Alabama
Central Michigan
With Practice Day in the Books, Alabama Gymnastics Ready for Saturday’s Regional Championships
4/6/2018 6:35:00 PM | Gymnastics
The Crimson Tide is among the six teams looking for one of two NCAA Championship semifinal berths available out of Saturday’s Tuscaloosa Regional
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – With Friday's practice sessions in the book, Alabama and the rest of the NCAA Tuscaloosa Gymnastics Regional Championships field are set for Saturday and the chance to advance to the NCAA Championships Semifinals.
"Today was about camaraderie, staying loose and having fun," UA head coach Dana Duckworth said. "It was also about getting moving. It's our equipment, so we didn't have to go through a full blown warmup like we would have in someone else's arena."
Alabama is the No. 1 seed in Saturday's regional, which gets underway at 4 p.m. CT in Coleman Coliseum. Alabama will be joined by No. 2 seed Michigan and No. 3 seed Georgia as well as Missouri, Illinois and Central Michigan.
"We're ready," Duckworth said. "I just want them to stay in our bubble, have a great time and focus on executing what they can do at the very best of their abilities. In the end, I want them to leave tomorrow with the self-satisfaction that they gave their absolute best effort and left it all out there."
Tickets for the Tuscaloosa Regional can be purchased through the Alabama Ticket Office (205.348.2262) located in the lobby of Coleman Coliseum, or online at RollTide.com. The first 500 UA students will be admitted free with their ACTion card courtesy of the Crimson Tide's booster organization, the Medalist Club.
The Crimson Tide, ranked sixth nationally, comes into the Tuscaloosa Regional having won an NCAA-best 31 regional titles. Alabama has also advanced to the NCAA Championships 35 years in a row. The top-two teams from each of the six regionals across the country will move on to the NCAA Championships, which will be held April 20-21 in St. Louis, Mo.
Regarded as one of the tougher regionals, the Tuscaloosa event is the only one in the nation this season to have two past national team champions in attendance. No. 1 seed Alabama and No. 3 Georgia combine for 16 NCAA titles since 1987.
The Tide will open the regional on the floor exercise and will then move to the vault. From there, Alabama will be on a bye before advancing to the uneven bars followed by the balance beam.
For all the latest information on Alabama gymnastics, follow BamaGymnastics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and head coach Dana Duckworth on Twitter and Instagram at @UACoachDana.
