March 20, 2003

The University of Kentucky gymnastics team will take part in its final regular season meet of 2003, as the GymKats travel to Tempe, Ariz., to face the home-standing Sun Devils on Friday, March 21 at 9:30 p.m. ET in Wells Fargo Arena. Kentucky will make its final push for the post-season against No. 3 Arizona State, its third opponent of the season that has been ranked in the nation’s top five.

The GymKats (5-11, 0-6 SEC) team took second place in a tri-meet during “Blue & White Senior Night” at Memorial Coliseum last weekend. Their score of 194.700 was enough to defeat Southeast Missouri’s 192.950, but could not outdo No. 13 Denver’s total of 195.450 points. Senior Julia Gore led the Cats with a 9.950 on the uneven bars, while sophomore Michelle Gales and senior Mindy Smith each scored 9.900 on the balance beam.

Gore and Gales tied for first place in the all-around at 39.400, a career-high score for both GymKats. It was the highest mark scored by a GymKat since 1996 and eight-time national champion Jenny Hansen.

Arizona State comes into the meet ranked third in the nation. Picked 15th in the pre-season coaches poll, the Sun Devils have held steady in the nation’s top 10 since the middle of January. Arizona is second in the South Central Region with a team RQS of 197.305. They are led by the nation’s fifth-best all-arounder, Maggie Germaine. Last week, the Sun Devils defeated San Jose State by a score of 197.300-193.550.

Kentucky will take part in the Southeastern Conference Championships on Saturday, March 29, in Birmingham, Ala. The GymKats will then wait to see if they qualify for the NCAA Regional Championships, to be held the second weekend of April.