NOTES
This Weekend?s Meet
The No. 18 Wildcats (7-5, 1-5) close out their home schedule with a tri-meet vs. Ball State and Air Force, Fri., March 10, at 7:30 p.m., in Memorial Coliseum. The Cats will honor departing seniors Bethany Strauch and Staci O?Keefe. Live scoring for the meet will be available on ukathletics.com.
Rankings
The Wildcats are No. 18 in the recent GymInfo Poll (3/8). All seven schools in the SEC who sponsor gymnastics are represented in the rankings. Defending National Champion No. 1 Georgia, No. 2 Florida, No. 3 Alabama, No. 7 LSU, No. 13 Auburn, No. 18 Kentucky and No. 20 Arkansas all reside in the top 25.
History
Last season the Cats defeated Ball State, 195.525-191.025, in Lexington. UK will be facing the Air Force Academy for the first time.
National Rankings
Four UK gymnasts are currently ranked among the top 50 nationally in various events — Krystle Cook (27th all-around, t-11th bars, t-17th vault), Heather Hite (t-11th beam, t-46th floor), Natalie Rubinstein (32nd bars) and Kristen O?Shields (t-44th beam). All four gymnasts have scored 9.9s or better this season.
Steady Improvement
Six of the seven Wildcat gymnasts who competed last season have either tied or set new career-highs in at least one event in 2006.
All-Time List
This season, the Cats tied the UK all-time mark for team beam score (49.350, at Arkansas, 2/24) and posted the second highest score in school history (196.250, at Arkansas, 2/24).
UK Gymnast of the Week 3/6
Junior Rachel Riley was nominated UK Gymnast of the Week by the coaching staff. Riley posted 9.7s or better at Georgia last weekend on three of four events, including a 9.775 (season-best) on bars while filling in for the injured Sarai Sevier. For the meet, Riley notched a season-best 38.900 in all-around competition.
Scouting Ball State (1-17, 0-4)
The Cardinals finished fourth last weekend (187.325) at the Outback Invitational at host Southeast Missouri. Ball State is led by Jenna Tarkington who owns a season-high 9.875 on vault, while Kelly Watson has a season-high of 38.400 in all-around competition.
Scouting Air Force (1-9)
Last weekend, the Falcons lost to UC Davis, 190.875-179.700. AFA is led by Lauren Robison who has posted team-high marks on vault, bars, floor and all-around. Robison earned Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Gymnast of the Week 2/14.
Looking Ahead
Kentucky travels to Birmingham, Ala. to compete in the SEC Championships, Sat., March 25. The meet will be televised Thu., March 30, at 7 p.m. on FOX Sports Net.
