BIRMINGHAM–Alabama senior gymnast Kim Jacob’s floor exercise soundtrack starts with “Sweet Home Alabama.” Friday night in the BJCC Arena, that was more appropriate than any might have guessed, as the senior won the NCAA all-around championship and powered the Crimson Tide to the Super Six final on Saturday night.
“I’m still a little in shock, not really sure how to think,” Jacob said. “Just an amazing way to go out my senior year and proud that I could do it for my team to move us around to the next round.”
Jacob’s floor routine has become a crowd favorite with the Alabama faithful, who were present in multitude at the BJCC Arena Friday night. Jacob said the crowd reaction to her music choice was no accident.
“It’s amazing just to hear the crowd go wild when my music comes on,” Jacob said. “It kinda gives me that extra little ‘umph’ to have a great routine and show off for the crowd.”
Jacob’s career-high 39.625 in all-around competition was a highlight on a night that was less than perfect for Alabama, although coach Sarah Patterson said the team accomplished what it set out to do.
“Our goal at the University of Alabama is always to be on the floor on the last night of the season with the opportunity to compete for a national championship, and our ladies did that tonight,” Patterson said. “We weren’t perfect, we had some mistakes, we had some individual disappointments, but for our ladies, I think there’s nothing better than being able to be competitive for an NCAA Championship.”
Patterson has won six national championships and coached five NCAA all-around champions before Jacob, but to the 36-year coach, Jacob’s championship was a highlight not just of the night, but of her career.
“Kim has always flown under the radar.” Patterson said. “I’ve always said if I could have 10 just like her, with the academic success that she’s had … She is the epitome of what a student athlete is. She’s a leader on our team. She just does everything. To me, to see a kid like that achieve this goal on top of us advancing, I think that’s one of the most rewarding things in our career.”
Alabama ended the evening even with its conference rival Florida, with the two most recent NCAA champions tied at 197.65. The evening marked the third-straight close finish between the two teams. During the regular season, the two teams were tied through three rotations before Alabama won at home. At the SEC Championships, Alabama needed a season-high uneven bars routine to come from behind to defeat the Gators.
Patterson said the competition between the two SEC powerhouses is only facet of the increased parity in the sport.
“Years ago it wasn’t as competitive,” Patterson said. “Now, when you look at the difference between the third-place team and the fifth-place team, it’s like .025, one-tenth of a point. I think on any given night you have to be on, and you can’t afford to count a fall or you wouldn’t advance.”
The Crimson Tide will compete for its seventh national championship at 6 p.m Saturday night at the BJCC Arena in Birmingham, when it will be matched against Florida, Nebraska, LSU, Georgia and Oklahoma.
