2014 NCAA Womens Gymnastics Championships

The Super Six: The Only Meet that Matters

The Super Six: The Only Meet that Matters

The Super Six: The Only Meet that Matters

Apr 13, 2014 by Elizabeth Stranahan
The Super Six: The Only Meet that Matters

Kim Jacob of Alabama on beam at the 2013 NCAA Championships. Photo by GymShark.

In less than one week, twelve teams from across the nation will convene at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex to settle the score (literally) proving who is the best of the best at the 2014 NCAA Gymnastics Championships. The University of Alabama plays host to this year’s storied event. And after an exciting Regional round, the fight for the Super Six and that National title is sure to keep fans on the edge of their seats.

Day one of competition will unfold in two semifinal rounds: Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Oklahoma, and Stanford will take center stage at 1PM, with Florida, Nebraska, Penn State, UCLA, Utah, and host team Alabama following to round out the meet at 7PM. While the semifinals will surely bring their own set of drama and explosive action, each team marches into the National arena with one goal in mind: the Super Six. 

The Super Six holds a long tradition of turning skilled teams into gymnastics legend. As of 2014, only five teams can take claim to the title of National Champions. Georgia, Alabama Utah, UCLA, and most recently Florida each carry their own legacies of national triumphs and all five will be returning to the 2014 Championships.


Coach Suzanne Yoculan watches as her team poses with their 5th straight trophy in 2009.

The University of Georgia was nearly synonymous with National Champs in the early 2000s when under the tutelage of Suzanne Yoculan the GymDogs took home the trophy five years in a row. In recent seasons, the GymDogs encountered some restructuring and fresh faces as Head Coach Danna Durante leads the team to the second Nationals in her two years with the program. 

UCLA led by Head Coach Valorie Kondos Field brings a team that contains less depth than the coaching squad prefers as a result of injuries, but a team that certainly does not lack in heart or fight. “Our team has actually been more cohesive than I have experienced in years past” Kondos states, “It’s been a very rewarding year for us as coaches.” UCLA will rely on several strong practices in recent weeks to earn their spot into this year’s Super Six.

The notable coaching duo of Greg and Megan Marsden head one of the strongest squads Utah has seen in recent years to the Alabama National. Utah marches into the arena currently ranked first in the nation on the floor exercise, and their semifinal rotation schedule may very well play in their favor when trying to establish their place in the Super Six final. Starting on the bars, Utah will end with their two strongest events—floor and vault—last. As scores typically increase throughout the night, those few tenths may prove all the difference into Utah’s advancement.

Host team Alabama gains the advantage of competing at home, but after a near storybook year, that benefit may not even be necessary. Head Coach Sarah Patterson comes off a grand Regional experience where she nabbed her 1,000th win and became only the second women’s NCAA coach to do so, and the fastest to the feat.  Alabama also enters their 32nd Championships, the longest qualification of run of any NCAA women’s gymnastics program. Despite over three decades of National appearances, Patterson assures, “It never gets old.” The Crimson Tide hopes to reclaim the national title after forfeiting their reign at last year’s Championships.

Finally, University of Florida returns to the competition as defending National Champs. Florida arrives in Birmingham ranked first and the favorite to take home the trophy. But a rocky showing at the State College Regional makes some wonder if the Gator’s momentum could possibly be slowing down. Established coach Rhonda Faehn brings a talented squad that also features 2013 NCAA All Around Champion Bridget Sloan all looking to defend their title and create their own streak as National Champions.

These five teams are not the only ones racing toward National glory, though. The 2014 season brought new blood challenging the supremacy of the previous National Champs. The LSU Tigers proved fierce competition during the regular season and notched over a 198.0 two times on their road to Nationals. If momentum plays a role then the Tigers appear in prime form as they come off of a huge 198.325 at the Baton Rouge Regional, tying for the highest team score of the 2014 season. 



Big XII conference champions Oklahoma also nips impressively at the heels of the competition. Head Coach K.J. Kindler brings a team that excels in execution. Clean lines and flawless form makes the Sooners a real contender to the leaderboard. Coach Kindler also believes this team encountered challenges and a Championship atmosphere throughout the regular season making them especially equipped to handle the chaos that is a Championship competition.

But the true nature of the competition reveals itself when you look at the competition field as a whole. The veteran Michigan squad led by six seniors view Nationals as a “now or never” moment for their program, while Illinois boasts building a Championship culture throughout the entire season. Nebraska Head Coach Dan Kendig said it right when he stated, “In this Championships, no one can make mistakes and feel like they can move on.” In a sport that begs for perfection, the 2014 NCAA Championships are shaping up to reward only those who able to chase and obtain nothing short of excellence.

The beauty of sport lies in the knowledge that at any moment the miraculous could occur. The 2014 National Championships is up for grabs once more and with a more evenly matched playing field than ever before, there can be no doubt that memories will be made for numerous athletes this weekend.

Follow the action all weekend right here on Gymnastike as we provide the most extensive NCAA Championship coverage to date. Gymnastike Gold subscirbers will have access to watch top competition routines, analysis, and exlusive footage from Birmingham. Click here to sign up for Gymnastike Gold. 

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