No. 9 Alabama Gymnastics Hosts Tri-Meet Friday in Coleman Coliseum

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The No. 9-ranked Alabama gymnastics welcomes No. 17 Western Michigan and No. 25 North Carolina to Coleman Coliseum Friday night for a tri-meet. The contest gets underway at 7:30 p.m. and will air on the SEC Network with Steve Schlanger and Ashley Miles Greig calling the action.

The Crimson Tide and North Carolina last faced off during the regular season on March 2, 2018, with Alabama scoring a 197.525 to earn the win. Friday marks the first time that Western Michigan and the Tide have faced off during the regular season.

Head Coach Dana Duckworth Said

"Team 48 is dynamic. They started in the fall with very high expectations and as a coaching staff we have worked really hard to individualize and maximize each athlete's true potential. Coach (Nick) Saban talks about the capability gap versus potential. I really love the idea of that. This team has an incredible amount of capability to max out and hopefully break lots of different records but not just because we're looking for accolades, but because they have the talent, they have the love, they have the passion and truly the competitive greatness that I believe will make them one of the best teams we've had."

Tickets and Promotions

Tickets are available through the Alabama Ticket Office (205.348.2262) located in the lobby of Coleman Coliseum, or online at RollTide.com
Friday is also the Crimson Tide's "Capes and Crowns" meet with doors opening at 6 p.m. CT
There will be 250 capes and 250 crowns given away courtesy of Tuscaloosa Toyota
There will princesses and superheroes on the concourse prior to the meet, as well as a glitter tattoo artist and balloon twister
Prior to the meet there will be a "Touch-a-Truck" opportunity with fans having the chance to meet local heroes from the Tuscaloosa Fire Department outside the coliseum and interact with a fire truck

Tri-Meets

Friday's contest is Alabama's first tri-meet of the season after opening with four-straight dual meets
Unlike a dual meet, all three teams will compete at the same time, giving the meet a postseason vibe
The Crimson Tide will get things started on the vault and will then follow what is known as the Olympic order, progressing to the uneven bars and balance beam before finishing things off on the floor exercise
Western Michigan starts on the uneven bars, before going to the balance beam and floor exercise and ending on the vault
North Carolina will open on the balance beam before going to the floor exercise, vault and uneven bars

Last Time Out

In its third road meet in the first four weeks of the season, Alabama fell at Auburn 197.525-197.125 on Jan. 28
The Crimson Tide closed out the meet with a 49.650, tying the second-best balance beam score in school history after also going 49.650 on March 14, 2014 against Auburn in Tuscaloosa
Ella Burgess led Alabama off with a career-best 9.900 on the balance beam, while Mati Waligora and Lilly Hudson both tied their career-best marks of 9.925 during the rotation
Lexi Graber scored a 9.925 of her own and Luisa Blanco closed the rotation with a near-perfect 9.975
With a 9.925 against the Tigers, Lexi Graber has now scored 9.9-or-better in 19 of her last 21 floor exercise routines
Hudson scored a 9.900 in her third floor exercise routine of the season and is now averaging 9.900 on the event
With a 9.925 at Auburn, Luisa Blanco has now scored 9.9-or-better in nine of her last 11 uneven bars routines
Shallon Olsen led off the Tide's vault lineup at Auburn with a season-best 9.900
Waligora posted a career-best 39.375 in the all-around

Up Next

Alabama remains at home for its next meet, facing archrival Georgia Friday, Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m. CT, airing on the SEC Network
It will be the Crimson Tide's second-consecutive home meet and third of 2022 as well as marking the Tide's sixth meet overall this season
Alabama's meet against Georgia will also be the Tide's annual Power of Pink meet, raising awareness in the fight against breast cancer

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University of Alabama Athletics