Gymnasts are taught to focus on their routines and not the opponent during competition. But occasionally, rivalries are built, and certain meets become personal.
No. 5 Alabama and No. 8 Georgia have a healthy rivalry. Being in the Southeastern Conference and facing each other multiple times a year both fuel the fire, but the level of excellence sustained by both programs is essential as well.
The two titans are two of just four teams to win an NCAA Championship, including UCLA and Utah. Since 2002, the two teams have claimed eight of the 11 NCAA team titles, and of the 31 that have been awarded since the NCAA included women in 1982, Alabama and Georgia have combined for 16.
“The rivalry has grown over the years,” Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson said. “Over the years, we knew that if we were going to win a national championship, we had to get past [Georgia] and if they wanted to win one, they had to get past us. I don’t think that’s changed.”
In SEC competition, Alabama and Georgia claimed every conference title between 1990 and 2006. Alabama last competed in Athens, Ga., in 2011, with the Tide winning 197.675 – 197.225. The two teams faced off on April 20, 2012 in the semifinals of the NCAA Championships. Alabama won the semifinal and went on the win the championship, while the Bulldogs failed to make it to the final day.
That failure played a large part in the Bulldogs’ decision to bring in a different coaching staff, led by first-year head coach Danna Durante. Patterson was not surprised by the move.
“I’ve seen a few coaching changes in our sport,” Patterson said. “A few years ago when they made the change at Florida, I felt like it was because they weren’t beating Georgia and Alabama. Now, they make the change at Georgia because they weren’t beating Florida and Alabama. That’s the highest level of our sport. People want to succeed at the highest level.”
Alabama is undefeated this season but has yet to put together a complete performance. Senior Ashley Sledge said the Tide didn’t peak until the NCAA Regionals in Seattle, Wash., last season.
“That’s the beauty of our sport; we get to have that build up,” Sledge said. “Other sports have to be at the top all year. We can experiment and land at the top when we need to be at the top.”
(See also “Crimson Tide cruises past Kentucky in 9th Power of Pink meet”)
Sledge acknowledged that the Tide is pacing itself for the bigger goal.
“This is where we’re supposed to be right now,” Sledge said. “We don’t want to be on top of our game in January. We want to be there in April.”
The meet begins Saturday, Feb. 2 at 4 p.m. ET in Athens, Ga., at Stegeman Coliseum.
If You Go…
What: Gymnastics v. Georgia
Where: Segeman Coliseum, Athens, Ga.
When: Saturday, Feb. 2, 4 p.m.
Also in today’s Crimson White:
Justin Thomas and Bobby Wyatt added to Ben Hogan Award watch list
Wins during 1st weekend supply motivation for women’s tennis team
[Column] Years of disappointment turn to excitement in preparation for Super Bowl Sunday
