Alabama Gymnastics No. 5 Nationally; Ranked Second on Balance Beam

The Alabama gymnastics team is ranked fifth in the nation this week and is one of four teams in the nation with multiple scores of 197 or better through the third week of the season.

Oklahoma, LSU and Florida remain the nation’s top three teams, while Utah moved up one spot to No. 4. Alabama is No. 5. Kentucky is at No. 6, followed by Denver and UCLA at seven and eight, while Southern Utah and Michigan round out the top-10.

There are six Southeastern Conference teams ranked in the top-12 nationally – LSU (2), Florida (3), Alabama (5), Kentucky (6), Missouri (11) and Georgia (12).

Alabama remains in the top 10 on all four events, including being ranked No. 2 on the balance beam after turning in a 49.600 at Missouri, the nation’s top score and the fourth highest in school history. The Tide is ranked No. 5 on vault and No. 7 on the uneven bars and floor exercise.

Junior Kiana Winston is No. 6 in the all-around, No. 2 on the uneven bars, No. 8 on the balance beam and No. 10 on the floor exercise. Senior Aja Sims is No. 5 on the balance beam and No. 20 on the floor exercise. Junior Nickie Guerrero is fifth on the balance beam and 22nd on the vault. Freshman Maddie Desch is ranked 14th on the balance beam.

Alabama remains on the road next weekend, taking on Arkansas in Fayetteville on Jan. 27 and Auburn in Birmingham on Jan. 29. It marks the only double weekend of the regular season for the Crimson Tide.

Alabama returns home on Feb. 3 to take on Florida in the Crimson Tide’s 13th annual Power of Pink meet. The Power of Pink initiative started under legendary Alabama coach Sarah Patterson to help raise awareness in the fight against breast cancer.