Alabama
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No. 5 Alabama Gymnastics Travels to Texas for Saturday’s Metroplex Challenge
1/24/2020 11:48:00 AM | Gymnastics
The Crimson Tide is competing in the Metroplex Challenge for the first time since 2011 and will compete against No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 4 Denver and No. 18 Georgia
FORT WORTH, Texas – The No. 5 Alabama gymnastics team is back on the road this week, traveling to Texas for Saturday's Metroplex Challenge in the Fort Worth Convention Center, where they will face No. 1 Oklahoma for the second week in a row, along with No. 4 Denver and No. 18 Georgia. The meet will get underway at 6:45 p.m.
In addition to being the Crimson Tide's first quad meet of the season, the meet will also be on podium, four-foot risers that elevates the equipment. This is the same environment that Alabama will see at both the Southeastern Conference and NCAA Championships at the end of the season. It is also the first of two Saturday meets for the Tide during the 2020 regular season.
With the Metroplex Challenge being a quad meet, the Tide's rotation will be different than a road dual meet, this time starting on the uneven bars before followed by the balance beam and floor exercise, before ending the night on the vault.
Alabama is coming off a 197.400 against Oklahoma last Friday, its highest score in a home opener in school history. The Tide was paced by freshman Makarri Doggette, who scored a trio of 9.9-or-better marks on the night, leading her to be named the SEC Specialist of the Week.
Head Coach Dana Duckworth Says
"We're focused on what we need to do today to be .025 and .05 better. What can we do as a team to be two or three or four tenths better than we were last week. That's what is so exciting, we have this great score from last week, but we still have a lot of room to improve."
Saturday's Meet
- While national rankings are determined by season average at this point in the season, by high score Oklahoma sits at No. 1, Alabama at No. 3, Georgia at No. 5 and Denver at No. 6.
- All four of the teams competing at the 2020 Metroplex Challenge finished in the top 12 nationally last season.
- Alabama (6), Georgia (10) and Oklahoma (4) have combined to win 20 NCAA team titles.
- Alabama last competed at the Metroplex Challenge during the 2011 season, winning the meet with a 196.825 over LSU, Nebraska and Missouri.
- There are two Texans on this year's UA team - freshmen Luisa Blanco (Dallas) and Macy Orosco (Arlington).
Quick Sticks
- Alabama is ranked No. 5 nationally this week with a 196.713 average after two meets following a 197.400 against No. 1 Oklahoma last Friday.
- The Crimson Tide's mark against the Sooners is the best opening home meet score in program history. It also makes the Tide third by high score this season behind Oklahoma (198.250) and UCLA (197.425) and highest in the SEC.
- The Tide also currently holds the fifth highest score this season on the uneven bars, sixth on the vault, and 12th on the balance beam.
- After its second meet of the season, Alabama is ranked fourth on the floor exercise, sixth on the vault and uneven bars and 12th on the floor exercise
- Individually, freshman Makarri Doggette is ranked 10th and senior Shea Mahoney is 16th on the uneven bars, freshman Luisa Blanco is ninth and Doggette is 25th on the balance beam, junior Lexi Graber is ranked 12th on the vault and Graber and senior Maddie Desch are tied for 15th on the floor exercise.
- In the Southeastern Conference, Doggette is ranked No. 1 by season average (9.9125) and high score (9.95) on the uneven bars.
- Mahoney is ranked second in the SEC by season average on the uneven bars with a 9.875.
- Blanco is ranked fourth in the SEC on the balance beam by season average with a 9.9125.
Next Up
- After Saturday's meet, Alabama travels to Baton Rouge, La. to compete against the No. 8 LSU Tigers on Friday, Jan. 31 at 7:30 p.m. CT.
- The meet will be broadcast live on the SEC Network.
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.
Players Mentioned
