Photo courtesy of Knight Eady.
Elevate the Stage _BJCC 2019
An Auburn Universtiy gymnast at the BJCC Legacy Arena during the 2019 Elevate the Stage women’s gymnastics meet. The event featured NCAA Division 1 squads from Auburn and the University of Alabama.
The University of Alabama women’s gymnastics squad has a rich tradition, winning six NCAA championships, eight SEC championships and an NCAA-record 32 regional championships.
The Auburn women’s gymnastics team has won less hardware, though they’ve made four appearances at the national championships and two appearances in the Super Six.
But the Tigers pulled off a major upset of the Crimson Tide in January, winning 196.625 to 196.025 in a meet at Auburn.
It was their first win over Alabama since 2016 and only the second since 1980.
That recent history between the teams will only add to the electric atmosphere expected when the squads meet again in the sixth annual Elevate the Stage Birmingham NCAA gymnastics event in the Legacy Arena at the BJCC on March 13 at 7 p.m.
Alabama and Auburn have both competed at the event all six years, according to a news release from Knight Eady, a sports marketing and event operations group that produces the event locally.
Elevate the Stage events are held each year in other cities, as well. Elevate the Stage Toledo (Ohio), featuring teams from the Big Ten Conference, was to take place in February.
Elevate the Stage Birmingham, which takes place from March 13-15, will also feature a club meet for girl Junior Olympic competitors Levels 1-10, Xcel and an Open competition. Some of the events will be held in the BJCC Exhibition Halls.
Elevate the Stage was created to provide a championship-caliber platform for gymnasts to compete across America, according to the news release.
The meet is staged on the podiums, typically only used at top championship meets and the Olympics.
Competing on the podiums gives gymnasts a special experience and provides enhanced viewing for attendees.
Event director Kayla Williams is a former Crimson Tide gymnast who was an NCAA champion, two-time SEC champion and 2009 World Champion.
Auburn head coach Jeff Graba is in his sixth season.
Dana Duckworth, the head coach at Alabama, took the helm in Tuscaloosa after the 2014 retirement of the legendary Sarah Patterson, who became head coach in 1979 and won 390 meets against 90 losses.
At press time, both Alabama and Auburn were ranked by the NCAA among the top 15 teams in the nation.
The event benefits Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama and Smile-a-Mile.
For tickets, go to elevatethestage.com/birmingham.
