DULUTH, Ga. ? The No. 20 Kentucky Wildcats travel to Duluth, Ga. to compete in the 2008 SEC Gymnastics Championship. On Friday March 28 the official rotation order was announced.
Rotation order is drawn at random by a gymnast from each team. Junior Heather Hite represented the Wildcats.
After starting on floor four years in a row, the Cats finally get a chance to start the meet with a Bye, and then continue the events in Olympic order (vault, bars, beam, floor). Many coaches and athletes feel the order in which they begin competition plays a key role in their success, ending on a team?s best event is felt to hold an advantage.
The Cats are ranked 10th nationally on floor and the event has shown to be the team?s strongest. Leading the Wildcats on floor is sophomore Hillary Ferguson who is ranked 15th nationally on the event.
?We are really excited to be here and compete,? Head Coach Mo Mitchell said. ?I feel we are showing up with one of Kentucky?s best teams and I think we are going to have a great meet. It feels good to start with a Bye after beginning on floor for the past four years. We will be able to build momentum and really optimize results.?
The order of rotation for the Cats is as follows: Bye 1, vault, Bye 2, bars, beam, Bye 3, floor. Florida will begin on Bye 2, Georgia on floor, Auburn on beam, Arkansas on vault, Alabama on Bye 2, and LSU on bars.
The SEC Championships is scheduled to being at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday March 29 at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. For complete coverage of Kentucky gymnastics, please visit www.ukathletics.com. Complete coverage of the SEC Gymnastics Championship is available at www.secsports.com/gym.