Alabama gymnastics was one of the four host sites for the NCAA regionals and is advancing to the national championship semifinals after placing in the top two the regional finals.
To advance to the regional finals Alabama placed second with a 197.275 behind Cal, which posted a 197.55. UNC was third with a 196.25 and Iowa was fourth with 196. At the regional finals, Alabama placed second to Florida to advance to the national championship semifinals.
“We are incredibly excited to check that meet off our list,” head coach Ashley Johnston said. “We find a way to create momentum, whether that’s through a routine or through the energy and the team culture that’s alongside you.”
Alabama advanced to the regional final alongside Cal. In Session 3, No. 3 Florida placed first, and No. 14 Oregon State placed second over North Carolina State and Clemson to advance to Sunday’s finals.
Rotation 1
Alabama started the meet on the vault and posted a 49.15. This put the Crimson Tide in second place after the first rotation.
The team’s highest score was a 9.9 on the vault from senior Corinne Bunagan.
Rotation 2
Alabama was on the uneven bars for the second rotation and posted a 49.3. Halfway through the meet, Cal was first with a 98.625, Alabama was second with a 98.45, Iowa was third with a 98.275 and UNC was fourth with a 98.225.
The Crimson Tide’s highest score on the uneven bars was a 9.9, posted by freshman Ryan Fuller and sophomore Chloe LaCoursiere.
The Crimson Tide looked to stay focused on what the team needed to do on the competition floor. With double the number of teams and fans in Coleman Coliseum, Alabama had to handle the noise.
“I think, for us, it’s really important to stay connected to each other,” junior Gabby Gladieux said. “No matter what’s going on around us, no matter what external factors we’re faced with, we’re all we got, and that’s all we need.”
Rotation 3
For the third rotation, Alabama was on the balance beam and posted a 49.225.
The highest balance beam score was a 9.875 for the Crimson Tide, posted by Gladieux.
Rotation 4
Alabama finished the meet on the floor, where it posted a 49.6. Gladieux and senior Lilly Hudson posted a 9.95 to mark Alabama’s highest score on the floor.
This is a consistent score for Hudson and Gladieux, who are deemed the “dynamic duo” by Johnston. Consistent high scores like a 9.9 or higher are critical in the postseason.
“Our lineup sets us up the best,” Hudson said. “We are a duo that builds off of each other, so it’s just fun to let our work show out there.”
Finals
On Sunday afternoon, Alabama faced Florida, California and Oregon State in the regional final. To qualify for the national championship, the Crimson Tide needed to place among the top two teams, and it succeeded in doing so.
Florida finished first with a 197.7, Alabama was second with a 197.675, California was third with a 197.575 and Oregon State was last with a 196.875.
“I’m so proud of this group for qualifying to Elite Eight,” Johnston said. “This has been a huge goal in front of us.”
Rotation 1
Alabama competed in Olympic order for Sunday’s regional finals: vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor. On the vault, Alabama scored 49.175, which put it in third place behind Florida and California.
Bunagan posted the Crimson Tide’s highest score, a 9.9.
Rotation 2
Halfway through the meet, Alabama was third with a 98.65 after posting a 49.475 on the uneven bars. Florida was first with a 98.85, California was second with a 98.675 and Oregon State was fourth with a 98.475.
LaCoursiere posted a 9.95 to lead the Crimson Tide’s uneven bars lineup.
Rotation 3
On the balance beam, Alabama posted a 49.5, bringing its total score to 148.15. This put the Crimson Tide in second place, behind Florida.
Gladieux clinched a 9.95 on the balance beam to mark Alabama’s highest score.
“I had to trust my training, trust my process and trust my team,” Gladieux said.
Rotation 4
Even though Alabama was in second heading to its last rotation, on the floor, the fight to punch a ticket to Fort Worth was not over. California was in third place, just slightly behind Alabama with a score of 148.125.
As the scores and placements were announced between the third and fourth rotations, Coleman Coliseum erupted with noise, with fans cheering from around the whole arena.
On the floor, Alabama posted a 49.525 to land the second-place spot needed to head to the National Championships.
After there was a fall in its first spot of the floor lineup, the Crimson Tide needed to post high scores to stay ahead of California. Graduate student Shania Adams scored a 9.85 in the second spot, and the rest remained above that.
“Something I’m really passionate about teaching is being able to handle the hard,” Johnston said. “As I looked around, nobody doubted for a second that we could still get this done.”
Hudson landed a 9.95, the Crimson Tide’s highest score.
As the final numbers were coming in, the Alabama and Florida teams stood together, waiting to see who would be traveling to the national championships. As the teams were announced, the Crimson Tide and the Gators jumped and cheered each other on, and the crowd shouted, “SEC! SEC!”
Alabama will compete in the national championship semifinals on April 17 in Fort Worth, Texas, at Dickies Arena.
