(Feb. 1, 2001) — After hosting No. 5 Michigan last week, the 25th-ranked University of Kentucky gymnastics team returns to the friendly confines of Memorial Coliseum to meet No. 3 Georgia and George Washington on Friday, February 2, at 7:30 p.m. Radford University was originally scheduled to compete, but pulled out of the meet this week.
“We feel prepared for Georgia,” Coach Leah Little said. “We have come down hard on the team this past week to eliminate the mistakes we were making, and they have responded well. We are hoping for our best performance of the season.”
Despite starting the season slow, UK (0-3, 0-2 Southeastern Conference) is ranked 25th in the nation with a team averagescore of 193.467 and has seen a lot of promise from all of the gymnasts who maintain rankings regionally and nationally. Regionally,Kentucky holds on to the No. 5 position.
The GymKats have struggled on the beam this season, but it is on this apparatus that one gymnast shines. Sophomore MindySmith leads the team and the region on the beam with a 9.875 average, and is ranked seventh nationally. Against Auburn, Smithscored a career-high 9.900 and has extended her streak of competitions without a fall to 13.
Smith also leads the team on the floor exercise, UK’s best event so far this season. Her average score of 9.783 is just ahead ofsophomore Julia Gore and senior Beth Coleman, each averaging 9.775. Not far behind are junior Nicole Allen and freshman JulieJoy at 9.717. The vault has been another steady event for the GymKats with junior Jennifer Simmons leading the way with a 9.783average, while Gore and Joy are tied for second on the team with a 9.750. On the uneven bars, junior Jessie Lemp leads the waywith a 9.717 average, followed by junior Katie Toups (9.642) and Julia Gore (9.550).
Georgia comes to Lexington ranked No. 3 in the country, trailing only UCLA and SEC-rival Alabama. The Bulldogs (5-0-1,3-0-1 SEC) again are fielding an extremely strong team, boasting a senior class that had a combined 97-3-1 record heading into2001, two NCAA titles and 11 first-team All-America honors.
This season, the Gym Dogs have opened competition on fire. At the Super Six Challenge on Jan. 6, UGA tied Alabama for the meettitle with its lowest team total of the season. 195.350. Georgia has gone on to win three more dual meets and score no less than196.100. This was done not only with seniors, but also a strong group of underclassmen.
George Washington enters this meet with a 5-1 record after only one meet. The Colonials finished second in the George WashingtonInvitational, falling to NC State while topping William & Mary, Pennsylvania, Temple, Cornell and Radford. GW’s score of 191.900has them ranked 42nd in the nation.
GW boasts a team that won the Atlantic-10 Conference last season for its third consecutive title. It also welcomes back eightletterwinners that helped lead to the school’s highest score in history (195.675).
It is “Kickin’ Flippin’ Country” night at the coliseum, with a D.J. from 98.1 The Bull entertaining the crowd prior to the meet. Comeon out in your favorite country wear, enjoy the entertainment and win prizes.
