No. 24 Kentucky Travels to No. 7 Arkansas
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 24 Kentucky (1-7, 1-3 SEC) looks to continue its newfound momentum going as it heads to Fayetteville to dual against No. 7 Arkansas (5-4, 2-2 SEC) on Friday, February 20 at 8:15 p.m. ET. The meet from Bud Walton Arena will be streamed live on SEC Network + with Brett Dolan, Sydney Lemmerhirt, and Kennedy Smith on the call.
After a slow start to the season, the Wildcats have slowly regained their consistency, scoring above 196 in three straight meets. After breaking 196 for the first time with a 196.475 against No. 1 Oklahoma, Kentucky earned its first win of the season with a 197.325 at No. 12 Auburn. The Cats backed it up with their best home score of the season in a narrow 196.800-196.825 defeat against No. 7 Missouri last week. With the recent results, the Cats broke into the top 25 for the first time this season last week and moved up to a season best ranking of No. 24 with the first publishing of NQS (National Qualifying Scores).
The Cats have been led by the one-two punch of Creslyn Brose and Delaynee Rodriguez all season, with the duo combining for four event titles in each of the past two weeks. Against Missouri, Rodriguez claimed her fifth all-around title in six meets this season, scoring a 39.500. The junior from Las Vegas ranks as the No. 4 all-arounder in the NCAA with a 39.455 NQS. Rodriguez also claimed wins on the uneven bars and floor exercise with career high scores of 9.950. Rodriguez has claimed 11 event wins this season and has set career high marks on all four events and the all-around.
Brose continues to deliver on her signature floor exercise, scoring 9.950 en route to an event title in each of the last three meets. Although not competing enough meets to this point to hold an NQS, Brose holds the third-highest floor average in the country at 9.938. The two-time All-American from Holly Springs, N.C. now holds eight career titles on the floor.
A pair of Wildcats shared last week’s beam title, as Chesney Bennett and Gabby Van Frayen matched their career best score of 9.900 to take the victory. The win was the first in Bennett’s collegiate career and the second for Van Frayen—one week after claiming her first collegiate win. Another freshman—Sabrina Nemcek—has shined in the last two weeks, scoring 9.900 and 9.925 on the bars in her first two collegiate routines.
Kentucky looks to continue its recent momentum in the series against Arkansas, claiming three wins against the Razorbacks in 2024. Meeting at the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad, in Lexington for the regular season dual meet, and at the NCAA Pennsylvania Regional Final, the Cats outscored the Hogs on all three occasions, even posting the third-highest score in program history with a 197.925 in the dual meet victory.
The Wildcats will return home next week, hosting No. 6 Georgia for the penultimate home meet of the 2026 regular season. The meet from Historic Memorial Coliseum will begin at 6 p.m. ET on Friday, February 27 and will be televised on SEC Network.
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