The NCAA Prelims will be held Friday, April 18. The top three teams from each session will advance to Saturday's Super Six Team Finals, expect a fierce battle for that top spot on the podium

Friday's prelims also serve as the all around final and the qualifier into the individual event finals. Event Finals will take place on Sunday, April 20.

Starting this season, the seeding determined at the time of regional selections was maintained throughout the championships. Teams 1, 4, 5, 8, 9 and 15 will compete in Friday’s Semifinal II and teams 2, 3, 6, 7, 10 and 11 compete in Semifinal I.

Let's take a look at the teams competing in Birmingham



Florida
#1 Seed
Regional Score:197.050  
RQS: 197.895
Average:197.645  
High:198.325  

The Florida Gators enter the 2014 National Championships after an uncharacteristic performance at the University Park Regional where they scored a 197.050, the team’s second lowest mark of 2014. The Gators had a number of unusual mistakes during the meet but impressively came from behind to earn the win and advance to NCAA’s. Despite the hiccup, Florida  No. 1 seed for the fourth time in program history.

It was just last season, the Gators made history with their magical come from behind victory at Pauley Pavilion to win their first - ever National Title. The win was particularly impressive as the Gators had to count a fall due after a disastrous beam rotation at the start of the Super Six. So the Gators seem to turn-up the head after sub-par performances.

The Gators are stacked with talent and returning four gymnasts with a total of 26 All-America honors. Their deep roster includes 2009 World All Around Champion and 2013 NCAA All Around Champion Bridget Sloan, 2012 NCAA All Around Champion Kytra Hunter and 2013 NCAA Uneven Bar Champion Alaina Johnson.


Oklahoma
#2 Seed
Regional Score: 197.725
RQS: 197.775
Average: 197.513
High: 198.175

Oklahoma won their fifth consecutive regional title last weedkend in Minneapolis turning in one of the nation’s highest regional scores of 197.725 and this will be the 11th consecutive NCAA Championship appearance for the Sooner’s and the eighth with Head Coach K.J. Kindler.  OU has the highest road average in the country with a 197.682 and their ability to compete well on the road is key if the Sooners hope to place first in Birmingham.

This year’s squad is the best team K.J. Kindler has ever put on the floor at a National Championship, posting three of the top four scores in program history this season with a  198.175, 198.150 and 198.00.  The leader of this Sooner squad is sophomore Haley Scaman. Scaman is the first gymnast from Oklahoma  to earn three perfect 10’s. The Sooners also get a huge boost this season from their fab freshmen Charity Jones,McKenzie Wofford and Chayse Capps. Oklahoma is partilculary impressive on beam and floor with their trademark artistry combined with the masterful choreography of K.J.Kindler.

The 2013 NCAA Runner-up will be lethal in this year’s competition and could make history with the program’s first-ever National Championship.


L.S.U.  
#3 Seed
Baton Rouge Regional: 198.325  
RQS: 197.2
Average: 197.496
High: 198.085

2014 is the 37th season for LSU Head Coach D-D Breux and could be the year her Tigers finally get their long sought after National Title.  The Tigers bounced back from a disappointing third place finish at the SEC Championships to dominate the Baton Rogue Regional scoring a massive 198.325.  Make sure to watch Gymnastike’s Beyond the Routine with LSU for a behind the scenes look at their journey to the NCAA Championships.

As the third seed the Tigers are lead by junior Rheagan Courville. Courville earned eight all-around titles this season and 24 total individual titles to go along with season highs of 10.0 on vault, 9.95 on bars, 9.975 on beam, 9.95 on floor and 39.750 in the all-around.  LSU has been on fire this season spending multiple week’s ranked number one. Keep your eye out for Lloimincia Hall’s show-stopping floor routine. The junior is an Internet sensation after her routine went viral last week.


Alabama
#4 Seed
Regional Score: 197.550
RQS:197.615
Average: 197.361
High: 198.250

The Crimson Tide have the incredible habit of peaking in the post season and  that trend continues in 2014. Alabama won its eight SEC title last month in front of a raucous crowd at the BJCC and the crowd should be just as loud next weekend. Head Coach Sarah Patterson said, "We had such amazing support from our fans at the SEC Championships and that gave our ladies a tremendous boost: We're looking forward to returning to Birmingham and competing for a national title in front of the best fans in the nation."

The Crimson Tide earned their trip to Birmingham with a victory at the Seattle Regional, Patterson’s 1,000 career win. The Crimson Tide will face Utah, UCLA, Penn State, Nebraska and defending NCAA Champions Florida in the evening semifinal session. "We've competed against Florida and Nebraska twice this season and we're very familiar with Utah, UCLA and Penn State," Patterson said. "They're all great teams and we're going to have to be at our best to advance to the Super Six. That's what makes this championship so exciting - you have to be at your best if you want to advance."
 
Patterson would love to make her 1,001 victory a seventh National Championship title.


Utah
#5 Seed
Regional Score: 197.3
RQS: 197.575
Average: 197.271
High: 198.025

Utah is coming off a victory at the Fayetteville Regional where the team scored a 197.300. The Utes will record their 39th consecutive NCAA Championship appearance in Birmingham and are  the only school to qualify for all 33 National Championships. The 2014 squad includes nine All-American highlighted by the #12 all arounder in the nation, Tory Wilson. Utah won the  2014 Pac 12 Championships and is the best team in the country on floor exercise. A Utah gymnast won or tied for first on floor exercise in every competition this season. The Utes are ranked in the top four on every event except beam, where the team has struggled with consistency. If the team can conquer the balance beam in semifinals, expect to see them in the Super Six.


Georgia
#6 Seed
Regional Score: 196.375
RQS: 197.265
Average: 197.029
High: 197.650

Georgia struggled at the 2014  regional competition in Athens however, their second place finish punched their ticket to Birmingham. This Gym Dogs are loaded with superstars including senior Lindsey Cheek, 2014 Event Specialist of the year, junior Chelsea Davis, who is the #2 bar worker in the country and Canadian Olympian Brittany Rogers.

Georgia is the No.1 team in the country on uneven bars and has maintained that ranking for ten consecutive weeks. The Gym Dogs set and SEC Championship record with their bar performance scoring a ridiculous 49.6. Despite the mistakes in Athens, I firmly believe that  if Georgia brings their A Game to Birmingham we will see them in the Super Six Finals. Georgia controls their own destiny.


Michigan
#7 Seed
Regional Score: 196.750
RQS: 197.105
Average: 196.791
High: 197.825

Michigan earned their spot at Nationals with their Regional Victory in Athens scoring a 196.750  Senior star Joanna Sampson will lead the Wolverines in their 21st appearance at the NCAA Championships as Michigan hopes to make their 11th Super Six final. The Wolverines will be in the first semifinal session with No. 2 Oklahoma, No. 3 LSU, No. 6 Georgia, No. 10 Stanford and No. 11 Illinois.


UCLA
#8 Seed
Regional Score: 196.600
RQS: 197.005
Average: 196.777
High: 197.500

In 2013, UCLA stole the show in the NCAA semifinals with an incredible performance delighting the home crowd and earning a spot in the Super Six final. This year is the 30th NCAA Championship appearance for the Bruins who are seeking a seventh NCAA title. UCLA has a tough challenge this weekend, starting the competition on the always treacherous balance beam. A strong performance on beam will aid the Bruins with their hopes of earning a spot in the Super Six final and are thrilled to have Samantha Peszek at this year’s competition after she was forced to miss all of last season with an achilles injury. Peszek is key to the Bruins success in Birmingham.

Nebraska
#9 Seed
Regional Score: 196.975
RQS: 196.895
Average: 196.682
High: 197.225

The Huskers arrive in Birmingham following a second place finish at the Seattle Regional with a 196.975. Earning a score of 49.000 or better on all four events, Nebraska earned their 22nd NCAA Championship appearance in program history and is lead by senior Emily Wong. Wong is the No. 4 all arounder in the country and was named Big Ten Gymnast of the year.

Stanford
#10 Seed
Regional Score: 197.275
RQS: 196.815
Average: 196.400
High: 197.275

Stanford placed second at the Baton Rouge regional with a season-best 197.275 to qualify to this year’s National Championships and this is the fourteenth trip to the NCAA  Championships for Stanford.  “It was an outstanding team effort,” said head coach Kristen Smyth. “The team showed grit, they fought for everything and they did a great job of covering each other when they needed to. We are definitely peaking at the right time.”



Illinois
#11 Seed
Regional Score: 196.600
RQS: 196.650
Average: 196.204
High: 197.100

2014 is a record breaking year for the University of Illinois making their first-ever back-to-back National Championship appearance. The Illini scored a 196.6 at the Minneapolis Regional punchign their ticket to Birmingham. Highlights of the regional included Sarah Fiedler and Sunny Kato becoming the fifth and sixth different Illinois gymnasts to win NCAA regional titles. These results are incredibly impressive for Kim Landrus who is only in her third year as Head Coach of the Illini. Landrus commented, " I told this group of girls at the beginning of the year that there was just something special about this team."


Penn State
Regional Score: 196.725
RQS: 196.475
Average: 195.858
High: 197.200

Few could have predicted a trip to the National Championships would be in the cards for Penn State when the Nitty Lions were ranked 28th at the start of this season. However, Penn State’s thrilling regional performance at the University Park Regional earned their first trip to NCAA’s since 2009 delighting the home crowd. Penn State will compete in the evening session with Florida, Alabama, Utah, UCLA and Nebraska.


Gymnastike's coverage from Birmingham will kick off on Thursday, April 17th as the nation's top teams take to the Championship arena for the first time. Sign up for Gymnastike Gold to soak up the excitement and watch the Super Six unfold in the most extensive coverage of the NCAA championships to date.