Alabama
Utah
Bars Rotation Propels Crimson Tide to Corvallis Regional Final
4/3/2026 7:42:00 PM | Gymnastics
Alabama used a meet-high 49.525 on the uneven bars to move into the top two for the remainder of the semifinal session and secure a place in the regional finals
CORVALLIS, Ore. – A meet-high 49.525 on the uneven bars, powered by four scores of 9.900 or higher, lifted No. 5 Alabama gymnastics to a 197.225 team score in the semifinals of the Corvallis Regional. The score placed the Tide top two of the first session, securing the team a spot in the finals, set for Sunday, April 5, at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN+.
Sophomore leadoff Paityn Walker opened the bars rotation for UA by tying her career high with a 9.925, while Ryan Fuller (9.900), Chloe LaCoursiere (9.900) and Azaraya Ra-Akbar (9.925) followed with three consecutive scores of 9.900 or higher to close the rotation. The meet-high total moved the Crimson Tide into the top two at the halfway mark of the meet – a position Alabama held for the remainder of the semifinal session.
Walker and Ra-Akbar's 9.925 tied as the first semifinal session's highest uneven bars score. Later in the meet, Ra-Akbar and Gabby Gladieux added matching 9.900s on the floor exercise to secure the Tide's place in Sunday's regional final and keep its bid alive for a 41st NCAA Championships site appearance.
Utah won the first semifinal with a 197.500 as Oregon State (196.375) and Denver (195.950) rounded out third and fourth place, respectively.
Head Coach Ashley Johnston Said
"I'm incredibly proud of our team tonight. This postseason format is very stressful and pressure-filled, and I thought our team did a really great job of approaching it with their Fierce Joy mentality – being present, staying in the moment and chipping away at every quarter-tenth. They were aggressive and confident in how they went through each event, and I felt like they fought for every single thing along the way.
"Overall, we're really excited and proud to be in the top two advancing to Sunday, and I think there's still a ton of room to improve. This team is at its best when we have a challenge on our hands, and we look at about four-to-five tenths that are pretty feasible for us to get back and be able to up that team score. We're going to do what we always do, which is put our heads down, keep finding ways to improve, fight, work at the little things and come out strong on Sunday."
Team Stats
- With its 197.225, Alabama extended its streak of scoring 197.125 or higher in every meet this season
- For the 10th meet this year, the Tide's anchoring duo of Chloe LaCoursiere (9.900) and Azaraya Ra-Akbar (9.925) both scored a 9.900 or higher on the uneven bars
- For the sixth time this season, Alabama scored at or above a 49.525 on bars
- In her regional semifinal debut, Azaraya Ra-Akbar scored a 9.925 on bars and added a 9.900 on floor
- Paityn Walker and Ra-Akbar tied for the highest bars score in the first semifinal session (9.925)
- Gabby Gladieux and Ra-Akbar tied for the second-highest floor score in the first semifinal (9.900)
How it Happened
Vault
- Alabama opened with a 49.175
- Jamison Sears led the rotation with a team-high 9.875 in the No. 3 spot
- The Tide sat in third place after the opening event
Uneven Bars
- UA posted a meet-high 49.525 in its second rotation
- Paityn Walker led off with a career-high-tying 9.925, while Ryan Fuller (9.900), Chloe LaCoursiere (9.900) and Azaraya Ra-Akbar (9.925) followed with three-straight scores of 9.900 or higher
- Alabama moved into a first-place tie with Utah at the halfway point
Balance Beam
- The Tide scored a 49.175 on its third rotation
- Gabby Gladieux, Gabby Ladanyi and Kylee Kvamme led the event with matching 9.850s
- UA sat in second place through three rotations
Floor Exercise
- Alabama closed with a 49.350 to capture a top-two finish
- Ra-Akbar (No. 4 spot) and Gladieux (No. 6 spot) led the final rotation with matching 9.900s
Up Next
- Alabama and No. 12 Utah will return to Gill Coliseum on Sunday, April 5, for the Corvallis Regional Final
- The meet is set for 7 p.m. CT and will stream live on ESPN+
- The Tide and Utes will be joined by the top-two finishers from Friday's second semifinal session, featuring No. 4 UCLA, No. 13 Minnesota, Iowa and Washington
Players Mentioned
