Nov. 19, 2001
The University of Kentucky gymnastics team performed for the judges for the first time on Friday, Nov. 16 in preparation for the upcoming season as the White squad topped the Blue squad, 189.15-185.95, in an intrasquad scrimmage.
With just under a month and a half before the beginning of the season, the GymKats looked solid on all four events. On floor, which could be UK’s strongest event in 2002, freshman Michelle Gales and senior Nicole Allen looked strong. The judges felt the team as a whole has great potential on the beam, while overall the squad has a lot of big skills and presence on each apparatus.
Senior co-captain Jessie Lemp led the Blue team, which consisted of freshmen Ashley Brown and Krista Prestigiacomo, sophomore Aronda Primault, junior Melanie Zaharias, and seniors Jennifer Simmons and Katie Toups. The White squad was led by junior co-captain Karla Adelt, who was joined by freshmen Lindsay Cameron, Katie Elder, Gales and Kara Prestigiacomo, sophomore Julie Joy, junior Mindy Smith and Allen. When combining the team’s efforts and counting the top five scores overall in each event, the GymKats would have totaled a 194.275.
The 2002 GymKats welcome back 11 letterwinners from a team that finished 16th in the nation last year and scored its highest regional competition score in school history with a fourth-place total of 195.150. UK missed a trip to the NCAA championships as a team by 0.800, while Primault missed qualifying in the all-around by 0.100.
UK lost just one senior from last season’s squad while they welcome six freshmen to the mix. They open the season on Jan. 5, 2002, with their annual Excite Nite extravaganza that will include for the first time a scored meet against Ohio State.
