This is the third installment of "The Top 10 Bama Stories of 2006" (in chronological order.) Earlier installments were the Cotton Bowl Victory over Texas Tech and Jean Felix's 31 points against Marquette.
April 23
NCAA Tournament
Corvallis, Oregon
Gill Coliseum
Ashley Miles wins Vault National Championship
One of the greatest in collegiate history
I don't pretend to know enough about gymnastics to be able to write about it intelligently. I do know though that Alabama is one of the perennial powers in the college game and that it is the only sport Alabama has won an official team national championship in (remember, the NCAA doesn't award a Division 1 football national championship.) Baseball has come close a time or two, but (correct me if I'm wrong) the Tide gymnasts are the only ones to officially seal the deal. (I believe I'm accurately remembering a Sports Illustrated article a few years ago talking about national titles.)
In addition to having won team titles in the past, several Crimson Tide gymnasts have also won individual titles. Ashley Miles had previously picked up three individual national titles (two for the vault and one for floor exercise.) Miles' vault title in '06 made her only the second gymnast in NCAA history to win three national vault titles and she's tied for third on the all-time NCAA individual national title list with four.
Miles' career at UA has been one success after another:
- 4 individual national titles
- 12 career All-American honors (all first team)
- 6 SEC individual championships
- 10 NCAA regional individual championships
- 2 SEC All-Academic team honors
- 2006 Honda Award (for national gymnast of the year)
Not too shabby.