Top-Ranked Tide Continues Prep For State
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| Photo via Bing.com |
The top-ranked University of Alabama football team worked for another two hours on Wednesday afternoon getting ready for this Saturday's showdown with the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The Crimson Tide worked out in full pads yesterday afternoon at the Thomas-Drew Practice Fields on the UA campus.
Bama has lived up to the challenge week after week of teams wanting to knock off the defending SEC and National Champions. The Bulldogs are no exception, proving last week they could step-it-up with the upset of the then-CFP #4-ranked Texas A&M Bulldogs. They will be looking to unseat the Tide and spoil a run at a 17th national championship.
The team continued preparation to pen up the Dogs ground game, one that ranks among the best in the Southeastern Conference, averaging 226.9 rush yards per game. The Tide has risen to the task nine times already this season, and is busily putting the finishing touches on the game plan as well as improving concentration and execution for this Saturday's matchup. The two are scheduled to kick it off at 11 a.m. CT at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The game will be broadcast live by ESPN, with Joe Tessitore, Todd Blackledge and Holly Rowe covering all the action.
Once again Alphonse Taylor was missing from practice. He is still recovering from a concussion and has not as yet been released for contact.
Reuben Foster again sported the wrapping on his left hand.
Alabama leads the series 78-18-3, and has won the last eight contests. The Tide has also won the last four meetings played in Tuscaloosa, outscoring the Bulldogs 125-44. Last season Alabama defeated Mississippi State 31-6 victory in Starkville last season.
Congratulations to senior defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, one of 24 players named to the latest watch list for the Ted Hendricks Award. A final watch list is scheduled to be announced in late November, and the winner of the award is scheduled to be named on December 7th. The Ted Hendricks Award has recognized the top country's top defensive end each season since the award's inception in 2002. So far this season Allen has 38 tackles, including 7.5 tackles for loss as well as sharing the team lead in sacks with seven. He is currently tied for second on the Alabama career sack list with 25.
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Bama Volleyball Defeats Auburn In Five Sets
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| Alabama Volleyball celebrates Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
The University of Alabama volleyball team picked up a huge win over in-state rival Auburn last night. Overcoming a 2-1 match deficit, the Bama belles clawed their way back to defeat the Tigers at Foster Auditorium in the five-set victory. The Crimson Tide improves to 17-10 overall, 6-8 SEC on the season, while Auburn falls to 14-13, 8-6 SEC.
The Tide middles did a fine job last night themselves. Hayley McSparin picked up eight kills with a .429 hitting percentage while Leah Lawrence ended the evening with 10 kills and a .400 percentage. McSparin also had six blocks, while seven blocks and one ace on the night. Natalie Murison had a career-high 28 balls, one of three Tide players in double figures. Brittany Thomas contributed seven kills, two aces and three aces in the contest.
Alabama will face the sixth-ranked Florida Gators (22-2 overall, 12-1 SEC) in Gainesville this Sunday, November 13th. Match time is 1 p.m. CT and will be broadcast live on the SEC Network.
| Game Stats | AU | UA |
|---|---|---|
| Kills | 59 | 57 |
| Errors | 28 | 19 |
| Hitting % | .186 | .244 |
| Points | 77.0 | 76.0 |
| Aces | 8 | 4 |
| Blocks | 10.0 | 15.0 |
| TA | 167 | 156 |
| Assists | 58 | 51 |
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Crimson Tide Men's Golf Signs Highly-Ranked Recruiting Class
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| Photos Courtesy of Alabama Athletics |
The University of Alabama football team isn't the only program at the Capstone signing top talent. No sir! Everyone knows Nick Saban and company are always signing top talent from all across the country, ranking in the top-10 (mostly No. 1) nationally in recruiting year after year. Alabama men's golf coach Jay Seawell can bring in some of those top student-athlete's himself. Seawell has announced that Ben Fuller, Wilson Furr and Davis Shore have all signed
their National Letter of Intent to continue their playing careers with
the Crimson Tide.
Commenting on his big haul, Sewell said, "The first step of the process of being a championship program is recruiting the right young men. It takes special talent and character to become a champion. We took that step [yesterday] with the signing of Ben, Wilson and Davis. These three, along with our current players, give us the opportunity to be a championship team. I have enjoyed watching these three young men grow and mature in golf and life. They are talented young guys that also are great students. Not only will they be a great addition to our golf program, they will be a great addition to our university. I am thankful for their trust in me and our university with their college years. I look forward to being their coach and helping them chase and achieve their dreams."
Shore and Furr have been outstanding players in high school, were two of six players named to the boys United States Junior Ryder Cup team this past summer. This dynamic duo was paired together during play at the Junior Ryder Cup where they captured the win in their foursome match against the Europeans.
A native of Knoxville, Tennessee, Shore was named the American Family Insurance All-USA Boys Golf Team National Player of the Year this past summer. He is a two-time state champion and was one of four winners of the Byron Nelson International Junior Golf Award. Shore earned back-to-back first team Rolex Junior All-America honors in 2015 and 2016.
The No. 2 ranked player according to the Polo AJGA boys rankings and No. 3 in the class of 2017 by junior golf scoreboard, Shore was one of 40 players selected to the American Junior Golf Association's Wyndham Cup rosters, playing for the East Team. He also won the 2016 Rolex Tournament of Champions title after shooting 10-under par and finishing five shots ahead of the field. The youngster has racked up six top-10 finishes in national junior golf events in this season. He also had five top-five finishes in the 2014-15 season as a junior, including tournament victories at the 2015 Bobby Chapman Junior Invitational and the 2015 AJGA Music City Junior Invitational.
Seawell commented, "Davis is one the top players in all of junior golf. He has accomplished so much in golf. He has winning experience and also has experienced the highest honor in playing for his country. Davis is a driven and intelligent player that should step right in and be a great help for us in our pursuit of championships."
Seawell and the Crimson Tide were fortunate to pick up Furr, who currently attends Jackson Academy in Jackson, Mississippi. He is ranked as the number eight recruit in the class of 2017 by Junior Golf Scoreboard and No. 15 by the Polo AJGA rankings. Furr became the youngest winner in the 100-year history of the Mississippi State Amateur last year. He took the win by eight strokes over the field with a 72-hole total of 14-under par 274, just two strokes off the tournament record.
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Tide Gymastics Inks Four New Players
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| Alabama volleyball's four newest signeesPhoto Credit: Alabama Athletics |
Duckworth said, "Bailie, Kylie, Alonza and Lexi are all unique in the gifts and talents they bring to the Capstone. Each of them has extraordinary experience, a special personality and competitive success that will translate into carrying on the legacy. They all strive for excellence in all phases of their lives and that drive will give them the opportunity to thrive here at The University of Alabama."
A five-year member of the United States National Team, Key is coached by Kim and Chris Burdette at Texas Dreams Gymnastics, the same gym that produced current All-American junior Kiana Winston and sophomore Ari Guerra.
Key commented, "I am a people person and the moment that I walked onto the campus I noticed that the coaches took interest in me as a person, not just as a gymnast. I felt like they cared about my goals and the plans for my future. They went out of their way to provide all the information I needed to make the best decision for me. I wanted to be a part of a team that had integrity, character and were serious about their academics. Alabama had it all."
Key, a Montgomery, Texas, native, earned a bronze medal on the uneven bars and was fourth in the all-around at the 2015 P&G Championships. She also won the all-around, balance beam and floor exercise at the 2013 P&G Championships and won bronze medals on the vault, balance beam and floor exercise at the 2012 VISA Championships. Key is a member of the National Honor Society at Lakeland Christian Academy. She is the daughter of Dannette and James Key.
Kylie Dickson will be joining the Crimson Tide from Spanish Fort, Alabama. She has dual United States and Belarus citizenship. She has competed for Belarus in the 2015 World Championships and the 2016 Olympic Games. Dickson is coached by Artur Akopyan and Galina Marinova at the All Olympia Gymnastics Center. Dickson also posted a top-25 all-around finish at the 2016 European Championships.
Dickson said, "I am from Alabama, and I want to help Alabama win more national championships. Growing up in 'my state' I was exposed to a set of values that taught me that hard work, class and the pursuit of excellence were necessary to achieve your goals. The University of Alabama and its gymnastics program represent quality, excellence and consistency and these values align to my character. My interactions with the coaching staff and the girls on the team have revealed to me a family environment, a fun atmosphere and a place where everyone is in it together."
Dickson earned top-12 finishes in the all-around and the floor exercise at the 2015 Secret U.S. Classic. She is a senior at Spanish Fort High School where she has earned a place on the Honor Roll every semester. Dickson is the daughter of Stacey and Steve Dickson.
Alonza Klopfer is the 2016 Junior Olympic National Balance Beam Champion and will be joining the Tide this next year. She is coached by Tony Gehman and Ann Meade at North Stars Gymnastics Academy. Klppfer took silver on the balance beam at the 2013 National Elite Qualifier Parkettes and was top five on the vault at the 2013 American Classic. She was second on the balance beam at both the 2012 WOGA Elite Qualifier and the 2011 National Qualifier.
"The University of Alabama has everything I was looking for," Klopfer said. "I'm going to be able to experience a great education, as well as being a part of one of the best SEC schools in the United States. I'm am so excited to be a part of this legacy, and I know that my future is going to be bright."
Klopfer is a Boonton, New Jersey native, and won the vault and balance beam, as well as winning the bronze in the all-around and floor exercise at the 2011 USA Gymnastics Open Championships. She is a senior in the North Stars Homeschooling Program, and is the daughter of Fred and Marina Klopfer.
Lexi Graber is the 2016 Junior Olympic National Vault Champion. She is coached by Dave Zwiefelhofer at Coast Elite Gymnastics Academy. She was the Junior Olympic Level 10 National Championships runner-up in the all-around in both 2012 and 2014. Among her accomplishments are top-10 finishes in the uneven bars, balance beam, vault and floor exercise between the 2012 and 2014 Level 10 National Championships.
Graber said, "The atmosphere and the great attitude expressed by everyone is absolutely amazing. No matter where you go, if you are on Alabama campus, you don't want to be anything other than excited and joyful. The coaches and my future teammates all express such excitement for the future and all the things we are going to accomplish. The fact that I get to attend such an outstanding school that strives for academic excellence while also striving in the sport I love makes me so eager to see what the future brings. I have never doubted my choice of attending Alabama ever since my freshman year of high school and I am positive that the next four years of my life will be the ones I will remember and cherish forever."
Graber is a native of Cape Coral, Florida, and earned fourth place in the all-around at the 2015 Nastia Liukin Cup. She is currently a senior at North Fort Myers High School where she earned the Al Oerter Award for excellence in academics. Graber is the daughter of Randy and Jodi Graber.
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Panitch Recipient Of UA's Blackmon-Moody Award
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| Seth Panitch UA Faculty Photo |
One of the professors at the University of Alabama is to be honored tomorrow. He is Seth Panitch, professor of acting in The
University of Alabama’s department of theatre and dance. Panitch has earned the
2016 Blackmon-Moody Outstanding Professor Award, and will receive the award in a ceremony at the University of Alabama President's Mansions tomorrow.
The Frederick Moody Blackmon and Sarah McCorkle Moody Outstanding Professor Award is one of the most prestigious awards given by the University of Alabama. The award is one based on a specific accomplishment that is innovative, creative, useful or captures the imagination.
The award was created by Frederick Moody Blackmon, of Montgomery to honor the memory of his grandmother, Sarah McCorkle Moody, of Tuscaloosa, and is presented annually.
Panitch was nominated for this year's award by Dominic Yeager, assistant professor of theatre at UA. He nominated Panitch based on the professor's success in producing theatrical productions in Cuba.
Now in his 12th year as a professor at UA, Panitch was the first U.S. director to helm a professional theatrical production in Cuba since the Cuban Revolution with “Merchant of Venice,” which played at the Adolfo Llaurado Theatre. As a result, the Cuban Ministry of Culture invited him to direct four additional productions in Havana.
In the nomination letter, Yeager wrote concerning Panitch said, "His work, seen on the most significant national and international stages, as well as on film, has attracted a spotlight on the arts at UA that has not only raised the stature of his own career, it has hugely impacted the national recognition of the department, College and University, as well."
Panitch has written, directed and performed in four Off-Broadway shows in New York City and is working on his fifth credit. The four have received rave reviews in The New York Times and among leading theatrical organizations.
Panitch has also directed and performed in the nation’s most highly respected Shakespeare Festivals and produced documentary films. More recently, he directed and wrote a full-length feature film that has secured the representation of Joel Zwick, director of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding."
Panitch has also recently received the grand jury prize for best film at the 20th American Black Film Festival for his first full, feature-length film, "Service to Man" and was selected as the 2016 SEC Faculty Achievement Award winner for UA.
