The University of Alabama gymnastics team advanced itself to the NCAA Championship Super Six Team Final after posting an overall score of 197.3875 Friday night at semifinals in Fort Worth, Texas.
Also advancing with the Crimson Tide are first-place Oklahoma with a score of 197.7875 and third-place UCLA with a score of 196.7000. Alabama’s score rewarded the team with second place.
After starting the meet out on a bye, Alabama began its competition on the uneven bars. Junior Katie Bailey led with a 9.9 as the Crimson Tide scored a 49.3125 as a team. Alabama then transitioned to balance beam where it posted a 49.3, which was led by sophomore Kiana Winston’s 9.9. Winston led with the same score on the floor exercise to get the Crimson Tide a team score of 49.2875.
Alabama closed the night out on the vault. It scored a season-best 49.4875, locking in Alabama’s super six spot. Bailey posted a 9.95 to lead the team, but it also earned her the individual NCAA vault championship.
Saturday will mark Alabama’s 22nd super six appearance. The Crimson Tide has been to 22 of the 24 final meets, the most in collegiate gymnastics history. Bailey’s individual championships marked the 26th one in Alabama history, the fifth on the vault specifically.
There was an earlier semifinals session on Friday in which Florida, LSU and Georgia also advanced, scoring 197.475, 197.3375 and 196.725 respectively and completing the super six lineup.
