Feb. 11, 2010
LEXINGTON, Ky. — – The 12th-ranked University of Kentucky gymnastics team begins a three-meet home stand Friday, when it welcomes No. 14 Auburn to Memorial Coliseum for a 7 p.m. ET contest.
Listed among the nation’s top 15 for the fifth consecutive week according to GymInfo, Kentucky (3-4 overall, 1-3 Southeastern Conference) is coming off a season-high team performance at then-No. 9 Georgia last Friday. The Wildcats posted a 195.550 score, but fell short to the Gym Dogs’ 197.200 score.
Kentucky set or tied seven individual season highs against Georgia. The Wildcats posted a season-high 48.650 on the balance beam team and tied a season-best effort on the uneven bars at 48.925. UK sophomore Whitney Rose (Frisco, Texas) won her fifth career vault title and the third of the season with a 9.900, finishing ahead of teammate senior Emily Green (Penfield, N.Y.) and Georgia’s Cassidy McComb at 9.850. Green’s score on vault was a season high.
“It’s frustrating coming off two meets where you felt like you should have gone 196.000 and you didn’t,” head coach Mo Mitchell said. “We know we are better. So, we’ve just been going back to work and trying to clean our performances. We’re looking for more secure landings, making your leaps, jumps and turns bigger with straighter legs — the fine little things.”
Kentucky ranks among the national leaders on floor exercise (ninth at 49.010), vault (11th at 49.035), uneven bars (16th at 48.775) and balance beam (17th at 48.500). Three Wildcats are listed among the nation’s top 50 on the floor exercise. Senior Hillary Ferguson (Richmond, Ky.) is tied for 23rd (9.840 average). Jasmine Minion (Memphis, Tenn.) is tied for 40th (9.810) while Green is tied for 45th (9.805).
On other events, Rose is tied for 34th in the nation on vault (9.835) while senior Jamie Reimann (Johnston, Iowa) is tied for 55th on the uneven bars (9.781).
Auburn (1-4, 1-3 SEC) registered a team-high score in its 197.025-196.425 setback at then-No. 7 Arkansas last week. The Tigers lone win of the season came at home two weeks ago in a 195.225-194.900 upset of then-No. 8 Georgia.
The Wildcats celebrate “Father-Daughter Night” Friday with all father-daughter pairs receiving 2-for-1 tickets at the window. One lucky pair will win a $100 shopping spree at the UK Bookstore (register at the promotions gazebo on the west concourse).
Fans attending Thursday’s UK Hoops game vs. Georgia can present their ticket stub for free admission Friday.
The first 100 kids receive a free pair of sunglasses.
UK sophomores Storey Morris and Whitney Rose will be signing autographs following the meet.
Stay tuned to UKathletics.com for complete coverage of the UK gymnastics team and follow “UKGymnastics” on Facebook and Twitter.
