Alabama
Auburn
Gymnastics Advances to NCAA Super Six Team Finals
4/17/2015 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
FORT WORTH, Texas - The Alabama gymnastics team used a hot start Friday night to advance to the NCAA Super Six Team Finals for an NCAA-record 21st time in the Fort Worth Convention Center, scoring a 197.100 to take second in the day's second semifinal session.
"Tonight was all about survive and advance," UA head coach Dana Duckworth said. "The whole meet was so exciting. For us, we stayed in the 'Bama bubble,,' playing games, having fun and doing what Alabama does."
Oklahoma won the second semifinal session with a 197.400 and Auburn was third with a 197.075. Nebraska (196.675), LSU (196.550) and Oregon State (195.875) rounded out the evening session.
"We've reached out annualgoal," Duckworth said. "We'll be on the floor tomorrow night with a chance to win a national championship. We never take that for granted and we're so excited for the opportunity that these ladies have earned."
From the first semifinal session, Florida and Utah tied for top honors with 197.425s, while Stanford scored a 197.175 to grab the third spot into the Super Six. Michigan (197.025), Georgia (196.600) and UCLA (196.400) rounded out the first session.
Alabama came out of the gate strong with a 49.400 on the floor exercise, led by 9.9s from junior Lauren Beers, freshman Mackenzie Brannan and junior Carley Sims. The Tide kept things rolling on the vault, scoring a 49.475 behind a 9.925 from senior Kayla Williams and 9.9s from Beers and Carley Sims.
On the uneven bars, Alabama posted a 49.275 led by a 9.900 from sophomore Katie Bailey. The Tide finished the night off with Williams' 9.900 pushing Alabama to a 48.950 on the balance beam.
The Super Six will include three Southeastern Conference schools and four past NCAA champions, including Alabama (six titles), Florida (two titles), Utah (nine titles) and Oklahoma (one title).
Fans can keep up with the Tide via Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube by following BamaGymnastics.
NCAA Super Six Team Finals Rotatoin
| Rotation | Vault | Bye b/f Bars | Bars | Beam | Bye b/f Floor | Floor |
| 1 | Alabama | Utah | Auburn | Florida | Oklahoma | Stanford |
| 2 | Stanford | Alabama | Utah | Auburn | Florida | Oklahoma |
| 3 | Oklahoma | Stanford | Alabama | Utah | Auburn | Florida |
| 4 | Florida | Oklahoma | Stanford | Alabama | Utah | Auburn |
| 5 | Auburn | Florida | Oklahoma | Stanford | Alabama | Utah |
| 6 | Utah | Auburn | Florida | Oklahoma | Stanford | Alabama |
NOTES:
- After starting the NCAA Championships Super Six Team Finals on the floor exercise for the past three seasons and finishing on the balance beam each time, Saturday finds Alabama starting on the vault for the first time since 2011, when the Tide won its fifth national title.
- The Tide posted a 49.475 on the vault in its NCAA Championships semifinal session, marking its fourth consecutive score of 49.4-plus. It was the Tides eight 49.4-plus vault total of the season.
- Alabama posted a 49.400 on the floor exercise in the NCAA Championships semifinals, marking its ninth 49.400 or better score this season.
- Alabama posted nine scores of 9.9 or better during its semifinal session, including a team-high 9.925 vault from senior Kayla Williams.
- Williams posted a 9.925 on the vault and a 9.9 on the balance beam, marking Alabama's highest scores on those two events and the first time this season she's scored 9.9 or better on both events in the same meet.
- Sophomore Keely McNeer led the Tide off on the vault (9.825), uneven bars (9.850) and balance beam (9.850). Over the last five meets, McNeer has led off the Tide's vault, uneven bars and balance beam with nothing less than a 9.825 each of the last five meets.
- Junior Carley Sims scored a 9.9 on the floor exercise, her ninth mark of 9.9 or better on the floor this season. She also scored a 9.9 on the vault, marking the fourth time she's scored 9.9 or better on the vault and floor in the same meet. It was also her sixth 9.9 or better vault of the season.
- Junior Lauren Beers scored a 9.9 on the vault, marking her eighth 9.9 or better vault of the season and fourth in a row. She also scored a 9.9 on the floor exercise, her eighth 9.9 or better floor score of the season and sixth in a row.
- Freshman Mackenzie Brannan scored a 9.9 on the floor exercise in her first routine in NCAA Championship competition. She has now scored a 9.9 or better in more than half of her floor exercise routines this season.
- Sophomore Katie Bailey led the Tide on the uneven bars with a 9.9, marking her fourth score of 9.9 or better uneven bars score of the season.
Players Mentioned
