Oct. 1, 2013
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Coming off the most successful season in program history, the University of Kentucky gymnastics team and head coach Tim Garrison announced its 2014 schedule, which features four home contests at Memorial Coliseum and eight meets against Southeastern Conference opponents.
The 2014 slate includes 11 regular season contests and home meets with defending national champion Florida and fellow SEC foe Auburn. UK also welcomes Penn State, West Virginia, California, Ball State and Centenary to Lexington.
Kentucky, which finished 21st in the national rankings last season, will face 10 teams in the regular season that finished in the top 17 in 2013. Seven of the SEC’s eight teams placed in the top 21 last year.
Garrison, in his third year at the helm, led UK to the program’s highest-ever NCAA Regional score and three SEC wins in 2013, the most in school history.
After the team hosts its annual Blue/White Intrasquad meet on Dec. 10 at Memorial Coliseum, the 2014 campaign officially kicks off at home with Excite Night at the Kentucky Classic on Jan. 10. As part of the four-team event, UK hosts Penn State, West Virginia and Ball State at 7 p.m. ET.
The Wildcats hit the road the next three weekends, where they’ll face three SEC squads. The roadtrip begins in Knoxville, Tenn., at the Ozone Invite against Alabama and Nebraska on Jan. 18 at 8 p.m. and continues Jan. 24 at 7:30 p.m. at Missouri. On Feb. 1, Kentucky and Georgia square off at 4 p.m. in Athens, Ga.
UK returns to Lexington on Feb. 7 to face Florida, the defending NCAA and SEC champion. The meet against the Gators will be the annual Pink Out at Memorial Coliseum.
The season continues with three more road contests over two weekends. Kentucky travels to Fort Worth, Texas, for the Metroplex Challenge on Feb. 15 to face NCAA runner-up Oklahoma, Arizona and LSU at 8 p.m. The following weekend, the Wildcats will compete twice, on Feb. 21 at Arkansas and on Feb. 23 at the Masters Classic in Lincoln, Neb., against host-Nebraska, Wisconsin-Stout and Bridgeport.
On Feb. 28, Kentucky hosts Auburn before the Wildcats welcome California and Centenary to Memorial Coliseum on March 7 for senior night. Both meets start at 7 p.m.
The regular season concludes March 14 at LSU at 8 p.m.
The SEC Championship on March 22 will feature the league’s eight teams in Birmingham, Ala. UK will begin postseason competition looking to secure the program’s 26th NCAA Regional appearance and 10th straight.
NCAA Regionals will be held April 5 at one of six sites, three within the SEC. Conference foes LSU, Georgia and Arkansas have been selected to host regional meets in addition to Washington, Minnesota and Penn State.
The 2014 season concludes at the NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships, April 18-20 in Birmingham, Ala. A national champion will be crowned at the same site as the SEC Championships, the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex.
For complete news and updates on the Kentucky Gymnastics program, go to UKathletics.com. Breaking news, behind-the-scenes updates, photos and more can be found on Twitter at @UKGymnastics and Facebook at Facebook.com/UKGymnastics.
