Ua Gym 7 E1713302369802 — Alabama gymnasts celebrate after advancing in the regional round last week. (University of Alabama Athletics/Facebook)

Alabama was selected as one of the top eight seeds in the NCAA Tournament last month so it may have been expected to see them as one of the eight remaining teams competing for a national championship. But it was not an easy path for the Crimson Tide.

The team went to Ann Arbor and finished ahead of host Michigan to claim the second spot in the regional, finishing behind #1 Oklahoma. The Crimson Tide clinched a spot in the national semifinal, making their return after being eliminated in regionals last season.

Here’s what you need to know to keep up with Alabama as they compete against the best in the country this week:

Semifinal 1: #2 LSU, #3 California, #10 Arkansas, California
Where: Fort Worth, Texas
When: 3:30PM, Thursday, April 18
Watch: ESPN2

Semifinal 2: #1 Oklahoma, #4 Florida, #5 Utah, #8 Alabama
Where: Fort Worth, Texas
When: 8PM, Thursday, April 18
Watch: ESPN2

The top two finishers from the semifinals will advance to the championship meet schedule for Saturday at 3PM on ABC.

Tide gets special sendoff from Tuscaloosa

Fans gathered at the airport in Tuscaloosa Tuesday afternoon to cheer on the team as they boarded the plane to Texas. They’ll get two nights in Fort Worth before hitting the mats for the semifinal competition.

Coleman Coliseum has been home to the gymnastics team for a long time and see large crowds is nothing new for the Crimson Tide. The crowd at the airport looked like fans who expect more than just a strong showing—they’re ready for Alabama to return to the top of the mountain.

Here are some quick things to know before Alabama returns to competition:

3rd semifinal appearance in the last four years
Last national championship meet appearance: 2017 (Super Six format)
Last team national title: 2012
Last individual national champions: 2021 (Luisa Blanco—beam, Lexi Graber—floor)

The Crimson Tide have plenty of history as a program but a few other top teams around the country have seemingly surpassed Alabama. Still, the program is a staple at the top level of the sport and being back in the national semifinals is nothing that should be brushed aside.

How do you think the Alabama gymnastics team will do in Texas this week? Let us know on social media by tagging The Bama Buzz on Instagram, X, Facebook + LinkedIn!