Alabama Gymnastics Posts Top GPA
8/21/2002 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
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TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- Sarah Patterson has always preached the importance of balance between athletics and academics and the importance of her Alabama gymnasts excelling in both arenas.
So Patterson is understandably elated that the 2002 Crimson Tide not only brought home its fourth NCAA Championship in April, but also stands in the top three nationally in terms of team grade point average.
“This speaks volumes about the kind of student-athletes we have on this team,” Patterson said. “To be able to go out and win a national championship and yet still perform as such a high level in the classroom is a great testimony to their work ethic and drive.”
The Tide posted a 3.599 GPA during its championship run while 13 gymnasts earned Scholastic All-American honors. To earn the honor as an individual, a gymnast must earn a 3.5 or better grade point average for the scholastic year.
“I think there is a myth that our athletes are naturally gifted students, when in fact, our team grade point average is the product of a tremendous amount of hard work and focus,” Patterson said. “Our student-athletes have lofty goals for their lives after gymnastics, and they know that the foundation for achieving those goals is set in the classroom today.”
Of the 12 teams that competed at the NCAA Championships, only three teams finished in the top ten in terms of GPA, with Utah at No. 2, Alabama at No.3 and Stanford at No. 8.
Alabama was the top Southeastern Conference school at No.3. LSU was 20th, followed by Kentucky at 38th, Florida at 52nd and Georgia at 57th.
Stephanie Kite and Tiffany Byrd both earned prefect 4.0s for the second straight year to top the Tide’s list. Alexa Martinez and Krista Gole both were just a tick behind with 3.99s. Martinez finished her career as a four-year Scholastic All-American.
All-American Kristin Sterner earned her third Scholastic All-American honor with a 3.94 GPA while freshman Michelle Reeser earned her first honor with a 3.88.
Whitney Morgan posted a 3.73 in her last season to earn her fourth Scholastic All-American nod while fellow 2002 senior Natalie Barrington earned her second award with a 3.70.
Two-time NCAA Champion Andre? Pickens once said that she would trade all her individual athletic accolades to be named Scholastic All-American. She didn’t have to after posting a 3.62 as a senior. The SEC Athlete of the Year added the Scholastic All-American honor to her three Academic All-SEC honors.
Shannon Hrozek finished off her rookie season with both All-American and Scholastic All-American honors after posting a 3.61 GPA as a freshman.
Helen Burgin, Erin Holdefer and Lauren Holdefer all ended their second season as a Scholastic All-Americans with 3.54, 3.53 and 3.52 GPAs respectively.
The 1988 Crimson Tide, Alabama’s first NCAA Gymnastics Championship team, also posted a laudable team grade point average, coming in at a 3.5.
