Alabama opened their 2015 season with a 196.225-194.375 win over Arizona. This was the first time in over 30 years that the Crimson Tide was lead by a new coach and now it’s Dana Duckworth’s turn. 

 

Duckworth was named the head coach last summer after Sarah Patterson and David Patterson retired from coaching after 36 years with Alabama. Duckworth was a gymnast at Alabama and was part of the 1991 NCAA Championship winning team. She went on to become the assistant coach where she was part of the 2002, 2011, and 2012 when Bama also won the National Title. 

 

"I would say it was pretty much everything I thought it was going to be and more," Duckworth said after the competition, according to Alabama Athletics. "But I didn't know where to stand when we went to the floor exercise. I sat behind the music for 15 years and I thought to myself `I don't really know where to stand.' But it was fun and I learned a lot."

 

Duckworth noted those little changes that she had to get used to moving from assistant to head coach. However, overall things went smoothly.

 

"I felt really comfortable," Duckworth said of her debut. "It was interesting, on the floor exercise we had an intended line-up and based on how we warmed up we felt like we should make some changes here and there - because the month of January is about being safe and making good choices to stay healthy. We asked Katie Bailey to make a switch at the last minute and we popped someone else in and it worked out well. That was new for me because I've never been in that position to be able to make that choice. We made a quick decision and it was the right one."


 

Alabama sophomore Bailey won the all-around with a 39.375. Bama’s Kaitlyn Clark won vault with a 9.95, Lauren Beers and Aja Sims, both from Alabama, tied for the bars title with 9.875s. Jessica Sisler of Arizona took the beam title with a 9.95 and Lora Leigh Frost of Alabama won floor with a 9.925. 

 

Full results below:

 

 

Related:

Alabama Athletic’s Article 
2015 NCAA Complete Schedule