Alabama Gymnasts Advance to Super Six in NCAA Championships
5/25/2002 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
 |
|
TUSCALOOSA – The field is now set for the “Super Six”, national team championship night at the 2002 NCAA Gymnastics Championships which are being held April 18-20 here at the University of Alabama’s Coleman Coliseum.
Thursday’s first day of competition, split into two sessions, ended with the original field of 12 narrowed down to the final six teams who will compete Friday night at 7 p.m. CT for the national title. Utah (196.775), Georgia (196.650) and Nebraska (196.575) each advanced from Thursday afternoon’s session. Host team Alabama (197.300), UCLA (197.100), and Stanford (196.050) where the three teams who advanced from Thursday night’s evening session. It is the first time Stanford has ever competed in the “Super Six” while the other five have all advanced at least once in the past.
“First of all, we are extra happy to have made it to the Super Six,” said University of Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson who competed without a key gymnast on her team, Reagan Tomasek who injured her ankles during warm-ups. “It never gets old. Our goal at the start of every season is to be on the floor the last night with a chance to win the national championship. I think we’ve redeemed ourselves from the Southeastern Conference Championships.”
UCLA’s Jamie Dantzscher scored 39.675 to become the All-Around national champion. Dantzscher scored 9.950 in the vault, 9.900 on the uneven bars, 9.875 on the balance beam and 9.950 on the floor exercise. The event individual championships will be held Saturday night with the finalists to be determined from scores Friday night.
The second session’s scores on Thursday night found Alabama scoring the highest of all 12 teams for the day at 197.300 with 49.275 on vault, 49.025 on bars, 49.550 on beam and 49.450 on floor. UCLA was second in the session with 49.225 on vault, 49.275 on bars, 49.250 on beam and 49.350 on floor and Stanford was the third qualifier with 49.200 on vault, 48.650 on bars, 49.175 on beam and 49.025 on floor.
Minnesota (195.700), Florida (195.675) and Oregon State (192.925) did not advance from the evening session.
