Kindler Era Starts at No. 4 Alabama

NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma will kick the K.J. Kindler era off in style as the 10th-ranked Sooners head to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to face the No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide on Friday, Jan. 12.

The top-10 clash, set for 7:30 p.m. (CST) at the Coleman Coliseum, marks the season opener for both teams.

“We've been training for four months, and it can get tedious when you can't get out there and show what you can do,” Kindler said. “Obviously starting at Alabama is very exciting for us. It's a huge facility -- great atmosphere, we're expecting 9,000-plus fans. Any time you're facing the best of the best, it's a chance to step up to the plate and take on that challenge. I can't think of a better way to start the season.”

Kindler, who spent the last seven seasons as the head coach at Iowa State, owns a career record of 83-41-1 and is a three-time Big 12 Coach of the Year and the 2005 National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches/Women (NACGCW) Coach of the Year.

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OU returns nine letterwinners from the 2006 squad which finished 17-17 and won the NCAA Central Regional on its way to the program's third consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships. Among the Sooners' key returnees are 2006 second team All-Americans Brittney Koncak-Schumann (FX, AA), Kiara Redmond (FX, AA) and first-teamer Stephanie LoPiccolo (UB).

The 2007 team also returns senior Lori Winn, juniors Ashley Cooney, Caitlin Hinkis and Jessica Kinder, and sophomores Haley DeProspero, Ashley Jackson and Gina Lesko.

The Sooners welcome a quartet of talented freshmen in Jackie Flanery, Mary Mantle, Kristin Smith and Hollie Vise.

“I think everybody's a little bit anxious to get out there and compete,” Kindler said. “Preparation has been good, but we're excited to see how they'll perform when they're under the gun. I'm going to learn as much from this first meet as anybody. No matter how many pressure situations you put them in in practice, it's not the same as being in competition. We're all going to learn a lot in this first meet. We've prepared well and we know what we're going up against and we have high hopes for the outcome.”

Fourth-ranked Alabama is entering its 29th season under head coach Sarah Patterson. The Tide also return nine letterwinners in 2007, headlined by All-Americans Terin Humphrey and Brittany Magee. The 2006 squad advanced to the Super Six at the NCAA Championships in Corvallis, Ore., finishing third overall.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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