No. 25 UK Gymnastics Travels to Tuscaloosa to Face No. 4 Alabama

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LEXINGTON, Ky. – After facing its most recent setback against the Georgia Bulldogs, the Kentucky Wildcats gymnastics team returns to action on Friday, Feb. 5, heading to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to face the Crimson Tide of Alabama. 

The meet is set for 8:30 p.m. ET and will be nationally televised on tape delay on ESPNU. John Roethlisberger will be on the call, while Alicia Sacramone-Quinn will serve as the meet’s analyst. 

Despite the recent defeat at the hands of Georgia, 196.275-195.025, Kentucky saw some improvements in individual results. Freshman Sidney Dukes set new personal bests in the all-around (39.300) and floor exercise (9.875), while senior Montana Whittle (beam, 9.8), sophomore Cori Rechenmacher (bars, 9.8) and freshman Katie Stuart (floor, 9.825) set new season marks in their respective events. The Wildcats also earned their eighth team event title in the meet, topping Georgia on the balance beam, 48.8 – 48.775.

For the fourth consecutive week this season, Kentucky is ranked in the top 25, dropping two spots to No. 25, with a 195.031 team average. The Wildcats join the rest of the SEC in the top 25, as the only conference to have its entire conference represented in the top 25.

Kentucky freshmen Sidney Dukes and Alex Hyland both rank among the top 50 in the nation in all-around following the second week of action. Dukes ranks 29th following her 39.300 in the last outing, while Hyland’s 39.038 average is good for No. 45 in the nation.

With a 9.838 average on the balance beam this season, freshman Alex Hyland ranks among the top 25 beam performers in the nation, coming in tied for No. 22. 

The Wildcats face a tall order in the No. 4 Crimson Tide this week. The Tide, averaging a 196.855 this season with a high-score of 197.52, is coming off a large week improving on balance beam. After three falls two weeks ago, Alabama posted a 49.550, its fifth best team score on beam in a loss to the No. 1 Florida Gators. 

Following UK’s matchup in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Kentucky returns home for its lone multi-meet weekend. Kentucky will begin the 72 hour period at home, hosting Missouri in Memorial Coliseum on Friday, Jan. 12, at 7p.m., with the meet broadcast live on SEC Network. Kentucky will then hit the road for Ball State, facing the Cardinals on Sunday, Feb. 14 in Muncie, Ind., for a 1 p.m. matinee.

For complete news and updates on the Kentucky Gymnastics program, go to UKathletics.com. Breaking news, behind-the-scenes updates and more can be found on Twitter at @UKGymnastics and Facebook at Facebook.com/UKGymnastics.