Alabama
Illinois
Luisa Blanco’s Perfect Night Carries No. 9 Alabama to Victory with 198.000 Team Score
3/8/2024 11:57:00 PM | Gymnastics
Blanco is the first Crimson Tide gymnast in 19 years to capture multiple 10.000 scores on the same night
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – On her final night competing in Coleman Coliseum, Luisa Blanco bookended her senior night with perfect 10.000 scores on both vault and floor exercise to become the first Crimson Tide gymnast in 19 years to capture multiple 10s on the same night. Led by Blanco, the No. 9 Alabama gymnastics program (12-3-1; 3-3-1 SEC) surpassed the 198.000 score threshold for the second time in three weeks, finishing first in the competition against No. 17 Minnesota (13-6-0; 6-3 Big Ten), No. 24 Illinois (14-11; 4-5 Big Ten) and Talladega College (6-13).
Alabama started its evening with half its vault rotation hitting a 9.900-or-higher, highlighted by Blanco's first 10 of the meet. Blanco, Jamison Sears (9.925) and Gabby Gladieux (9.900) propelled the Crimson Tide to a season-high rotation score of 49.500 to take the lead after the opening event. From there, senior Cameron Machado captured her sixth 9.900-or-higher uneven bars score of the season before Gladieux and Lilly Hudson recorded 9.950 scores on the balance beam to lift Alabama to its second season-high rotation score of the night at 49.525. The team performance on beam marks back-to-back weeks that the Tide has bettered its score on the apparatus.
On the final event of the night, five Alabama gymnasts posted 9.900-or-higher scores, and three consecutive scores of 9.950 or higher, as the Tide steamrolled its way through the floor exercise. Performing her final routine ever inside Coleman Coliseum, Blanco worked her way to her second 10.000 of the night as Gladieux posted her third 9.975 mark of the season. The Tide's 49.725 became the second-highest score in program history on the event.
The Crimson Tide swept the event titles as Blanco captured the title on vault (10.000), uneven bars (9.950), floor exercise (10.000) and the all-around (39.850), and Hudson claimed the event title on balance beam (9.950).
Alabama swept the podium in the all-around as Blanco led the way with a 39.850 mark. Gladieux claimed second via a 39.625 performance – her second-highest mark of her career, as Hudson posted a career-high-tying 39.575 in her season debut in the all-around. Blanco's 39.850 score in the all-around is tied as the highest all-around score in UA history.
A total of six gymnasts recorded 12 9.900-or-higher scores en route to its third quad-meet victory of the regular season.
Head Coach Ashley Johnston Said
"Tonight was an incredibly special night. All the time we talk about how it takes a village. There are so many people that are instrumental in helping a team be successful, and tonight was a great way to cap off our home season. I'd like to thank our event management staff, marketing, communications – everybody that touches our program is crucial to the success of this team and I want to thank all of them for a fun home season. The fans were invested and had high energy from start to finish which really helped carry us throughout the meet. Overall, this is definitely a great memory to store and hold on to as we move forward and progress throughout the rest of this season.
"This senior class is an incredible group. They've all continuously looked for ways to go above and beyond to help themselves and to help this team get better day in and day out. They're an incredible group and I cannot say enough good things about them; I'm proud of how we were able to honor them tonight."
Inside the Score Sheet
- Alabama broke the 198-score threshold for the second time in three weeks
- Luisa Blanco became the first UA gymnast in 19 years to register multiple Perfect 10s on the same night
- Six gymnasts posted a total of 12 9.900-or-higher scores across the four events, with three gymnasts capturing multiple 9.900s-or-higher
- Five gymnasts posted at least a 9.900 on the floor exercise as Alabama steamrolled to a 49.725 marking – its second-highest score on the apparatus in program history
- Alabama swept the event titles behind the efforts of Lilly Hudson (balance beam – 9.950) and Blanco (vault – 10.000; uneven bars – 9.950; floor exercise – 10.000; all-around 39.850)
- In her fifth appearance in the all-around, Gladieux's 39.625 is the second-highest all-around total of her career, while Hudson's season debut of 39.575 tied her career high
Up Next
- Alabama will travel to Norman, Okla., to compete against the No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners in Lloyd Noble on March 17 at 3 p.m. CT
- The meet will be aired on ESPN2
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Players Mentioned
