help reiterate that point.."

The Alabama Gymnastics team, moving farther west each week of its three-meet road swing, hits the West Coast Sunday for a meet against Stanford in Palo Alto, Calif. at 2 p.m. PST.

The Crimson Tide tied Stanford for third place at last year's NCAA Championships. All told the two teams have met six times before this weekend's competition, four times at the NCAA Championships and twice during the regular season. The last regular season meeting came in 2000 at the Tide hosted Super Six Challenge where Alabama won with Stanford finishing just .05 behind.

"Stanford is a very talented team," Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson said. "They've had some problems with injuries early, but they are very talented and we expect this to be a very good meet."

We have a new Postmeet Commentary for the Alabama vs Arkansas meet

NOTE: We have added audio clips to the Postmeet Commentary. Look for the icons. The icons link to mp3 audio files which most browsers should be able to play directly. (The mp3 files vary in size from 0.5 to 5 meg in size.)

• Alabama vs Arkansas (Friday, February 25, 2005)

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

• Chalk talk - Using a Challenge to Help Make us Better!

Alabama junior Ashley Miles retains the nation's No. 1 spot on both the vault and floor exercise in the latest gymnastics rankings released today.

Miles is the only individual ranked No. 1 on two different events. She is also ranked 14th on the uneven bars. Freshman Terin Humphrey is ranked sixth on the uneven bars and seventh on the balance beam while junior Mari Bayer is 23rd on the uneven bars.

As a team, Alabama is seventh with a 196.210 regional qualifying score (RQS), just behind No. 6 Florida. Nebraska took the No. 1 spot this week, followed LSU, Utah, UCLA and Michigan. Alabama travels west this weekend to face Stanford Sunday in Palo Alto, Calif.

FAYETTEVILLE, ARK --- The Alabama Gymnastics team beat homestanding Arkansas 194.800-193.750 in front of the Ladybacks' biggest crowd of the year, 4,617.

Freshman Terin Humphrey, making her all-around debut for the Tide, won with a 38.750 followed by a junior Dana Filetti's 38.675. Humphrey also won the uneven bars with a 9.850. Senior Shannon Hrozek won the vault and the balance beam with a 9.900 and 9.850 respectively. Her beam score tied her season best.

"I thought the scoring was extremely tight tonight, for both teams," Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson said. "We had some great performances numerous times during the evening and this is a perfect example of when you have to tell your student-athletes to be concerned only with their performance, not their score."