Alabama
SEC Championships
Alabama Gymnastics Takes Second at 2016 SEC Championships
3/19/2016 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The Alabama gymnastics team posted a season-best 197.750 to take second at the 2016 Southeastern Conference Championships, just .025 behind the Florida Gators. Saturday's finish marks the ninth year in a row that Alabama has taken either first or second in the conference.
"This team made a commitment to be all in," UA head coach Dana Duckworth said. "They found their own fire within each one of them and used that to build a team flame that was so hot. We are so proud of this performance tonight. The way we started and then kept building momentum throughout the night was tremendous. And then to finish the way we did on the uneven bars was amazing."
Florida posted a 197.775 after their last gymnasts went 9.875 to slip past the Crimson Tide. LSU was third (197.500) while Auburn was fourth (196.975). Georgia took fifth (196.850), Arkansas sixth (196.500), Kentucky seventh (196.250) and Missouri eighth (195.750).
"This should give us a lot of confidence going into regionals," Duckworth said. "We know exactly where we can improve."
The Crimson Tide was seeded third coming into the championships, behind No. 1 seed Florida and No. 2 seed LSU. Nationally, Florida is ranked second, LSU third, Alabama fourth and Auburn sixth.
Alabama opened on the balance beam with a 49.275, led by junior Keely McNeer's 9.9 from the leadoff spot. The Tide then tied its season best of 49.500 on the floor exercise, led by sophomore Kiana Winston's runner-up 9.95.
On the vault, led by sophomore Mackenzie Brannan's winning 9.95, Alabama posted a season-best 49.425. The Tide closed with a huge 49.550, the best uneven bars score of the night, behind winning 9.95s from Winston and junior Katie Bailey.
In addition to individual SEC titles from Brannan (vault), Winston (uneven bars) and Bailey (uneven bars), Brannan took third in the all-around with a career-best 39.575.
The host of one of six 2016 NCAA Regionals, Alabama will find out which teams will join them in Tuscaloosa on Monday, March 21 when the NCAA sets the brackets.
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