University of North Carolina Athletics
Gymnastics Faces No. 1 Alabama
February 10, 2000 | Women's Gymnastics
Feb. 10, 2000
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The University of North Carolina's Gymnastics team faces a challenge Friday night as they travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to take on the nation's No. 1 gymnastics program at the University of Alabama. The Tar Heels are embarking on a tough match-up against the Crimson Tide for this marks the first time Carolina has ever faced a No. 1 ranked team.
Leading the charge into Tuscaloosa for the Tar Heels is junior Brooke Wilson who this year has once again proved to the coaching staff and fans of Carolina Gymnastics that she is one of the greatest performers to ever grace Chapel Hill. She currently ranks second in the region in the all-around and on balance beam. Wilson ranks among the best gymnasts in the EAGL Conference as she is tied for the best score this season on the balance beam (9.900), tied for second on the floor (9.95) and second only behind Towson University standout Gabi Weller (39.525) for the all-around with a 39.425 score.
Wilson has already broken two Carolina records this season with her 39.425 all-around score and 9.950 score on floor which she both obtained in the meet against Rhode Island. Wilson was the co-recipient for the EAGL Gymnast of the Week award on January 18th after she swept the all-around competition in the Tar Heels opening meet against Radford. She received the accolade twice last season.
Coach Galvin is optimistic about Wilson's chances on Friday by stating that she has a great chance of finishing in the top-three spots for the all-around competition but that she also has the ability to place first. She faces a tremendous challenge as Tide sophomore Andree' Pickens ranks No. 1 nationally in the all-around, Robin Hawkins claims the No. 7 spot while sophomore Natalie Barrington is 12th.
Pickens is also ranked first nationally on the floor exercise, No. 3 on the vault and No. 8 on the balance beam and uneven bars.
Alabama enters Friday's meet as the nation's top ranked uneven bars team and second ranked floor exercise and balance beam squad. On the vault, Alabama is fifth. They remain as the only team to have defeated the powerful No. 2 ranked Georgia Bulldogs this season.
The meet will take place on Friday, February 11th at 7:00 p.m. on the campus of the University of Alabama.
