Will Alabama's New Coach Bring Back Gymnastics Fans? All Things CW

If Ashley Johnston the coach is anything like Ashley Preiss was as a champion gymnast, the Crimson Tide's status in the sport may soon be on the rise again.

Christopher Walsh | Jan 6, 2023

Will Alabama's New Coach Bring Back Gymnastics Fans? All Things CW /

Although gymnastics is a sport that relies on precision, this is one time that just getting close would not only be a good thing, but could be very telling about the program's future.

Friday night, the Ashley Johnston coaching era will officially begin with the Alabama Crimson Tide, as Michigan State will visit Coleman Coliseum to open the 2023 season.

Roughly 24 hours beforehand, seat availability was listed as low in every section minus one on the official Alabama ticket website. That's despite students still being on winter break.

While the Crimson Tide saw attendance drop last season, averaging 9,551 fans per meet, LSU led the nation in average attendance for the first time in school history, snapping Utah's streak that dated back to 2004. The Tigers averaged 11,691 across their five home meets.

2022 Alabama Gymnastics Attendance

Kentucky 10,335
UNC/Western Michigan 8,856
Georgia 10,838
Missouri 8,623
Arkansas 9,101

It wasn't that long ago, that Alabama was challenging Utah for the top spot on a regular basis.

Last season's attendance average was the 20th best in program history. Not including the 2021 season when Alabama had an attendance limit of 2,055, it's the first time the Crimson Tide hadn't averaged at least 10,000 since 2004.

Alabama had drawn at least 10,000 fans in 38 of its 42 home meets, dating back to March 2012. The Crimson Tide had ranked among the top five nationally for 14 consecutive years.

Top 5 Alabama Attendance Averages

13,786 2010
13,422 2013
12,827 2012
12,826 2014
12,730 2011

So setting the right tone against the Spartans will be important.

In addition to having a new coach, the Crimson Tide is ranked No. 7 in the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) preseason coaches poll — which is exactly where it finished at the NCAA Championships (the Spartans are No. 12).

But the Crimson Tide definitely has the potential to move up.

Despite the coaching change, no one transferred out, and none of the six incoming freshmen class went elsewhere. Johnston has inherited a deep roster, which will give her a lot of options regarding rotation spots.

Alabama returned 18 of its 24 routines from last year's team, including All-Americans Luisa Blanco, Shallon Olsen, Makarri Doggette and Lilly Hudson.

What will interesting to see is how much of Johnston's personality and, more importantly, driven nature, will immediately rub off on her new team.

Johnston, who went by the name Priess as a student, wasn't just a champion gymnast before and with the Crimson Tide (2009-13). To borrow a word from someone associated with the program back then, she was "cutthroat" as a competitor.

Christopher Walsh is the founder and publisher of BamaCentral, which first published in 2018. He's covered the Crimson Tide since 2004, and is the author of 26 books including Decade of Dominance, 100 Things Crimson Tide Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die, Nick Saban vs. College Football, and Bama Dynasty: The Crimson Tide's Road to College Football Immortality. He's an eight-time honoree of Football Writers Association of America awards and three-time winner of the Herby Kirby Memorial Award, the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s highest writing honor for story of the year. In 2022, he was named one of the 50 Legends of the ASWA. Previous beats include the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, along with Major League Baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks. Originally from Minnesota and a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, he currently resides in Tuscaloosa.

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