The Gym Dogs finished the 2009 season atop the podium yet again Friday, giving head coach Suzanne Yoculan a 10th NCAA championship for a retirement gift.

But it wasn’t all smiles and stuck landings along the way – there were twists, turns and tears, too. Here’s a look at Georgia gymnastics’ road to a fifth consecutive national title.

 After a slow season-opener against West Virginia, the Gym Dogs rattled off three straight victories over top-10 opponents at LSU and at home against Utah and Alabama. As she continued to return from an Achilles tear that saw her miss the last half of 2008, senior Courtney Kupets charted a pair of perfect 10s against Alabama.

“It’s more for the team,” Kupets said after the meet. “Yes, I did get two 10s tonight, which is amazing . But this year is about the team.”

 On Jan. 30, Georgia gymnastics goes to Raleigh, and hits its first low point of the season, posting a lackluster 195.0 – its lowest score during its string of five national championships – in a win against N.C. State.

 Following wins against Auburn, Kentucky and Centenary, the Gym Dogs went to Arkansas, where the upstart Gym ‘Backs had been giant killers. They already had bested conference powerhouses Alabama and Florida, but they couldn’t quite pull off the upset this time – Georgia escaped with a 196.925-196.425 win.

 The final day of February brought more fight from the Gym Dogs. Senior Courtney Kupets brought boxing gloves to their date with Florida, and she and the Gym Dogs exploded. Kupets put up another perfect 10, this time on floor, fueling Georgia to a huge score of 198.2, its highest score in a decade.

 A road win against UCLA (marked by a 10 from Courtney McCool in just her second meet back from a foot fracture) set the Gym Dogs up for the final home meet of Yoculan’s 26-year career.

 Amid Yoculan’s emotional goodbye to a sold-out crowd at Stegeman Coliseum, junior Grace Taylor put up another 10 for the Gym Dogs, the second of her career, and the Gym Dogs finished their season 12-0 with a 197.400-195.775 victory over Michigan.

“I feel like this is the end of the Suzanne Yoculan era, right now, tonight,” Yoculan said. “Now it’s our team and our coaches and our program moving forward trying to win a 10th national title.”

 Then came Nashville and the SEC Championships, which started disastrously for the Gym Dogs and ended plain disappointing. Georgia started on beam, and stumbled out of the gate, with both Hilary Mauro and Cassidy McComb falling in the first and second spots. The falls proved to be the difference, as the Gym Dogs finished with a 196.925, a distant second behind SEC champion Alabama.

“This has happened before,” McCool said afterward. “If we have to lose SECs to win nationals, and we have to learn this lesson to win nationals, it’s worth it.”

 Raleigh came calling again for the Gym Dogs’ NCAA Regional, and they answered with redemption. Georgia took the regional easily with a solid 197.700, punching their ticket to Nebraska.

 Then last Thursday and Friday, the Gym Dogs came out champions again, this time in Lincoln, Neb. Three Kupets 10s in two days and an excellent final two rotations powered Georgia to a 197.875 on Friday, and a 10th NCAA championship for Yoculan as she officially called it quits.

 On Saturday, Kupets took individual NCAA championships on bars, beam, floor and the all-around to give her nine all-time, making her the most decorated collegiate gymnast ever. She and fellow seniors Paige Burns, Abby Stack and Tiffany Tolnay leave as the Gym Dogs’ second straight class to leave with four national championships. Yoculan retires with an 831-117-1 record all-time, with her 10 NCAA championships the most ever.

 After a 17-year apprenticeship under Yoculan, the Jay Clark era begins.

“Our future is brilliant,” Yoculan said.