Alabama Gymnastics Opens 2023 Season Friday Night Against Michigan State - University of Alabama Athletics
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The No. 7 Alabama gymnastics team will open its season against No. 12 Michigan State Friday night at 6 p.m. CT inside of Coleman Coliseum.
rolltide.com
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The No. 7 Alabama gymnastics team will open its season against No. 12 Michigan State Friday night at 6 p.m. CT inside of Coleman Coliseum.
The Crimson Tide and the Spartans last competed against each other on April 2, 2022 in the NCAA Regional Finals, where the Tide advanced to the NCAA Championships with a score of 198.175 and the Spartans finished in third at 197.650. Michigan State closed out the 2022 season at No. 9, the program's best finish since 1998.
Alabama returns 12 gymnasts from last year's squad, while welcoming in a six-member freshman class. The Tide's returnees accounted for 18 of the 24 routines in the 2022 NCAA Championship lineups.
Season tickets and single meet tickets are currently available through the Alabama Ticket Office (205-348-2262), located in the lobby of Coleman Coliseum, or online at RollTide.com.
Head Coach Ashley Johnston said
"We're looking forward to the matchup with Michigan State. They are a talented team and are coming off a record-breaking season. We are excited for our six freshmen to make their debut in Coleman Coliseum. This team is eager to get started and put all their hard work to the test. We are as prepared as we're going to be and will use this first competition to help determine how we need to grow and move forward."Friday's Meet
- The No. 7 Alabama gymnastics team opens its 49th season on Friday
- Alabama is led by Ashley Johnston, in her first season as UA's head coach, while Mike Rowe is in his sixth season leading Michigan State
- The Crimson Tide finished its 2022 campaign in seventh at the NCAA Championship semifinals, while the Spartans earned their best finish since 1998, closing out the season at No. 9
- There are 18 gymnasts on the 2023 Crimson Tide roster, including six freshmen, three sophomores, three juniors, four seniors, and two super-seniors
- Coming into the 2023 season, Alabama returns 18 of its 24 routines from the 2022 NCAA Championships
- The Crimson Tide's lineup returns four All-Americans – Luisa Blanco, Shallon Olsen, Makarri Doggette and Lilly Hudson
- The Crimson Tide is 64-13-1 in season openers since 1979, a tally that takes several multi-team meets into account, including an eight-year run (2000-07) of starting things off with the Super 6 Challenge, and a quad meet to begin the 2019 season
- Alabama last kicked off its season at home in 2021 against Kentucky, taking home the win 196.850-198.825
Up Next
- After Friday's meet against the Spartans, Alabama heads out on the road, traveling to Fayetteville, Ark., to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks on Friday, Jan. 13 at 7:30 p.m. CT
- The meet will be broadcast live on SEC Network
- The Crimson Tide then returns home to compete against the Florida Gators on Jan. 20 at 6:30 p.m. CT at Coleman Coliseum. The meet, which features the two most recent SEC Champions, will air live on ESPNU.