Sarah Patterson (coach)

Sarah Patterson is a former collegiate gymnastics coach. She served as the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide women's gymnastics team from 1979 to 2014. During her tenure, she built the program at the University of Alabama into one of the most successful in the history of college gymnastics.

This article is about the gymnastics coach. For the actress, see Sarah Patterson.
Sarah Patterson
Biographical details
BornBinghamton, New York
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1979-2014Alabama
Head coaching record
Overall384–88–2
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
6 NCAA Women's Gymnastics championships
(1988, 1991, 1996, 2002, 2011, 2012)

8 SEC Titles
(1988, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2009, 2011, 2014)
29 NCAA Regional Titles
(1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014)
Coached 23 NCAA Individual champions[1]
Coached 40 SEC Individual champions
Coached 4 NCAA Top VIII Award winners
Coached 62 athletes to 277 All-American honors[1]

Coached 71 athletes with 175 Scholastic All-American honors (since 1991)
Awards
4 Time SEC Women's Gymnastics Coach of the Year (1985, 1995, 2000, 2010)
4 Time NCAA Coach of the Year (1986, 1988, 1991, 2002)

Patterson graduated from Union Endicott High School in 1974, Slippery Rock State College in 1978, and was named the head women's gymnastics coach at the University of Alabama by then Athletics Director Paul "Bear" Bryant later that year.

Patterson is married to her former assistant coach, David Patterson. The Pattersons have two children, Jessie and Jordan, who was a member of the Alabama Crimson Tide softball 2012 NCAA championship team.[2]

Along with Georgia gymnastics coach Suzanne Yoculan, Patterson was featured in a 2014 ESPN documentary “Sarah & Suzanne" that looked at the rivalry of the two coaches and their gymnastic teams.[3]

Career Review and Honors
  • 6 NCAA Women's Gymnastics championships - 1988, 1991, 1996, 2002, 2011, 2012[4]
  • 8 Southeastern Conference Championships - 1988, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2009, 2011, 2014[5]
  • 29 NCAA Regional Titles - 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014[6]
  • Southeastern Conference Women's Gymnastics Coach of the Year - 1985, 1995, 2000, 2010[5]
  • NCAA Women's Gymnastics Coach of the Year - 1986, 1988, 1991, 2002
  • Alabama Sports Hall of Fame (Inducted March 2003)
  • In celebration of her career and 6 championships with Alabama, Champions Plaza was built between Coleman Coliseum and Sewell-Thomas Stadium, it is named after Sarah Patterson, head coach of Alabama's six-time NCAA Champion gymnastics team.

“We named this plaza after Coach Sarah Patterson as a way to honor the great success she has enjoyed over the years in the gymnastics program, and the contributions that she has made to the University and the athletics department in general,” UA Director of Athletics Mal Moore said. (Coach Patterson tied Bear Bryant's National Championships at BAMA with her 6th in 2012)

References
  1. Rolltide.com – The Official Web Site of University of Alabama Athletics
  2. "Coaches: The Pattersons". Archived from the original on 2010-07-20. Retrieved 2010-09-23.
  3. Christie, Jennifer (April 23, 2014). "ESPN Films' SEC Storied Looks at Alabama/Georgia Gymnastics Rivalry". ESPN. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  4. "National Collegiate Women's Gymnastics". NCAA. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
  5. "SEC Gymnastics History and Records". Southeastern Conference. Archived from the original on 2008-04-05. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
  6. Tide wins 23rd regional championship | TideSports.com
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