By Kate Aitchison
No. 3 Alabama gymnastics team achieved a new season high score of 197.525 against No. 4
Arkansas on Jan. 19.
“I just appreciated the energy in Coleman tonight. It was really rocking around and the students
were amazing. We love competing in front of our home crowd,” said head coach Ashley
Johnston.
The night’s theme, capes and crowns, attracted a huge audience wearing tiaras and capes
making Coleman Coliseum sparkle. The meet was close from beginning to end, edging fans to
their feet to cheer loud.
Alabama started its rotation on the vault putting up 49.35 points, cinching the lead by 0.05 over
the Razorback’s uneven bars. The stakes were high off the jump with freshman Chloe
LaCoursiere’s debut vault gaining the team a 9.85 score. She was followed by senior Lily
Hudson (9.9) and graduate student Luisa Blanco (9.925) who both put up season highs on this
event. Blanco ran for her vault attempt and slowed down right before the apparatus, which gave
her a second chance.
“She made a really smart decision in that moment, staying composed, staying really grounded,
and she didn’t try too hard,” Johnston said. “She just walked back and centered herself. The
team didn’t make a big deal out of it; everybody knew she could do it.”
Blanco gave the Crimson Tide its highest vault score of the day at 9.925. Blanco’s score tied her
with Arkansas’ gymnasts Leah Smith and Lauren Williams for a three-way 1st place.
The teams switch events for their second rotation, and Alabama swings into the uneven bars
with a bang when LaCoursiere showed up with a clean routine ending with a stick, receiving a
9.9. Following LaCoursiere five out of six of her teammates stuck their routines, with Makarri
Doggette earning the competition’s highest score of 9.95.
Alabama continues to hold the lead heading into the third rotation at 98.95 to 98.725.
The Arkansas Razorbacks performed well on the floor exercise to close the gap, gaining
another 49.4 points. This was aided by Hudson’s fall on her first pass on the balance beam.
Johnston said the fall was very uncharacteristic for her considering the consistency she sees
from Hudson. Hudson got back up and finished her routine, receiving a 9.125 and bringing
Alabama’s lead from 148.15 to 148.125. Ella Burgess won the event with a score of 9.95.
“Not letting the scores define us or letting that bring the momentum down. We could have gone
into floor being like it’s a close competition we have to be perfect, but it wasn’t about being
perfect, it was just doing our training and performing like we do,” said LaCoursiere.
The score was tight when the Crimson Tide went to the floor exercise for its fourth and final
rotation. LaCoursiere (9.8) and Jamison Sears (9.875) debut their routines, setting the Tide up
for success. The last Arkansas gymnast to compete on the balance beam, Priscilla Park, also
had a fall directly before Hudson competed, giving Alabama a chance to find their footing again.
“I didn’t know exactly how close it was, we try not to pay attention to those scores and just lock
in with my teammates. All I know is they set me up perfectly,” Hudson said. “It was strong
routine after routine so I just let loose, and I trusted my cues, I trusted my training, and I just had
fun out there.”
Hudson posted a season-high score of 9.95, won the event and brought the Crimson Tide’s
score to 197.525, tying the meet.
“It’s really cool to see the crowd just go crazy right when they hear Sweet Home [Alabama] and
then end with Dixie [Dixieland Delight]. The energy from the fans is what drives us,” said
Hudson.
The team will compete at No. 8 Florida at 6:00 p.m. CT on Jan. 26.
