Alabama Gymnastics Closes Out Home Season Friday
2/26/2004 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
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For the No. 3 ranked Alabama Gymnastics team, the end of the regular season is right around the corner, and the end of the home season comes this Friday (Feb. 27) night.
The Crimson Tide will face No. 17 Arkansas starting at 7:30 p.m. in the final Coleman Coliseum outing of the season. It is an unusually early ending to the Tide's home season. Alabama hasn't had its last regular season home meet in February since the 2001 season.
It will also be Senior Night with Alabama honoring Lauren Holdefer, Stephanie Kite and Jeana Rice. The trio helped Alabama win the 2002 NCAA Championship and last season's Southeastern Conference title. All three are Scholastic All-Americans and Rice and Kite have earned All-American honors.
"All three of those ladies have brought something different and invaluable to this team," Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson said. "They have all led and contributed in their own fashion and had tremendous careers."
Senior Night will be especially poignant this year. Usually Alabama hosts a postseason event, which means that seniors have one more turn in front of the Tuscaloosa crowd after the regular season finale. This year, for the first time since 1997, Alabama will be on the road for all three postseason championships.
The meet marks the first time Alabama has hosted Arkansas in Tuscaloosa. The Razorbacks, in only their second year of existence, have made great strides under former Stanford coaches Mark and Rene Cook.
"I think Mark and Rene have done a great job in Fayetteville," Patterson said. "They have put together a good team of freshmen and sophomores and they have focused on competing very clean and solid routines. They have been very smart in that regard and it is already paying dividends for them."
The Crimson Tide will be giving away Playstation II game systems to two lucky University of Alabama students. Tickets for the meet are on sale through the Alabama Ticket Office (205.348.2262) located in the lobby of Coleman Coliseum, or online at www.rolltide.com.
