Jansen & Routliffe Repeat As NCAA Doubles Champions; Talley Is Bama's 1st-Ever Women's Golf Individual Champion; Football Recruiting; Women's Basketball Looking For Improvement

Photo Credit: RollTide

     This time they did it without having to come from behind. 

     The reigning NCAA Doubles Champions, the University of Alabama's Maya Jansen and Erin Routliffe, have repeated. The dynamic duo handily defeated Klara Fabikova and Zsofi Susanyi out of Cal 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-3. This is only the second time in NCAA women's tennis history that a doubles team has won back-to-back titles.

     Starting the season where they left off last year, Jansen and Routliffe marched through this season posting a daunting 19-2 overall record, 9-1 in the Southeastern Conference. They were ranked first in the ITA Division I Doubles Rankings for the season. The Jansen-Routliffe pairing defeated three Top 10 teams throughout the campaign, and carried a perfect 15-0 record into week nine of the conference season. 

     Routliffe said, "I've talked about an overwhelming feeling of excitement throughout this entire tournament, and what a truly amazing feeling it is to say that we are back-to-back national champions. We stuck to our game plan at crucial times, and played extremely aggressive which helped us to take advantage of a lot of opportunities."

     Jansen also commented, "It's an amazing feeling to know that you're a national champion. We are so thankful to be playing for the University of Alabama, and to win a national title for your university is amazing. We are absolutely ecstatic to be bringing a trophy back to Tuscaloosa. None of this would have been possible without all of the support from our teammates, coaches and entire program -- this is a really special feeling."

     Jansen and Routliffe became only the second duo in NCAA women's tennis history to win back-to-back doubles titles. Florida's Dawn Buth and Stephanie Nickitas were the only other pair to it, back in 1996-97.

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Women's Golf

Photo Credit: RollTide.com

      It's a first for the University of Alabama, certainly a first for Tide golfer Emma Talley. Talley became Alabama's first-ever NCAA women's golf individual champion, shooting a 3-under 285 today at the par-72 Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Florida.  Yesterday's one-shot victory came on a 3-under 69 round.

     Talley said, "It was just an incredible week. I had been playing well up to this point, and everything kind of came together and clicked just at the right time. God's blessed me with so much, and I just took it and ran with it."

          Talley is the fifth player in history to win a U.S. Amateur and an NCAA Championships individual crown. 

     The Alabama golf team didn't fare quite as well. They finished Sunday 14th overall at 74-over par, 1,226. Their best round was an 11-over 299.

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Football Recruiting

     Here is a complete listing of the 2016 recruiting class commitments for University of Alabama football.

• *Deonte Brown, OL (6'3", 330 lbs.), Austin High, Decatur, Ala.
• *T.J. Simmons, WR (6'2", 185 lbs.), Clay-Chalkville High School, Pinson, Ala.
• Shyheim Carter, CB (6'0", 185 lbs), Kentwood, Kentwood, La.
• Raekwon Davis, DT (6'7", 315 lbs. ), Meridian High, Meridian, Miss.
• Jonah Williams, OL (6'5", 283 lbs.), Folsom High, Folsom, Calif.
• Brendan Scales, TE (6'4", 230 lbs), Lafayette, Ballwin, Mo.
• Chris Owens, OL (6'3", 312 lbs), Lamar High, Arlington, Texas
• Joshua Perry, DB (6'3", 190 lbs.), Amite High, Amite, La.
• Kendell Jones, DT (6'4", 360 lbs.), Shoemaker High, Killeen, Texas

     *In-state Commitments

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Women's Basketball

     The Crimson Caravan continues its tour through the southeast. Alabama women's head basketball coach addressed the progress of the Lady Tide during the recent stop in Atlanta, Georgia.

     "It's going to take some time, but we're excited about the process and the journey we're on," Curry said. Bama finished 13-19 overall, 2-14 in the SEC last season. The team's overall record the previous year was 14-16. The women's team have had only one winning season since the 2001-02 season. They haven't made the NCAA tournament since 1999. It has been a long, dry spell.

     But Curry is used to winning. She went 309-149 in 14 seasons at Purdue and Texas Tech prior to arriving in Tuscaloosa. Under her leadership Purdue went to seven straight NCAA tournaments from to 1999-2006.

     This coming season could be an up year for Curry and the Tide. Bama returns seven of its top scorers from last season. In fact, all five of the top five will be back. All with one more season under their belts. That experience should be a major plus for Bama. 

     The vast majority of the points put up by the Tide last season came from freshmen and sophomores, according to Curry. Last year not so good, but as sophomores and juniors with experience it will be better. Another year to develop the moves, perfect the shooting, improve the defensive capabilities. 

Seventy-six percent of the Tide's scoring last season came from freshmen and sophomores, Curry said.

     A top-25 recruiting class this year should also be a plus. The Collegiate Girls Basketball Reports has Alabama ranked 24th in recruiting.

     Curry is high on the top players in Alabama and Mississippi coming to the Tide this season. Add that to the experience...things could be looking up.