The 2014 Alabama gymnastics team gained two newcomers after the holidays when Aja Sims and Keely McNeer joined the team for the spring semester.

The Crimson Tide started the season with 15 gymnasts, including 11 veterans, went from a “Fab Four” freshmen class to “Super Six” when the two former members of the USA National Team, graduated from high school early to join the 2014 Alabama squad.

 

“We’re very excited to have both Aja and Keely here with us as we get ready to open the season this Friday against Missouri,” UA head coach Sarah Patterson said. “They’ll give us a definite spark this season.”

 

Aja Sims at the 2013 J.O. National Championships

Sims comes to the Tide from Orlando, Fla. and was coached by Kelly Pitzen and Brandy Johnson at Brandy Johnson's Global Gymnastics. A member of the USA Junior Olympic team in 2011-12, she has an uneven bars skill, "The Sims," named for her. She is the 2012 JO National all-around, uneven bars and balance beam champion.

 

McNeer is a native of Brandon, Miss., and was coached by Mario and Cheryl Gonzalez at Courthouse Gymnastics Co. A 2010-11 member of the USA National Team, she finished 15th in the all-around at the 2010 Visa Championships.

 

Alabama has regularly added gymnasts after the first semester over the past decade, including senior All-American, Scholastic All-American and 2013 NCAA vault champion Diandra Milliner and junior Hunter Dennis, but Sims’ and McNeer’s early enrollment marks the first time that the Tide has added two gymnasts to its roster after the fall semester.

 

Alabama gets the 2014 season underway Friday at 7:30 p.m. against Missouri in Coleman Coliseum. 

via Alabama Gymnastics