Jan. 15, 2000

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky gymnastics team put on one of its most impressive season openers on Friday, when it tallied a 192.250 final score. The GymKats (0-1, 0-1) were defeated by No. 13 LSU (4-0, 1-0), who recorded a final mark of 194.625, before a crowd of 1,918 in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La.

Freshman Julia Gore won the all-around competition with a 37.475, while freshman Mindy Smith finished second with a 37.000. Senior Krissy Hoeferlin led the Kats on vault with a mark of 9.850. Baton Rouge native Katie Toups led the Kats on the uneven bars with a score of 9.825. Smith came up big for Kentucky during the final two rotations, when she led the team with a 9.800 on balance beam and a 9.750 on the floor exercise.

?I was really nervous at first, but I wanted to do really well for the team,? Mindy Smith said. ?It was important to me to do all-around to get my nerves out of the way. I?m really looking forward to the chance to compete in front of our home crowd next weekend.?

Coach Leah Little saw many good things for the team to build on but emphasized the importance of the team?s first competition.

?This first competition gave us a good chance to watch where we are,? Coach Little said. ?You really have no idea what you have until you compete. There will be a lot of experimenting in the lineup this season. Mindy did a great job on floor and beam and Julia did an excellent job until the last event. This is going to be a gradual building process, but I am confident that everyone will see us improve every week.?

The GymKats are back in action on Fri. January 21, when they take on the Auburn Tigers in Memorial Coliseum at 7:30 p.m. This marks the first home meet of the season for the GymKats.

 LSU     194.625  UK      192.250  UK Scores:  Vault                   48.450         Uneven Bars        48.450 Mindy Smith              9.550         Krissy Hoeferlin    9.550 Beth Coleman             9.575         Nicole Allen        9.650 Katie Toups              9.525         Jessie Lemp         9.725 Jennifer Simmons         9.575         Mindy Smith         7.900 Julia Gore               9.675         Julia Gore          9.700 Krissy Hoeferlin         9.850         Katie Toups         9.825   Balance Beam             47.550        Floor Exercise     48.025 Nicole Allen              9.150         Nicole Allen       9.650 Krissy Hoeferlin          9.500         Jennifer Simmons   8.825 Julia Gore                8.400         Beth Coleman       9.200 Jennifer Simmons          9.350         Julia Gore         9.700 Mindy Smith               9.800         Mindy Smith        9.750 Mila Chitwood             9.750         Mila Chitwood      9.725