The University of Alabama has won 23 total National Championships, most recently with the Football team claiming their fifteenth national title, the gymnastics team claiming their sixth national title, and the softball and women's golf teams winning their first titles ever. Below is a complete list of all of the Tide's national championship teams. Click on a sport or year to read more about each team's triumphant season.
The Alabama men's golf team laid claim to the program's first National Championship with a 4-1 victory over Illinois on June 2nd, 2013 in the finals of the 2013 NCAA Golf Championship on the par-70, 7,319-yard Crabapple Course at the Capital City Club.
The Crimson Tide victory was redemption after a heartbreaking loss to Texas in the NCAA Finals a year ago. The clinching holes on Sunday were almost simultaneous on the 15th and 16th. Junior Cory Whitsett halved the par-3 15th hole for a 4 and 3 victory and only seconds later senior Scott Strohmeyer won the difficult par-4 16th hole with par for a 3 and 2 win.
The two wins clinched Alabama's first National Championships as players, coaches, family and fans rushed from all corners of the back nine to celebrate.
The Alabama Crimson Tide football team established itself early on the way to a dominant performance as the Tide earned the programs 15th national championship in football with a 42-14 victory over Notre Dame in the 2013 Discover BCS National Championship Game on January 7th.
Playing before a Sun Life Stadium record crowd of 80,120 the Tide raced to touchdowns on their first three offensive possessions and built a lead that eventually reached 35-0 in the third quarter. The title, Alabama's third in the past four seasons, concluded a 13-1 season for the Tide while Notre Dame fell to 12-1 with the loss. Tide quarterback AJ McCarron passed for four touchdowns and 264 yards while completing 20 of 28 attempts without throwing an interception.
Running back Eddie Lacy rushed for 140 yards and a touchdown while averaging seven yards per carry, wide receiver Amari Cooper caught six passes for 105 yards and two scores, and running back T.J. Yeldon rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown as the Tide offense flourished behind an outstanding performance by its offensive line. Overall, Alabama gained 529 total yards on the night.
After 29 years coaching women's collegiate golf, Alabama head coach Mic Potter and his Crimson Tide program are National Champions.
Senior Brooke Pancake made a fantastic two-putt for par on the par-5 18th hole to secure Alabama's first national championship outside of football and women's gymnastics. Pancake's 60-foot birdie putt on the 18th hit the hole and went 4-foot past the hole. She then calmly knocked in the par putt to secure the one-shot win over Southern California.
"When I was standing over (the putt), I kind of had the feeling of, `This is my moment I've put four years into it, and I can't think of a better way to finish my senior year," Pancake said.
"I had a lot of confidence (Brooke) was going to make it, so I don't think I was real surprised, but definitely I was relieved," Potter said. "I don't think it has quite sunk in yet, but it was a lot of fun. I have a lot of confidence in these girls, so I knew it was a definite possibility, but golf is a game where we could play as well as we could and still not win. To me it was all about keeping with the process and making sure we saved every shot we could today."
The Alabama gymnastics team won its second NCAA Championship in a row and sixth overall in a meet that came down to the final competitor for both the Crimson Tide and the Florida Gators.
"I couldn't be more proud of our athletes," UA head coach Sarah Patterson said. "We really had a great night. We had an extreme team performance."
A year ago, senior Ashley Priess, was sitting in the stands watching her teammates win the 2011 national title after surgery on both ankles sidelined her for the season. Saturday night, she was up last on the balance beam, with a chance to clinch the championship for the Crimson Tide. As Priess prepared to go, Florida had just finished on the floor exercise with an overall score of 197.775, which put the Gators just .025 head of UCLA and had them waiting to see what the Tide senior would score.
A 9.875 by Priess and Alabama would tie the Gators, anything better would win. Priess left no doubt, posting a 9.95 which incited a huge roar from the crowd and screams of sheer delight from her teammates. The Tide finished with a 197.850 and its third NCAA Championship in the last 10 years.
"Championships always come down to the last routine and no matter if it was a close meet or not a close meet, I knew I had to do my job," Priess said. "The only thing that was going through my mind was to be calm, cool and collected and just do my job."
The Alabama softball team claimed its first national championship in program history as it downed Oklahoma, 5-4, at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.
"First, I just want to say thank you to everybody involved with the tournament," Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy said. "It was a heck of a run for us, a dream-come true for everybody at Alabama, and I've got to congratulate Oklahoma on a heck of a year. I definitely think they'll be back."
With the win, Alabama won the best-of-three series against the Sooners, 2-1, and finished the season, 60-8. The Crimson Tide becomes the first school from the Southeastern Conference to ever win a national title in softball. Oklahoma ends their season with a 54-10 record.
"For us, I don't think it's sunk in yet," Murphy added. "It's been a long time coming. It's just been an incredible nine or ten days here in Oklahoma City, and each game just got better and better and better. I'm just thrilled with the championship."
A staunch defensive effort, combined with a record-setting night from kicker Jeremy Shelley, propelled the University of Alabama football team to its 14th national championship with a 21-0 victory over LSU in the 2012 BCS National Championship Game.
The Crimson Tide's defense held LSU to just 92 total yards and five first downs as Defensive Player of the Game Courtney Upshaw and Jerrell Harris each had seven tackles. As a unit, the defense had 11 tackles for loss, four sacks and an interception.
"I think it's a great team win," UA head coach Nick Saban said. "Our offense controlled the tempo of this game. We did a great job on special teams. It was just a great team win for every guy here, every fan that we have, every supporter of this program. This is great for Alabama."
Fifteen of UA's 21 points came from the leg of kicker Jeremy Shelley, who converted on a bowl-record five field goals from 23, 34, 41, 35 and a career-long 44 yards. The defense provided the offense with excellent field position all evening and quarterback AJ McCarron did a masterful job under center completing 23-of-34 passes for 234 yards to earn Offensive Player of the Game honors.
The Alabama gymnastics team won its fifth NCAA Championship in Cleveland, Ohio in a down-to-the-wire, edge-of-your-seat competition that saw the Crimson Tide edge defending champion UCLA, 197-650-197.375.
"I cannot say enough about the unity that this team has had," UA head coach Sarah Patterson said. "'Enjoy the Ride' was their slogan for this season and I think we are enjoying the ride right now."
Alabama was just .025 ahead of the Bruins heading into the final rotation with the Tide headed to the floor exercise and UCLA going to the beam. Alabama finished off with 49.45 led by senior Kayla Hoffman's meet-best 9.95 while the Bruins scored a 49.200.
This marks coaches Sarah and David Patterson's fifth NCAA Championship, with the others coming in 2002, 1996, 1991 and 1988. Alabama also won its seventh Southeastern Conference Championship and 26th NCAA Regional title earlier this season, giving the Tide its first postseason sweep since the 1988 season.
"For my husband David and I, this is our 29th consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships," Patterson said. "I want you to know that the competition has never been any tighter or any tougher. There were a lot of great teams on the floor tonight and I think the biggest difference was that people were not perfect, but we left nothing out on the floor."
The No. 1-ranked Alabama football team held true to its ranking, defeating second-ranked Texas, 37-21, in the 2010 BCS National Championship at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. The 2009 national championship is the 13th in Alabama history.
"Our message to the team at halftime was that it's a 60-minute game," head coach Nick Saban said. "I'm proud of the way we hung in there and bounced back at the end of the game."
The Crimson Tide defense ended any hopes of a Longhorns comeback when Eryk Anders forced a fumble out of the hands of Texas quarterback Garret Gilbert with 3:08 remaining in the game.
Alabama would force two more turnovers and score two touchdowns to seal the 2009 national championship.
After Texas jumped out to a 6-0 lead on a pair of field goals in the first quarter, the Crimson Tide took the lead when sophomore Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram scored on a two-yard rush, putting Alabama up 7-6 with 14:18 remaining in the second quarter.
The victory in Pasadena comes 84 years after Alabama won its first national championship in the 1926 Rose Bowl game and makes this the fifth Alabama team to end their national championship campaign at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
She nailed her routine. And when Andreé Pickens threw her arms in the air after her dismount, the Coleman Coliseum crowd knew what had happened. They knew the Bama team had again, as the Tide fight song says, “Writ her name in crimson flame…” and brought a fourth national title to Tuscaloosa. They roared their approval, stomping, clapping and screaming,
much like the pandemonium that had broken out on the floor amongst the Tide athletes, coaches and staff.
It had been a remarkable run. Since counting a fall on the last event of the SEC Championships, Alabama had gone a perfect 72 for 72 during their championship march. Pickens, senior Natalie Barrington, Sterner, sophomore Jeana Rice and freshmen Alexis Brion and Shannon Hrozek earned 14 All-American honors between them, the most of any team at the championship. On Saturday, an exhausted Pickens, who went 12 routines in three days, had enough energy left to win the NCAA Uneven Bars title to go with the American Award she’d picked up earlier in the day which denotes the nation’s top senior.
There would be more moments of celebration in the days and weeks that followed. Alabama received their championship rings in front of 83,000-plus fans at the halftime of the Alabama-Southern Mississippi football game. They were also honored at the Homecoming parade and the pep rally/bonfire the night before.
When the counting was done, Alabama had produced a
NCAA Floor Exercise record 49.625.
The Bruins were tenacious though, matching the Tide’s
record floor effort with an NCAA record of their own on the
balance beam (49.50). Going into the last rotation, perennial
favorites Georgia and Utah were already out of the championship
picture - barring a complete meltdown by both the
Crimson Tide and UCLA. It came down to two teams and
one last rotation.
What happened during the last rotation is the stuff of
legend. Alabama ran off a blistering set of vaults in which
the Tide scored nothing less than a 9.9 and posted two perfect,
golden 10.0s.
The Tide’s vault total, 49.775, set yet another NCAA
record. UCLA mustered a 49.275 on the floor. The title was
Alabama’s.
Alabama totaled a 198.025, a new NCAA ‘Super Six’
record, to win its third NCAA title, second in front of the
home crowd. UCLA was second with a 197.475, a score that
would have won all but one other NCAA Championship.
The Tide would roll to two more titles during Saturday
night’s individual competition. Woods posted a 9.975 to
win the NCAA Uneven Bars title. And Kelly, in the last meet
of her storied career, inked the perfect final chapter. She
posted yet another perfect 10.0 floor routine to win that title.
Record: 13-0-0 Head Coach: Gene Stallings Assistant Coach: Mike DuBose, Jim Fuller, Ellis Johnson, Larry Kirksey, Woody McCorvy, Mal Moore, Bill Oliver, Danny Pearman, Jeff Rouzie, LeBaron Caruthers, Terry Jones. Team Captains: Derrick Oden, George Teague, George Wilson, Prince Wimbley
Selectors: AP, Berryman, Billingsley, DeVoid, Dunkel, Eck, FACT, Football News, Football Writers, Football Research, Mathews, National Championship Foundation, National Football Foundation, New York Times, Sporting News, United Press International, USA Today/CNN.
“I remember being told that you build a crowd by winning
a national championship, but you could also do it by
hosting a championship,” Head Coach SarahPatterson said.
The first step toward building the fan base was accomplished
with the 1988 NCAA title, which spurred increased
interest in the program.
The Tide was young in 1991, with six underclassmen,
including four freshmen. The two seniors, Kim Masters and
Tina Rinker, sought to weave the 11 girls together to form
a squad reminiscent of the 1988 championship they were
members of as freshmen.
“I remember feeling that the team had so much talent
that we should be able to win the national championship
if we could become unified and get into the flow,” Rinker
reminisced.
At the regional championships at Auburn, the Tide
turned in one of its best performances of the season. The
team entered the NCAAs as the No. 1 seed.
The Tide drew a favorable rotation at the NCAA
Championships, starting on the vault, finishing on the floor
exercise. After charging through the first two events, the
“Beam Team” was put to its final test, hitting all six routines,
passing the exam with flying colors. The Tide was the only
team without a fall on the balance beam at nationals.
Before the team rotated to floor, Patterson offered only
one piece of advice to her charges: “I just told the kids to
land on their feet and stay in bounds.”
The floor music reverberated through the Coliseum and
each tumbling pass was met with louder and louder cheers
and at the end of six routines the Crimson Tide emerged
victorious.
With fractions of points being added up over the course of
24 individual performances, ties are rare in collegiate gymnastics.
Then, at the next meet, Alabama did it again; tying
Georgia at the UA hosted Red and White Classic and beating
Utah.
In any other season, that would have been what the
year would be known by, the year of two ties. This squad,
though, was destined for far greater things.
Alabama then set the tone for the postseason by winning
its first ever Southeastern Conference Championship with a
190.15. It was only the second time in school history that it
had scored in the 190s. The Tide outpointed second-place
Georgia by .95.
Nationals were in Salt Lake City, Utah, home of fivetime
NCAA Champion Utah, the No. 2 seed. Among others,
Alabama would face defending NCAA Champs Georgia, No.
3 seeded LSU and No. 4 seeded Florida. Both the competition
and the floor were familiar. The position, being the No. 1
seed, was not.
“I don’t think there’s extra pressure on us being the No. 1
seed,” Sarah said. “We just achieved so many things - winning
the SEC, the record in the regionals and the No. 1 seed
- that we’re too proud of what we’ve already accomplished
to feel pressure.”
If Alabama disagreed with their coach, it did not show.
Those watching from the stands and those on press row
observed a Crimson Tide team that was calm and loose
going into the championships, having fun, being playful and
displaying an indomitable team spirit.
Alabama scored an NCAA Championship record on the
way to its first national championship, shattering the mark
previously held by Utah, (188.35), with a 190.05. The Tide’s
highest all-around finish was ninth-place, highlighting the
team effort it took to win the championship.
Record: 12-0-0 Head Coach: Paul "Bear" Bryant Assistant Coach: Ken Donahue, Sylvester Croom, K.J. Lazenby, Bobby Marks, Mal Moore, Bill Oliver, Bryant Pool, Dee Powell, Jeff Rouzie, Jack Rutledge, George "Shorty" White, Perry Willis. Team Captains: Don McNeal, Steve Whitman
Selectors: AP, Berryman, Billingsley, DeVoid, Dunkel, FACT, Football News, Football Writers, Helms, Mathews, National Championship Foundation, National Football Foundation, New York Times, Poling, Sagarin, Sporting News, United Press International.
Consensus National Champions
Front Row: Holt, Umphrey, Pugh, Jacobs, McElroy, Sprinkle, Harris, Shealy, Coley, Landrum, Gray, Wilcox, Reeves, Tucker, Castille, Simon.
Second Row: Haney, Perrin, J. Jones, Spencer, McNeal, Orcutt, White, Jackson, Blue, Fagan, Rozzell, Collins, Williams, Junior, Ferguson, M. Ogilvie, Clements, Hill, Whitman, Miller (trainer)
Third Row: Connor (manager), Braggs, Nix, Bobbdy Smith, Scott, DeNiro, Barry Smith, Barnes, Mott, Dasher, Robbins, Allison, Bunch, Holcombe, Cowell, Bramblett, Searcy, Brock, Cayavec, McCombe, Hannah, Cates (manager).
Fourth Row: Collins, Aydelette, Clark, Pitts, Marks, Brown, Mauro, Beazley, R. Ogilvie, Krout, Travis, Wood, Boyd, Lyles, Homan, McGriff, R. Jones, Cline, Lancaster.
Record: 11-1-1 Head Coach: Paul "Bear" Bryant Assistant Coach: Sylvester Croom, Ken Donahue, Bobby Marks, Bill Oliver, Bryant Pool, Dee Powell, Jeff Rouzie, Jack Rutledge, George White, Perry Willis, Mike Marks. Team Captains: Marty Lyons, Jeff Rutledge, Tony Nathan.
Selectors: AP, Football News, Football Writers, Helms, National Championship Foundation, National Football Foundation, Sagarin.
Record: 11-1-1 Head Coach: Paul "Bear" Bryant Assistant Coach: Sam Bailey, Jimmy Sharpe, Jack Rutledge, Dude Hennessey, Bill Oliver, Bobby Marks, Bud Moore, Mal Moore, Pat Dye Team Captains: Wilbur Jackson, Chuck Strickland
Record: 9-1-1 Head Coach: Paul "Bear" Bryant Assistant Coach: Howard Schnellenberger, Ken Meyer, Richard Williamson, Ralph Genito, Mal Moore, Pat Dye, Ken Donahue, Dude, Hennessey, Clen Gryska, Jimmy Sharpe Team Captains: Steve Sloan, Paul Crane
Selectors: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, National Championship Foundation, Billingsley, Football Research.
Record: 10-1-0 Head Coach: Paul "Bear" Bryant Assistant Coach: Gene Stallings, Howard Schnellenberger, Ken Meyer, Dee Powell, Richard Williamson, Ken Donahue, Dude Hennessey, Clem Gryska, Jimmy Sharpe, Mal Moore Team Captains: Joe Namath, Ray Ogden
Selectors: Associated Press, United Press International, Berryman, Litkenhous.
Record: 11-0-0 Head Coach: Paul "Bear" Bryant Assistant Coach: Phil Cutchin, Carney Laslie, Sam Bailey, Charley Bradshaw, Pat James, Gene Stallings, Dude Hennessey, Howard Schnellenberger, Elwood Kettler, Clem Gryska, Don Cochran Team Captains: Pat Trammell, Billy Neighbors
Selectors: Associated Press, Berryman, Billingsley, DeVold, Dunkel, Football News, Football Research, Helms, Litkenhous, National Championship Foundation, National Football Foundation, Sagarin, United Press International, Williamson.
Record: 9-2-0 Head Coach: Frank Thomas Assistant Coach: Hank Crisp, Harold "Red" Drew, Tilden Campbell, Ed Hickerson Freshman Coach: Paul Burnum Team Captain: John Wyhonic Manager: Joseph Baker
Record: 10-0-0 Head Coach: Frank Thomas Assistant Coach: Hank Crisp, Harold "Red" Drew, J.B. "Ears" Whitworth, John Cain, jim Dildy Freshman Coach: Paul Burnum Team Captain: William Lee Manager: Hugo Marx
Selectors: Dunkel, Houlgate, Poling, Williamson
Front Row: Rogers, Bludworth, Davidson, Granger, Stapp, Taylor, Marx (Manager), McLeod, Williamson, Goldberg, Thompson, Riley, Shepherd.
Second Row: Ryba, Gandy, McDaniel, Howell, Boozer, Cochrane, Lee, Campbell, Angelich, H. Walker, Danelutti, A. White, Peters, Griffin.
Third Row: Dildy, Smith, Lyon, Morrow, Baswell, Ellis, Dobbins, Sneed, R. White, Tipton, Rhordanz, Nisbet, Scott, Stacy.
Fourth Row: Young, Radford, Coffman, Bryant, Moye, J. Walker, McGahey, Whatley, Keller, Marr, Hutson, Francis, Freeman, Demyanovich.
Record: 9-0-1 Head Coach: Wallace Wade Assistant Coach: Hank Crisp, Russell Cohen, Clyde Propst, Johnny Mack Brown Freshman Coach: W.T. Vandergraaff Team Captain: Emile "Red" Barnes Manager: Thomas Joyce
Selectors: Helms, Billingsley, Football Research, National Championship Foundation, Poling
Alabama’s football history has been about champions and
the 1925 team garnered the first national title by posting a
perfect 10-0 record and beating powerful Washington 20-19
in the Rose Bowl. It marked the first time a southern team
had been to Pasadena and the locals appeared shocked with
the Tide victory.
Senior stars Johnny Mack Brown and All-American Pooley
Hubert mesmerized the crowds of the 1920s with their
unique skills. Known as the "Dothan Antelope" Brown was
the scourge of Bama foes. Brown scored on a 58-yard reception
from Grant Gillis and a 62-yard catch from Hubert in
the Rose Bowl win.
In the win over Washington, Hubert also rushed for a
touchdown and starred defensively. Both Brown and Hubert
would become College Football Hall of Famers. Brown
and guard Bill Buckler were also All-Southern Conference
selections.
