The Gym Dogs’ climb back to the nation’s No. 1 spot was officially completed Monday, as the switch to regional qualifying scores (RQS) pushed them past Utah and to the top of the rankings.

But, if you ask coach Suzanne Yoculan, that’s not where they deserve to be.

“In my estimation there are five teams that are more consistent than Georgia right now,” Yoculan said. “When it comes to championships, potential doesn’t mean a whole lot. Consistency does. So in my mind we’re No. 6. Am I glad that we’re No. 1? I couldn’t care less.”

Since beginning their quest for a fifth-straight national championship, the Gym Dogs’ season has been a healthy mixture of excellence and inconsistency.

After starting 2009 with an abysmal 195.425 against West Virginia, they reeled off three wins against top-10 opponents in the span of a week, then proceeded to struggle to a 195.000 against a weak N.C. State team.

Add to all that a margin of victory (two-tenths of a point) that could – and should – have been much larger against Arkansas last week, and you understand why the Gym Dogs are less than enthused about reclaiming their perch atop the rankings.

“It’s interesting that we’re back at No. 1 and we haven’t even hit close to our potential, which is annoying,” said junior Courtney McCool. “We’re on a line of whether we’re going to hit our potential or whether we’re going to stay right here. And I’m thinking our decision is move to the potential side, but we’ll see.”

McCool, who’s yet to officially compete this season, hopes to be back in the regular lineup on beam and bars when Georgia hosts No.7 Florida on Saturday.

“There’s definitely some areas where I don’t feel we’re connected as a team,” said senior Courtney Kupets. “Having that total collective, cohesive group that really helps over anything else.”

As Yoculan pointed out, if the rankings had not switched to RQS, a ranking system based on a team’s six best team scores, her team may be in a far different spot, and certainly not at No. 1.

“Just because the formula says we’re No. 1 doesn’t mean that we are a No. 1 team,” Yoculan said. “And we are not a No. 1 team.”