Is the University of Georgia tumbling toward a sixth straight NCAA Women's Gymnastics title? According to the 2010 GymInfo Preseason Coaches Poll, the answer is yes.
Georgia, expected to pack a powerful punch this season partially thanks to strong freshman and senior classes, accumulated 739 points and 13 first place votes in the poll, topping Utah, Alabama, Florida, UCLA and Lousiana State. Utah, though second with 718 points, received fewer first place votes (6) than Alabama (8). The Crimson Tide placed second at the 2009 NCAA Championships.
Florida and UCLA, ranked fourth and fifth, each accumulated two first-place votes. Stanford, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Oregon State rounded out the top 10.
Despite losing Courtney Kupets, perhaps the best NCAA gymnast ever, and Suzanne Yoculan, perhaps the best NCAA gymnastics coach ever, Georgia is still expected to dominate this season. Reinforcements have arrived in the form of top national recruit Shayla Worley, WOGA gymnasts Christa Tanella and Kati Breazeal and 2009 Junior Olympic all-around champion Noel Couch. They join 2004 Olympic silver medalist Courtney McCool and 2008 NCAA beam champion Grace Taylor, who lead Georgia's deep senior class.
The future is more questionable, primarily because Georgia is the only top-10 ranked school that has not yet announced its most recent signing class. Although Georgia has inked multi J.O. Champion Kaylan Earls of Illinois (according to the Arena Gymnastics website, where Earls trains), many of the nation's top recruits have announced plans to compete elsewhere beginning in 2010, most notably at UCLA, Florida and Alabama.
Related: Men's and women's NCAA Gymnastics signess for 2011
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