CHAMPIONS: Gymnastics Wins 2015 SEC Championship

Saturday, March 21

Duluth, Ga.

Alabama

SEC Championship

CHAMPIONS: Gymnastics Wins 2015 SEC Championship

3/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics

Photos (1)Photos (2)

Team Results

	Vault	Bars	Beam	Floor	Total
Alabama	49.500	49.275	49.275	49.475	197.525
LSU	49.550	48.975	48.975	49.550	197.450
Florida	49.625	49.575	48.625	49.575	197.400
Auburn	49.300	49.150	49.400	49.075	196.925
Georgia	49.125	49.375	48.150	49.350	196.000
Arkansas	49.250	48.825	48.675	49.200	195.950
Missouri	48.850	49.000	48.775	49.075	195.700
Kentucky	48.875	48.575	48.275	49.300	195.025

DULUTH, Ga. - For the first time in its storied history, Alabama gymnastics won back-to-back Southeastern Conference Championships after Alabama posted a 197.525 to edge LSU by less than a tenth of a point in Duluth, Ga., Saturday night.

Using the very same rotation they did to win a year ago, No. 3 seeded Alabama once again finished on uneven bars, posting a 49.275 to earn the win, though both No. 2 seed LSU and No. 1 seed Florida kept things tight throughout the last rotation.

A year ago, it came down to Alabama's last competitor on the uneven bars and Florida's final floor exercise routine. Saturday was a little different as Alabama's fifth competitor on the uneven bars, junior Lauren Beers, closed out the Tigers and Gators and clinched an Alabama win with a 9.9.

There were other differences between the two championships runs of course, the biggest being that this was the first Alabama postseason title without legendary coaches Sarah and David Patterson, who retired last summer, at the helm and the first under head coach Dana Duckworth.

"We have talked all season about protecting the legacy and we did that tonight," Duckworth, who is in her 20th season with the Tide program, said. "Sarah and David paved the way for our success tonight. This was classic Alabama, a total team performance with everyone lifting each other up to reach a common goal."

Beers led the way for Tide, posting a 39.500 to take third place in the all-around. Senior Kaitlyn Clark shared top honors on the vault, posting a 9.95. Clark and sophomore Keely McNeer took second on the balance beam with matching scores of 9.9.

Alabama opened with a 49.275 on the balance beam led by McNeer's 9.9 in the leadoff spot and Clark's matching score to finish the rotation. Alabama scored a 49.475 on the floor exercise behind junior Carley Sims' career-best 9.95. On the vault, Clark's 9.95 paced Alabama to a 49.500.

Alabama now awaits the NCAA regional championships announcement, which comes Monday at 2 p.m. CT on NCAA.com. At that point, the Tide will find out which of the six regional sites it will be seeded into. Fans can keep up with the Tide via Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube by following BamaGymnastics.