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. 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. I look forward to reconnecting with each and every one of you. 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. She inherited a Hogs squad that had won just four SEC meets in the previous four seasons, and slowly started turning them around: winning two meets her first season, and three her next. All rights reserved. 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 NU is coming off a successful weekend at the Blue Gray National Tennis Classic in Montgomery, Ala., that saw the team upset No. The gap between whoever was No. [8] Each Alabama gymnast escorts a breast cancer survivor during team introductions at Pink Meets hosted in Coleman Coliseum. "Thank you to Greg Byrne and the amazing executive team for allowing me to share my vision, passion and commitment to student-athlete well-being and to the future of this storied program. Copyright 2022 WBRC. "I cherish the relationships made by being a part of this program and our alumni sisterhood. So how are we standing together? The movement quickly spread among other NCAA gymnastics teams, with many schools participating in at least one Pink Meet per season, usually in late February or early March. In 2003, the Tide won their fifth SEC title with the youngest squad in program history, with seven freshman, three sophomores, three juniors and one senior. The SEC Champs close out the regular season with a trip to Aggieland, Alabama Softball: Cupcake City, Part Deux. "We appreciate Coach Duckworths contributions to Alabama gymnastics, both as a coach and a student-athlete, said Alabama Director of Athletics Greg Byrne in a press release. Alabama blossomed into a perennial contender under Sarah Patterson and continued to qualify for nationals as well as producing numerous All-Americans. TUSCALOOSA, Ala. Dana Duckworth has elected to step down as head coach of Alabama gymnastics following her eighth season at the helm. Four individuals competed for Washington: Allie Smith on vault, Geneva Thompson on vault and bars, Amara Cunningham on vault and floor, and Skylar Killough-Wilhelm on all-around. A national search will begin immediately for the Crimson Tide's next head coach. 1 throughout the 2010 regular season, but struggled at the SEC championships and finished the night as runners up behind Florida. 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. Little, Cameron According to the release, assistant GinaQuinlan will serve as interim head coach until a replacement is found. She also spent time as a club coach atCincinnati Gymnastics Academy to begin her coaching career. Duckworthwas part of the 1991 NCAA championship and 1990 SEC team championships as a gymnast and was a two-time individual NCAA champion on balance beam. "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.". May 27, 2022 1:52 PM EDT TUSCALOOSA, Ala. In a room packed with current gymnasts, former gymnasts, current Alabama head coaches like Nate Oats and Kristy Curry, and former head coaches,. Aug 21, 2021 310 40. When do parents set up an instagram for their child? 7 Alabama Gymnastics beat No. Duckworth finishes up her coaching career with a 52-26-1 (.650) record and two SEC Titles. 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. Odds & lines subject to change. 2 Alabama rallies, beats rival Auburn 90-85 in overtime. In short, in a sport that demands perfection and high energy, Alabama not only seems a few years behind the times, its imperfections have become noticeable. In 1983, the Crimson Tide made its first championship appearance in Salt Lake City, Utah after winning the South Region, defeating the Florida Gators. Check out our college gymnastics schedule (beta) and let us know how to make it better? For . TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBRC) - Dana Duckworth stepped down as head coach of Alabama Gymnastics following her eighth season. Anne Deskin began coaching in 2012. Kelley, Brittany Ive read online level 9? That begs the obvious question then, where does the Tide turn to now? It would be hard for anyone fail to win with that lineup, and fail she did not: Duckworth won an SEC title her first season on campus. You would be hard-pressed to find someone who loves the university or the program more; someone as invested in the success of the team. [2] Her first team finished the year 7-7 and she followed up in 1980 with the first winning season in school history. 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. I actually believe this one. Duckworth had been with the program 20 . Johnston closed with a message to the fans and supporters of Alabama gymnastics. 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. If thats the worst you can say about someone who gave almost 30 years to Alabama, then youd be hard-pressed to say that it wasnt a success. This is a systematic problem as well!. Particularly criticized has been the floor routine. Alabama will host the Arkansas Razorbacks in Tuscaloosa on Friday, February, 14th. Feb. 3,2023 If true that Dana forged students signatures..still on some level it doesn't make sense that she would feel that much pressure or compelled to do something like that? Sarah Patterson is a former collegiate gymnastics coach. 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.. 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. Quinlan, Justin The University of Alabama's first gymnastics team debuted in 1975 and began with a loss to Georgia College. In 2007, the Tide marked their first absence from the Super Six since 1997. She served as the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide women's gymnastics team from 1979 to 2014. And Arkansas has finished in the top half of floor every season in the SEC. I have seen a myriad of news stories of Coaches saying inappropriate/racist statements such as this who are no longer in a leadership position. 2023 www.tuscaloosanews.com. The University of Alabama is a special place and I care deeply about the gymnastics program, but after 27 years of involvement, I have decided to step down andfocus on my family for now. Fisk University is the first historically Black college or university to have a gymnastics team. Alabama captured their fourth SEC title in 2000, but only managed a fifth-place finish at nationals that year, improving to fourth in 2001. Jordyn Wieber. Dana Duckworth steps down as Alabama Gymnastics head coach (University of Alabama Athletics) By WBRC Staff Published: May. And, Coach Duckworth did see success, even as she also saw backsliding compared to her peers in the sports national elite. The teams were originally set for a 3 p.m. start at The Joe on Friday. The University of Alabama Aug 2008 - Oct 20113 years 3 months Tuscaloosa, Alabama Gymnastics Coach Champions Gymnastics Aug 2005 - Jul 20083 years Jonesboro, Arkansas Women's. Alabama entered the 2013 postseason primed for a close battle with Florida in the Super Six, but uncharacteristic mistakes saw Alabama slip to third place behind Oklahoma, while Florida won its first national title. Again, contrasting with Georgia, its not like the Bama program was in such dire straits. 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. No. Saturday's meet was the Crimson Tide's first quad meet of the season. "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. College of Marin has been providing exceptional educational opportunities since 1926. [5] The Tide finished the regular season at 111, and won the 2011 SEC Championship, taking down No. The Alabama Crimson Tide gymnastics is a Division I gymnastics team representing the University of Alabama in NCAA competition. Dana Duckworth assumed the head coaching responsibilities following the 2014 season. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Last Matchup. Story Links. Subscribe to our WBRC newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email. . While appropriate members of The Board of Trustees have been notified of the proposed terms and conditions of this proposed appointment, the financial terms remain subject to approval by The Board of Trustees. Rybicki, Mati 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. 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. There is no additional information to display. She went on to be a star at Bama. That doesnt seem to be a joke thats appropriate, especially in a professional team setting. If one can say such a thing about such a decidedly feminine sport, Duckworth was an absolute stud. Each semester about 8,000 students are enrolled in over 1,100 credit classes. "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.". "We appreciate Coach Duckworth's contributions to Alabama gymnastics, both as a coach and a student-athlete," said Alabama Director of Athletics Greg Byrne. Less than 16 months after winning a second SEC Gymnastics Championship, and on the heels of another NCAA Semis / Super 6 berth, Sarah Pattersons handpicked protege, Dana Duckworth, is hanging up the leotard. Gymnastics Coaches - University of Alabama Athletics Skip To Main Content Pause All Rotators Skip To Main Content University of Alabama Athletics Main Header Main Navigation Menu Sports Baseball Basketball (M) Basketball (W) Football Golf (M) Golf (W) Gymnastics Rowing Soccer Softball Swimming & Diving Tennis (M) Tennis (W) For now, we assess Dana Duckworths legacy with the Crimson Tide. Still, those hiring decisions are in the future, much as they are fun to speculate upon. Penney Hauschild 1985; Stephanie Woods 1996; Andre Pickens 2002; This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 04:59. Johnston takes over Alabama's gymnastics program following four years at Auburn, where she finished her tenure as associate head coach. Track & Field, XC (M) Schedule Roster News. Decker Kirkpatrick. The experiences we shared will stay with me for the rest of my life. 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The Crimson Tide added their first Olympian to the team with Terin Humphrey, a two-time silver medalist at the 2004 Olympics, who joined Alabama in 2005 and would go on to win two national uneven bar titles.[4]. 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. "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 school release. 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 season-long motto of "We Climb" for the LSU gymnastics team was reflected in the Tigers' national rankings Monday. Martin, Sania Alabama won two SEC championships and no national titles in her eight seasons. ", "Freshmen continue to shine for Alabama gymnastics team", "Dana Duckworth Named Alabama Gymnastics Head Coach", "Alabama gymnasts raise cancer awareness with Power of Pink meet", The Official Web Site of Alabama Crimson Tide Gymnastics, GymTide.com Coverage of Alabama Gymnastics, College of Communication and Information Sciences, Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama v. Garrett, NCAA Gymnastics Championships Women's Individual All-Around, NCAA Gymnastics Championships Women's Vault, NCAA Gymnastics Championships Women's Uneven Bars, NCAA Gymnastics Championships Women's Balance Beam, NCAA Gymnastics Championships Women's Floor Exercise, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alabama_Crimson_Tide_women%27s_gymnastics&oldid=1141460475, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Penney Hauschild 1985, 1986; Dee Dee Foster 1990; Meredith Willard 1996; Jeana Rice 2004; Kim Jacob 2014. Patterson was at the introductory press conference Friday sitting front and center beaming like a proud parent. A rivalry between Alabama and Georgia, which endures to this day, began around this time. With the first team acting as a club sport In 1972, The University of Alabama Gymnastics Team existed and competed with such teams as Jacksonville State until it was later sanctioned as a viable gymnastic team in 1975. 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. For almost a decade, Duckworth was a volunteer coach for Pattersons squads, before joining the staff full-time in 2008. Gymnastics History vs University of Alabama from Mar 16, 2007 - Feb 3, 2023. Johnston becomes just the third Alabama gymnastics coach since 1979 following her former coach Sarah Patterson (1979-2014) and Dana Duckworth (2015-2022). 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. Getting the most out of them has; it has been the little things that have cost Bama points on the board and seen them fall behind their contemporaries even as the rest of the SEC has rapidly caught up: hand checks, bobbles, landings, and a mindblowing inability to field a consistently elite vaulting lineup commensurate with the rest of the squad. Alabama has now won two straight meets, and advance to 2-2 for the season. Duckworth coached 17 individual NCAA champions and over 200 All-Americans and Scholastic All-Americans. Something that seems like a very inappropriate (racist) statement to me was just deemed as a very bad joke by Alabama! Although the Crimson Tide lost to No. The Crimson Tide continued to advance throughout the decade and finally won their first NCAA title in 1988. No. "This decision was not an easy one as I am forever grateful to our student-athletes, their families, my staff and fellow coaches. In 2015 Dana Duckworth was announced as the head coach after Sarah Patterson retired. The team is led by first-year head coach Ashley Priess-Johnston, who succeeded Dana Duckworth following the 2022 season. 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. Alabama is her first head coaching position. Sarah Patterson and her husband David in 1978 took over an Alabama gymnastics program that had gone through four years and four coaches without a winning season. The Tide first sold out Coleman Coliseum on February 1, 1997, when 15,043 fans watched Alabama take on Georgia; the Tide continues to report some of the highest fan turnout of any program, with an average attendance at home meets in 2014 of 12,826 (second only to Utah). "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.". I have seen a myriad of news stories of Coaches saying inappropriate/racist statements such as this who are no longer in a leadership position.. 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. Penney Hauschild became the Tide's first NCAA Champion in 1985 when she won the uneven bars as well as capturing the All-Around title, becoming the first non-Utah gymnast to do so. 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. "We will compete for championships and create an atmosphere that is second to none," she said. Dana Duckworth, the head coach for the last nine seasons, announced she would be stepping down. You are using an out of date browser. ", "This decision was not an easy one as I am forever grateful to our student-athletes, their families, my staff and fellow coaches. She was the 2020 and 2021 WCGA Region 1 Head Coach of the Year and was named 2018 University of Alabama MBA Alumni of the Year. 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.". The University of Alabama is a special place and I care deeply about the gymnastics program, but after 27 years of involvement, I have decided to step down and focus on my family for now. Bunagan, Ella Alabama gymnastics coach Dana Duckworth resigned from her position after eight years leading the program, the university announced Thursday afternoon. 7 CAL Cal is 9-1-2 on the season and 3-1-2 in the Pac-12 with their only loss coming against Utah (Feb. 24), 197.550 - 198.550. Alabama finished the 1996 season with their third national championship, recording a record team score of 198.025. Please check your email for a confirmation. Dana Duckworth had this to say following the big road victory: So what I will say is..if the University, the Director of Athletics and Alabamas Gymnastics program wants to take a stance on diversity and racism, they need to be transparent. The team won its second national title in 1991 before a home crowd in Tuscaloosa. 1 seed and defeated defending champions UCLA with a winning score of 197.650, their highest Super Six score since 1996. I have all the confidence in the world in this team and wish nothing but great things for their future.". Crimson Tide land another athletically- gifted, ball-handling wing with a great stroke. "And we could see very early on why she was so highly regarded. Former Duckworth assistant and Alabama gymnast Gina Quinlan was named interim coach as the search for Duckworth's successor begins. The Huskers finished the weekend with a 2-1 record. George, Robin Duckworth led the Crimson Tide to a. Lewis, Lauren Women's gymnastics program at the University of Alabama, "Is Sarah Patterson the Best Coach in Alabama History? Burgess, Makarri . 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. Once the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX Programs gathered all of the facts, an outcome was determined, reported back and action steps were taken. "This decision was not an easy one as I am forever grateful to our student-athletes, their families, my staff and fellow coaches. 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. Duckworth took over the head role in 2014 for the legendary Sarah Patterson who she was an assistant coach under for 15 years. That doesnt seem to be a joke thats appropriate, especially in a professional team setting. I wonder who is next? Nationally, Rice won the All Around in 2004 while freshman Ashley Miles won the first of her three national titles on vault. News Gymnastics Gymnastics . And there Duckworth would stay for the better part of a decade, until legendary Sarah Patterson stepped down in 2014. Much like softball, the question is: did she do enough with what she had? The University of Alabama is a special place and I care deeply about the gymnastics program, but after 27 years of involvement, I have decided to step down andfocus on my family for now. For almost 30 years Duckworth has been a mainstay of the Tide Gymnastics program. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. 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. Quite the carousel this off-season. Wiebers program simply does not have talent, but it does have a potentially great young coach. Gina Quinlan will serve as interim head coach until a replacement for Duckworth has been named. Duckworth spent over 20 years on the Crimson Tide coaching staff, serving as head coach, assistant coach and volunteer assistant coach. Dana Duckworth- head coach, Alabama gymnastics Contract extended four years to June 30, 2025. After just three seasons, she was snatched up by the Razorbacks, and has done a remarkable job building that program into some degree of respectability. While practicing, one of the black gymnasts said look all the black girls are all on the same event responding to the statement, the Assistant Coach walked over and said What is this, the back of the bus?. To cap off such a decorated career, Duckworth (then Dana Dobransky), helmed a National Championship run for the Crimson Tide in 1991. Kiaku also referred to use of a racial slur in her post as well as implicit biases, stereotyping, grouping terminology and statements with underlying racism but didnt give specific incidents with those. "I look forward to connecting with all of you around campus around town or wherever our paths may cross,"Johnston said.
