NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championship
The NCAA introduced women's gymnastics as a championship sport in 1982. Gymnastics was one of twelve women's sports added to the NCAA championship program for the 1981-82 school year, as the NCAA engaged in battle with the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women for sole governance of women's collegiate sports. The AIAW continued to conduct its established championship program in the same twelve (and other) sports; however, after a year of dual women's championships, the NCAA conquered the AIAW and usurped its authority and membership.
Under the NCAA, only four universities have claimed the overall Division I championship; Division II competition was discontinued in 1987. During the early years of competition, the University of Utah under the leadership of head coach Greg Marsden dominated the field of competition. During the late 1980s and 1990s, the University of Georgia (UGA), coached by Suzanne Yoculan, and the University of Alabama, coached by Sarah Patterson, gained success and claimed several titles. Since 1996 the University of Alabama, the University of Georgia and UCLA, coached by Valorie Kondos Field, have claimed all the NCAA titles; four titles for the University of Alabama, six for UCLA and seven for the University of Georgia.
Alabama was the winner of the 2011 and 2012 NCAA Women's Gymnastics championship.
The championships in 2012 were held April 20-22, 2012 at the Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Georgia with Georgia Institute of Technology as host. The 2013 championships will take place on April 19-21, 2013 at UCLA's newly renovated Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, California.
Read more about NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championship: Current Season
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