Katie Windham is a staff writer for BamaCentral covering Alabama Athletics. "And we will strive tirelessly to enhance the tradition of excellence and legacy of champions that is Alabama gymnastics.". German, Gabby The team moved along in relative obscurity, going through four coaches in four years, until the summer of 1978 when Sarah Campbell was announced as the fifth head coach of the Crimson Tide. Part Six of "Southern Hoops: A History of SEC Basketball" will debut on Monday, March 6, at 9 p.m. Dana Duckworth- head coach, Alabama gymnastics Contract extended four years to June 30, 2025. Alabama gymnastics coach Dana Duckworth said Thursday a former gymnast's complaint last year about a racist comment made by an assistant coach led to training and "increased awareness.". As the host school in 2014, Alabama won their eighth SEC Championship with a team score of 197.875, but fell to fourth place at Nationals after having to count a fall. She won the US Nationals gold medal, and was on the US National team for six years as a member of the 2012 Olympic-champion Fierce Five. One of only seven gymnastics teams to win the national title, the Crimson Tide has won six NCAA championships, ten SEC championships, and an NCAA-record 32 Regional championships. We are a department that is committed to providing a just and inclusive community for all of our student-athletes, coaches and staff, operating with integrity and respect.. And there Duckworth would stay for the better part of a decade, until legendary Sarah Patterson stepped down in 2014. They didn't give Jay Clarke this much time when he took over after Youclan. Basically - in fall, asst coach Bill Lorenz calls the black gymnasts training together the "back of the bus." Tia files a complaint. The meet was also on a podium withfour-foot risers that elevates the equipment. Ashley Priess-Johnston Named Head Coach of Alabama Gymnastics - University of Alabama Athletics. 18 Georgia and No. In 2021, riding a class of super freshmen and an outstanding pair of veterans, Alabama would claim another, and far more improbable, SEC title. Just when Bama is starting to show signs of resurgence. "And we could see very early on why she was so highly regarded. Dana Duckworth had this to say following the big road victory: But, even then, critics lay the claim that Alabamas floor is very much stuck in the past, with little variation from year to year, and with little opportunity for the ladies personality to shine; that Alabama has relied on powerful, dominant floor athletes for scoring, and has not kept up with modern high-energy floor routines that squads like UCLA have made famous. [3] They finished the season in second place behind Georgia, their best result since 2005. College Gymnastics Schedule (College Gym Talk), College Recruiting experience, insights and opinions. Check out our college gymnastics schedule (beta) and let us know how to make it better? Tuscaloosa Toyota became more and more involved donating free pink shirts to give away at the meets and prize give-aways during the meet. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. Duckworth finishes up her coaching career with a 52-26-1 (.650) record and two SEC Titles. Alabama won the SEC title during her first season in 2014 and also in 2021. The No. A national search will begin immediately for the Crimson Tide's next head coach. Alabama captured their fourth SEC title in 2000, but only managed a fifth-place finish at nationals that year, improving to fourth in 2001. Its so disheartening to know that there will be other black woman, like myself, to walk through Alabamas doors and they pose the risk of going through the same things I went through!, A post shared by Tia Kiaku (@tia_kiaku) on Jun 2, 2020 at 2:55pm PDT, I would be remiss if I didnt take the opportunity to address a very disturbing and grave incident that occurred last year while I was on the Gymnastics team at the University of Alabama. Senior Nyah Smith, making her first appearance in the beam lineup since MSU's season opener at Alabama, scored a season-high 9.800, while freshman Nikki Smith scored a 9.875. Alabama has won six national championships in gymnastics with the most recent coming in 2012. The seven-part SEC Storied documentary, directed by Fritz Mitchell, chronicles the origin and progression of men's and women's basketball in the conference as the sport approaches the 75th anniversary of the first NCAA Championship won by an SEC institution. University of Alabama Football Athletic Scholarships Powered by 739 University Boulevard Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 (205) 348-6010 https://www.ua.edu/ Year Founded: 1831 Religious Affiliation: None College Type: Public , Urban Enrollment: 37840 (full time undergrad) Tuition In State: $10,780 Tuition Out of State: $30,250 Division: NCAA I-A Conference: Gymnastics Coach Dana Duckworth unexpectedly steps down: What is her legacy? The experiences we shared will stay with me for the rest of my life. 19, 2022 at 11:12 AM PDT TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBRC) - Dana Duckworth stepped down as head coach of Alabama Gymnastics following her eighth season. COLUMBIA - Missouri Gymnastics won against No. For . Started by the legendary Sarah Patterson during the 2004-05 season, Alabama gymnastics' Power of Pink breast cancer awareness initiative is in its 16th year. Metoyer, Monica She helped lead the Tigers to a fourth-place national finish last season, their highest in program history. Gustavus Adolphus - Gymnastics Iowa State University - Gymnastics JNGymnastics Camp @ Temple University Kent State - Gymnastics Camps Lincoln High School (SD) Lindenwood Gymnastics Lindenwood Gymnastics LLC Lowell High School Sports Camps Max Effort Fieldhouse Michigan Sports Camps - Men's Gymnastics Michigan Sports Camps - Men's Soccer Alabama has won 29 individual NCAA championships. Over her time as a Crimson Tide athlete, Duckworth won eight All-America awards and won consecutive NCAA balance beam titles, the last of which was during her last season in 1993 as she secured a perfect 10. #2 Alabama Crimson Tide (26-4, 16-1 SEC) at #24 Texas A&M Aggies (22-8, 14-3 SEC), Alabama Hoops lands major commitment: 4-Star Combo Guard Kris Parker is coming to the Capstone. Despite putting on one of the top performances of the preliminaries, Alabama stumbled in their first rotation at Nationals, sinking as low as sixth place during the final competition before rallying back to finish 3rd. TUSCALOOSA, Ala. Ashley Priess-Johnston has been named the head coach of The University of Alabama gymnastics program, UA Director of Athletics Greg Byrne announced Monday. . DDs have a team-mate committed there so was a relief for her! However, the team never finished higher than third at nationals in Duckworth's tenure, and the Crimson Tide hasn't made the finals at NCAAs since 2017. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. It is very unfair to isolate or exclude athletes because they take a stand! During that time, she was part of three NCAA team championships, six Southeastern Conference championships and 17 NCAA regional team championships. Saturday's meet was the Crimson Tide's first quad meet of the season. During her her eight seasons, three gymnasts would claim individual national titles: Louisa Blanco (Beam 2021), Lexi Graber (Floor 2021), and Katie Bailey. I have all the confidence in the world in this team and wish nothing but great things for their future.. Ashley was an elite under MLT and was rumored to have quit the day before nationals or Olympic Trials because she was injured and MLT etc wanted her to compete anyway knowing she would not make the team. Alabama blossomed into a perennial contender under Sarah Patterson and continued to qualify for nationals as well as producing numerous All-Americans. One of the grittiest and most accomplished competitors in our program's proud history, she has translated her achievements as a gymnast into a standout career as a coach, and we are thrilled to have her back in Tuscaloosa.". Duckworth had been with the program 20 . Aug 21, 2021 310 40. Gymnastics History vs University of Alabama from Mar 16, 2007 - Feb 3, 2023. Olympic gold medalist Jordyn Wieber was introduced as the head coach of the Arkansas Women's Gymnastics program on Wednesday, April 24, 2019, by Vice Chancellor and Director of . Duckworth led the Crimson Tide to a. 1996 University of Alabama gymnastics coaches Sarah Patterson and David Patterson 1995 Ken Swindle, Ted Sexton and Dempsey Marcum 1994 Bessie Aubrey and Myrtle Gray 1993 Dr. Joyce. Ashley Priess-Johnston introduced as new Alabama gymnastics coach. The Alabama Crimson Tide gymnastics is a Division I gymnastics team representing the University of Alabama in NCAA competition. She earned eight All-America honors along with Academic All-America recognition. He said she was on his short list from the very beginning, and only received positive feedback throughout the coaching search. Please check your email for a confirmation. I have all the confidence in the world in this team and wish nothing but great things for their future.". Roll Tide Wire will keep you up to date on the very latest! She has the spent the last four years as the associate head coach at Auburn, helping build up the Tiger program to national relevance. For that reason, we have arrived at one name: Arkansass Jordyn Wieber. I have met her before, very kind and sincere person. June 3, 2020 8:13 pm CT Former University of Alabama gymnast, Tia Kiaku, shared via Instagram, that she had been involved in a "very disturbing" incident that included a racially inappropriate. THE COMPETITION - No. They built the Crimson Tide. Alabama gymnastics coach Dana Duckworth announced on Thursday she will step down after 27 years with the program, including the past eight as head coach. The former Crimson Tide gymnast and Auburn assistant returns to Tuscaloosa to take her first head coaching position. Sherejoined the program as a volunteer assistant in 1999 under then-coach Sarah Patterson, and was promoted to head coach following Patterson's retirement in 2014. Alabama outscored the Tigers on the vault (49.025-48.750), uneven bars (49.300-49.250) and floor exercise (49.325-49.175). Gina Quinlan will serve as interim head coach until a replacement for Duckworth has been named. Johnston becomes just the third Alabama gymnastics coach since 1979 following her former coach Sarah Patterson (1979-2014) and Dana Duckworth (2015-2022). Over a decade of Pink Meets, almost $1.5 million has been raised for cancer research at the DCH Fund. These injustices are happing right in the middle of Alabamas gymnastics team and they did very little about it. The Crimson Tide continued to advance throughout the decade and finally won their first NCAA title in 1988. Quinlan, Justin Postgame thread: Texas A&M 67, Alabama 61. Duckworth competed at Alabama from 1990-93 where she was part of the 1991 NCAA championship team as well as a conference title in 1990. TUSCALOOSA, Ala. Ashley Priess-Johnston has been named the head coach of The University of Alabama gymnastics program, UA Director of Athletics Greg Byrne announced. 9 Auburn is set to host rival Alabama in the Southeastern Conference opener on Sunday at noon CT in the annual All-Auburn All-Orange match. On Friday night, the No. 1 seed and defeated defending champions UCLA with a winning score of 197.650, their highest Super Six score since 1996. "She has had a lot of success over the years as a coach and as a leader in the community, and we wish Dana and her family all the best going forward.". The LSU gymnastics team's latest meet looked a little different on Friday night. The 1990s began with a bang for the Tide as Alabama was crowned the 1990 SEC Champions. Duckworth finishes up her coaching career with a 52-26-1 (.650) record and two SEC Titles. I cherish the relationships made by being a part of this program and our alumni sisterhood. It has been an absolute honor to compete for, recruit and coach so many amazing women who have been a part of the Alabama gymnastics family, Duckworth said in a press release. Johnston began her coaching career at the Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy, where she worked with CGA head coach Mary Lee Tracy at the Elite and developmental level, while coaching the floor exercise and balance beam optional program. Our ladies fought event by On Saturday night, the No. For all of the latest information on Alabama gymnastics, follow @BamaGymnastics on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Patterson and Georgia coach Suzanne Yoculan hosted frequent dual meets between their teams to inspire the rivalry. 1 Oklahoma, the Crimson Tide showed they're a team who is consistently improving, and has a good chance to be a championship team. The Alabama Crimson Tide gymnastics is a Division I gymnastics team representing the University of Alabama in NCAA competition. Did not see this coming, but says she is stepping away to focus on family. The experiences we shared will stay with me for the rest of my life. While not the Tides most powerful gymnast, Duckworth earned a reputation for her artistry and graceful lines on the beam, and throwing in quite a few dance moves to go with her highly technical tumbling passes on the floor. https://rolltidewire.usatoday.com/2020/06/03/former-alabama-gymnast-shares-disturbing-racial-incident-at-practice/, 2023 NFL Combine results for Brian Branch. The SEC Champs close out the regular season with a trip to Aggieland, Alabama Softball: Cupcake City, Part Deux. JavaScript is disabled. Program scoring went up almost .850 points in her tenure. After her retirement, she became an Assistant Coach for the UCLA Bruins where she specialized in those exciting Floor routines that have captivated the nation, including coaching viral sensation Katelyn Ohashi. Former University of Alabama gymnast, Tia Kiaku, shared via Instagram, that she had been involved in a very disturbing incident that included a racially inappropriate comment from an assistant coach during a practice last season. The Power of Pink is the name given to one of the Crimson Tide's home meets each season in which all the participants and fans wear pink to support breast cancer awareness. Alabama will host the Arkansas Razorbacks in Tuscaloosa on Friday, February, 14th. And Arkansas has finished in the top half of floor every season in the SEC. I wonder who is next? Alabama maintained a rank of No. [2], In 1995, the Tide won their third SEC Tournament championship in Gainesville. Last season, the Crimson Tide set records throughout the season with three scores of 198 or better, but fell short in the semifinals with a 197.100. Johnston, Gina With the passage of the 1972 Title 9 Amendment which provided for the inclusion of women in sports, The University of Alabama Gymnastics team existed as a club sport. If Alabamas problem is that it is stuck in 2010, then Alabama needs to look to what the program will resemble in 2030, not 2023. This decision was not an easy one as I am forever grateful to our student-athletes, their families, my staff and fellow coaches. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession. "Thank you all for the opportunity to share my vision for this program that has meant so much to me and for my excitement for coming home to the University of Alabama.". She has had a lot of success over the years as a coach and as a leader in the community, and we wish Dana and her family all the best going forward.". Anne Deskin began coaching in 2012. Wiebers program simply does not have talent, but it does have a potentially great young coach. There were several reasons for this, if you ask knowledgeable observers. Patterson was at the introductory press conference Friday sitting front and center beaming like a proud parent. "Everyone we've spoken to holds her in the highest regards as a coach, mentor and leader, including long-time head coach Sarah Patterson, who I've had wonderful conversations with during this search and I really appreciate her support. Doggette, Karis Its so disheartening to know that there will be other black woman, like myself, to walk through Alabamas doors and they pose the risk of going through the same things I went through. She earned eight All-America honors along with Academic All-America recognition. I actually believe this one. "It has been an absolute honor to compete for, recruit and coach so many amazing women who have been a part of the Alabama gymnastics family," said Duckworth. Lewis, Lauren All rights reserved. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. It has been hard. No. Duckworth coached 17 individual NCAA champions and over 200 All-Americans and Scholastic All-Americans. Golf (W) Schedule Roster News . Story Links. Kiaku transferred to Alabama from Ball State following the 2018 season. Waligora, Ashley [8] Each Alabama gymnast escorts a breast cancer survivor during team introductions at Pink Meets hosted in Coleman Coliseum. Dana Duckworth assumed the head coaching responsibilities following the 2014 season. 9 Alabama, 197.975-197.925 Adams, Luisa As a student-athlete at Alabama, Duckworth was part of NCAA and SEC team championships and was a two-time NCAA champion on balance beam. "I'm so very honored to be stepping into this role as head coach of Alabama gymnastics," Johnston said. "I look forward to connecting with all of you around campus around town or wherever our paths may cross,"Johnston said. Spring, Kyana Because, even as Bama was consistently scoring well enough to keep itself ranked highly, even as the Tide were doing enough to advance out of Regionals, one rarely got the sense that the Crimson Tide were a true threat to win it all. ET on SEC Network. Additionally, words such as Nigga (whether one thinks its funny or not), implicit biases, stereotyping, grouping terminology, and statements with underlying racism should NOT be tolerated from anyone. The 2019 WGCA Central Region Assistant coach of the Year in her first season with Auburn, Johnston started her collegiate coaching career as an assistant at Illinois during the 2018 season. like Talladega College in Alabama. In her post, she shares how After much consideration, a lot of thought, lots of crying and even some tough/hard discussions with the Head Coach and some of my team mates, I decided to walk away from the team and the University.