Gymnastics Readies for Season Opener; Rotation is Set
1/11/2003 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
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» LIVE SCORING from the Super Six
» SUPER SIX PRACTICE PHOTO GALLERY
ATHENS, GA -- With less than 24 hours left before opening the defense of its 2002 NCAA title, the Alabama Gymnastics team went through its last preseason practice here in Stegeman Coliseum today.
"It was a good day of practice before our first meet of the season," assistant head coach David Patterson. "With seven freshmen, our ladies did a nice job of focusing our on our team and not getting distracted."
Alabama will face five other preseason top-20 squads Saturday starting at 4 p.m. ET in the fourth annual Super Six Challenge.
The No. 3 ranked Crimson Tide went through its typical practice day routine, going about three hours from the time they arrived at the arena, spending about an hour and a half on the equipment, making adjustments and generally getting comfortable in Georgia's arena.
Later tonight, the Tide will attend a banquet with the five other teams at the Classic Center.
"One of the nice things about the Super Six Challenge is that the format is very similar to the meets during the championship season," head coach Sarah Patterson said. "From the practice day, to the banquet, to the pre-meet warm-up, everything is very similar."
In addition to No. 2 Georgia, the meet's host, Alabama will face No. 5 Nebraska, No. 8 Florida, No. 12 Oklahoma and No. 19 Penn State.
While Alabama and Georgia are the meet's top-ranked teams, Nebraska made a powerful statement last weekend when they beat the Lady Dogs in Lincoln by more than a point. Florida, under the direction of first-year head coach Rhonda Faehn, looks to be much improved over last season.
But for Alabama, the only team to watch will be themselves.
"This is our starting point," Sarah Patterson said. "We are going to start tomorrow night and then work on improving each week of the season."
Super Six Order is Set
Athens, Ga. -- The draw for Saturday's Super Six Challenge was held at a banquet at the Athens Classic Center on Friday night.
The No. 3 ranked Alabama Gymnastics team will start off on a bye and then, in the second rotation, the Tide will start on the uneven bars. Alabama will then go onto the balance beam, then another bye, before finishing off on the floor exercise and vault.
Saturday's event will begin at 4 p.m. ET at Georgia's Stegeman Coliseum and ESPN will tape delay its telecast on Feb. 13 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Order of events for No. 2-ranked Georgia, No. 8 Florida, No. 5 Nebraska, No. 12 Oklahoma and No. 19 Penn State is listed below.
Alabama:
Bye 1
Uneven Bars
Beam
Bye 2
Floor
Vault
Florida:
Vault
Bye 1
Bars
Beam
Bye 2
Floor
Nebraska:
Bars
Beam
Bye 2
Floor
Vault
Bye 1
Oklahoma:
Bye 2
Floor
Vault
Bye 1
Bars
Beam
Penn State:
Floor
Vault
Bye 1
Bars
Beam
Bye 2
