NOTES
This Weekend?s Meet
The No. 18 Wildcats travel to Birmingham, Ala. for the 26th annual Southeastern Conference Championships, Sat., March 25, at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center.
Rankings
The Wildcats are No. 18 in the recent GymInfo Poll (3/20). All seven schools in the SEC who sponsor gymnastics are represented in the rankings. Defending National Champion No. 1 Georgia, No. 3 Florida, No. 5 Alabama, No. 8 LSU, No. 14 Auburn, No. 18 Kentucky and No. 19 Arkansas all reside in the top 25.
National Rankings
The Wildcat gymnasts are currently ranked among the top 50 nationally in various events — Krystle Cook (35th all-around, t-12th bars, t-18th vault), Heather Hite (17th beam), and Natalie Rubinstein (26th bars). All three gymnasts are ranked in the top ten in the conference in those events.
Racking Up the Wins
Kentucky has competed in three tri-meets, one quad meet and one five-team meet this season, of which they are are an impressive 12-1 with four meet titles.
Knocking on the Door of A Record
With the SEC Championships, Regionals and potentially the NCAA Championships to come, the Cats (14-6) look primed to break the program?s all-time single-season record for team wins (14, 1993, ?90 and 2005).
9.9 or Better Club
Four UK gymnasts have scored 9.9s or better this season. Cook owns a season-best of 9.925 on vault and on bars. Newcomers Hite (beam, three times; floor) and Rubinstein (bars) both have 9.9s under their belts and sophomore Kristen O?Shields holds a career-high 9.925 on beam. As a team, Kentucky has gone 9.9 or better 14 times this season.
Team Score Records
The Cats have scored the second (196.250) and third (196.100) highest teams scores in program history this season — both coming at road meets.
Last Weekend
Kentucky came through with a strong second place showing at the five-team Salbasgeon Suites Invitational. The Cats scored the third highest team score in program history (196.100) and finished closely behind host No. 17 Oregon State (196.550). UK scored above 49.0 on three of four events.
History
This year marks the 26th annual SEC Championships. Georgia and Alabama have accounted for the last 16 team titles, with Georgia winning four of the last five. Kentucky?s highest score was in 2002 when the Cats registered a 196.325 (highest point total in UK history). The Wildcats? top finish was in 1996 when they placed fourth (195.250). UK has finished seventh in the last three meets. Last season, Georgia won its second consecutive title with a score of 197.250. Kentucky finished seventh (193.800). Overall, Georgia has the most team titles with 14, followed by Alabama and Florida (five) and LSU (one). Former UK great Jenny Hansen owns nine SEC titles (one all-around, two vault, two beam, one bars, and three floor). Hansen holds the meet records for vault (10.0), bars (9.950) and floor (10.0).
Meet Info
Live Statistics/Results – Live statistics and photos, as well as final results, notes, quotes, awards, etc., can be located on the SEC?s web site, SECsports.com, and ukathletics.com.
Ticket Information – Tickets are on sale now by calling Ticket Master at (205)-715-6000 or 1-800-277-1700. All tickets are $11-$14 and are for reserved seating. Walk-up sales also available on the day of the event.
SEC Gymnastics Championship Telecast – A highlight show will air on a tape-delay basis on FSN South/SEC-TV. Air date is March 30 at 7:00 p.m. ET.
Looking Ahead
Kentucky will await its NCAA Regional destination, slated for Fri.-Sun., April 7-9.
