By Jacob Most
April 22, 2013 –
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky gymnastics team wrapped up a great 2013 season by claiming the prestigious “Team of the Year Award” at the CATSPY Awards, held Monday in Memorial Coliseum.
The gymnastics team posted the program’s highest-ever NCAA Regional team score with a 195.575 after qualifying for Regionals with another school-record RQS 196.06.
Competing in the nation’s top gymnastics conference, Kentucky finished the Southeastern Conference schedule with three wins, the most in school history, highlighted by a home-opening victory over then-No. 9 Arkansas. UK also beat then-No. 13 Auburn twice, and tied then-No. 6 Georgia at home.
Kentucky also picked up a pair of individual awards on the evening.
Second-year head coach Tim Garrison was named Coach of the Year alongside baseball head coach Gary Henderson and rifle head coach Harry Mullins.
UK posted a new school record team score twice in 2013 under Garrison’s direction.
Sophomore Shannon Mitchell picked up the Scratch Award, which goes to the top non-scholarship student-athlete.
Mitchell led the team with a 9.763 balance beam average, and had UK’s second-highest floor exercise average score 9.808.
The CATSPYs, held for the 11th year in a row on Monday, recognize UK’s athletic and academic performance during the year.
A spin-off of the popular ESPY Awards held each year by ESPN, the CATSPYS feature 24 individual and team honors, chosen from UK’s 22 varsity sports.
The event is dedicated to celebrating the 481 student-athletes that represent UK. Videos of the nominees in each category are shown. UK student-athletes and head coaches serve as presenters.
The award show also features multiple comedy videos produced by the UK Sports Video Department. The gymnastics team’s contributed its own rentition of “Bella’s Finale” from the film Pitch Perfect.
Fans can also view a full recap of the 2013 Catspys, see all the 2013 winners as well as view all the videos from the show on UKathletics.com.
