TUSCALOOSA, Ala.As the University of Alabama gets the 2010-11 academic year underway this week, the Crimson Tide athletics department is coming off one of its best years in recent memory, not only athletically, where UA won its 13th national football championship as well as four Southeastern Conference titles, but in the classroom as well, where Alabama student-athletes were honored in impressive numbers.

"At the University of Alabama our goal is always to be the very best in everything we do and last season is certainly a tribute to the success of our student-athletes, both athletically and academically, at the highest levels," Alabama Director of Athletics Mal Moore said. "Our high academic achievement is also a testament to the focus our student-athletes and coaches put on academics and the efforts Jon Dever and our entire academic support staff put into helping each student-athlete reach their full potential."

A total of seven UA student-athletes spanning six sports earned ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America honors, which ranks the Tide fourth nationally among the award's University division and tops among SEC schools. Three of Alabama's Academic All-Americans - Colin Peek (football), Charlotte Morgan (softball) and Kassi Price (gymnastics) - earned first-team honors, which ties the Tide with Tennessee for the most first-team honors in the SEC. Alabama has earned a total of 52 Academic All-America honors over the last decade.

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Nine members of the 2010 Alabama gymnastics team earned NACGC Scholastic All-American honors, a total that leads the Southeastern Conference and ranks second among schools that competed at the NCAA Championships last season.

"Our ladies continue to excel in all areas of the collegiate experience," head coach Sarah Patterson said. "Year-in and year-out Alabama stands among the very best, both in the gym and the classroom. Our ladies work very hard to maintain that level of success in everything they do and this is just another indication of that drive for excellence."

In a year that saw Alabama finish third at the NCAA Championships, second at the SEC Championships and win its 25th NCAA Regional title, the Crimson Tide earned a team GPA of 3.41. Four Tide gymnasts, senior All-American Kassi Price, junior All-American Kayla Hoffman, sophomore All-American Rachel Terry and freshman Mary Hauswirth, earned perfect 4.0 GPAs last season.

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Alabama Gymnastics team placed four student-athletes on the 2010 Southeastern Conference Freshman Academic Honor Roll the league office announced today. The Crimson Tide's total is the most of any gymnastics team in the conference.

"I'm proud of these ladies and the start they've made in their Crimson Tide academic and athletic careers," UA head coach Sarah Patterson said. "We strive every day to be the best in everything we do and this award certainly speaks to the success our ladies have had in the classroom."

Courtney Bell, Marissa Gutierrez, Mary Hauswirth and Ashley Sledge all earned the rookie honor. To earn a spot on the honor roll a student-athlete must have a 3.00 or better cumulative grade point average, be on scholarship or be a letter winner and have completed 24 semester hours.

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Sarah Patterson, the University of Alabama head gymnastics coach, and David DeSantis, co-owner and general manager of Tuscaloosa Toyota, were honored Tuesday morning by the Alabama Hospital Association (AlaHA) with its Special Citation Award.

"Coach Patterson and Mr. DeSantis are individuals who truly care about the health of our citizens, especially women and the battle against breast cancer," said J. Michael Horsley, FACHE, president of the Alabama Hospital Association. "They were instrumental in increasing cancer awareness and access to health care among women, particularly in the Tuscaloosa area. We celebrate their dedication to women's health and are pleased to be able to recognize their outstanding service with this award."

Patterson was at the DCH Leadership Forum to pay tribute to Angel Pittman Burnett, a former club gymnast, who succumbed to cancer in October 2009.

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - TUSCALOOSA, Ala. For the third time in her Crimson Tide career, Alabama gymnast Kassi Price has been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American Women's At-Large Team, earning first-team honors for the second consecutive year.

Price was one of just three student-athletes on this year's list to repeat as a member of the first team. She is also the first Alabama gymnast to earn Academic All-American honors three times during her career, earning first team honors 2010 and 2009 and third team honors in 2008.

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Senior gymnast Kassi Price was one of four Alabama student-athletes voted to the 2009-10 CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District IV At Large Team, which was announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America Thursday.

Price is the ninth Crimson Tide gymnast to earn Academic All-District honors and the first to earn the accolade three years in a row. The at-large team spans 13 women's sports including bowling, rowing, fencing, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming and diving, tennis and water polo.

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Well it certainly wasn't the ending to the 2010 gymnastics season originally envisioned by Bama's awesome seniors. But they can certainly hold their heads up high for a 3^rd Place finish that was not looking likely after the team's opening performances on Floor Exercise.

• Postmeet Commentary: Tide Struggles Early On Floor, Roars Back to Finish 3rd

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Alabama Gymnastics Team celebrated the 2010 season, which included the Crimson Tide's NCAA-best 25th regional title, 20th top-two Southeastern Conference Championship finish and 19th top-three finish at the NCAA Championships with its annual awards banquet hosted by The Medalist Club, the program's booster organization.

The event was held Saturday night at "The Zone" located in Bryant-Denny Stadium with more than 250 in attendance. UA Director of Athletics Mal Moore spoke at the opening of the banquet, praising the team and its coaches for their accomplishments this year as well as the legacy of success coaches Sarah and David Patterson have built and maintained over the past 32 years.

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