The University of Kentucky gymnastics team plays host to No. 8 Louisiana State in its season opener on Friday, Jan. 12. Action gets underway in Memorial Coliseum at 7:30 p.m.

The GymKats open the season with great expectations as they welcome back eight letterwinners, including 2000 Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year and first team All-SEC selection Julia Gore. The sophomore also qualified as the first alternate to the NCAA Championships in 2000.

“This team is ready to compete,” Coach Leah Little said. “I have never had a team so prepared and ready at this point in the year. They have been committed to training and conditioning since the season was over last year and the results have really paid off. This could be the best team we have ever had here at Kentucky.”

Also coming back to the lineup is junior Jennifer Simmons, who is bouncing back from an ankle injury that sidelined her for most of the 2000 season. As a freshman in 1999, Simmons led the team on the uneven bars and won her first all-around competition in the home opener against LSU.

Adding excellent depth to the squad will be senior Beth Coleman, juniors Nicole Allen, Jessie Lemp and Katie Toups, and sophomores Karla Adelt, Mindy Smith, Stephanee Stone, and Melanie Zaharias. Giving the GymKats even more support will be a strong freshman class.

The Kats are 4-40 all-time versus the Tigers. Last season in Baton Rouge, UK posted a strong 192.250 in a loss to the conference-foe, but were led by Gore who won the all-around in her first collegiate meet. The last time UK knocked off LSU was at the 1996 SEC Championships.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children.