Kentucky Finishes Top Five at 2023 SEC Gymnastics Championships

DULUTH, Ga. – No. 3-seeded Kentucky gymnastics finished fourth overall, with a final score of 197.675, at the 2023 Southeastern Conference Gymnastics Championships at Gas South Arena on Saturday evening.

Competing in the evening session for the first time since 2019, the Cats’ overall meet score was the program’s highest at the SEC Championships to date.

The Florida Gators won its second consecutive SEC Championship scoring a 198.425. UF also did the conference double winning the regular-season title as well. The Crimson Tide was in second with a 197.925 while LSU finished the night in third place, scoring 197.800.

Behind fourth-place Kentucky was Auburn with a 197.100 to lead the first session of the championships. The Missouri Tigers finished the meet in sixth overall scoring a 197.000 with Arkansas in seventh (196.825) and Georgia in eighth (196.600).

Kentucky’s fourth-place finish tied its highest placement at the conference contest, while its 3-seed leading into the championships was its highest in program history. The Wildcats have finished in the fourth slot three times prior in 1996, 2018 and 2021.

Beginning the meet on the floor exercise, the Cats kicked off the night with a big 49.400. Junior Hailey Davis rocked on to hold the top score for UK on the event with a 9.925. Both Arianna Patterson and Raena Worley earned 9.900 for their performances on the apparatus. Davis, Patterson and Worley all fell within the top-10 individually overall on floor. Junior Isabella Magnelli was scored 9.850. Makenzie Wilson was given a 9.825 while Jillian Procasky scored a 9.800.

Kentucky’s second rotation of the evening session was vault where UK tallied 49.325. Magnelli was awarded a 9.900 for her pike front half, finding herself in a 12-way tie for seventh place overall with both sessions combined. Leadoff Procasky and Patterson each earned 9.875 from the judges which placed the student-athletes in the top-10 on the event for the second session. Wilson was second for UK in the vault lineup with a 9.850. Freshman Bridget Bourque was flashed a 9.825 with Worley receiving a 9.800.

The best performance of the night for UK was the third rotation, the uneven bars. Kentucky scored a giant 49.600 with five of the six Cats in the lineup scoring a 9.900 or higher. The total apparatus’ tally was the second highest of the night out of all eight teams. Senior Shealyn Luksik received the top score with a big 9.950. Her top mark placed her in a four-way tie for second individually on the event out of everyone competing. Both Worley and DeGuzman stuck their landings to earn 9.925, placing sixth overall, with Bunn and Procasky scoring 9.900 to finish in the top-10. Leadoff Davis was not far behind with a 9.850.

To finish out the conference meet, the Cats ended on the balance beam recording a 49.350. Magnelli rocked the beam showing consistency on the event with a 9.950 which put the gymnast in a four-way second place tie overall. Patterson also produced a solid 9.900 routine, placing her in the top-10, with Worley earning a 9.875. Procasky’s performance was scored 9.825 with Luksik scoring a 9.800. Bunn received a 9.200 following an unfortunate fall off the equipment.

In regular season competition, Kentucky scored a 49.000 or higher on every apparatus in every meet. The impressive streak did not stop once postseason began as the Cats tallied a 49.000 or more on each event of the SEC Championships.

The Cats will learn the remainder of its postseason fate on Monday with the NCAA selection show airing at Noon EST.

For the latest on the Kentucky gymnastics team, follow @UKGymnastics on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, as well as on the web at UKAthletics.com.