No. 25 Kentucky to Host No. 15 Missouri Before Ball State Think Pink Meet

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LEXINGTON, Ky. – The 25th-ranked University of Kentucky is preparing for its lone multi-meet weekend of the season, beginning by playing host to the No. 15 Missouri Tigers on Friday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. inside of Memorial Coliseum. 

The meet is one of two live television meets for the Wildcats this season and will air on the SEC Network. John Roethlisberger and Alicia Sacramone-Quinn will be on the call when the Wildcats and Tigers faceoff. 

Following the home dual, UK will head to Muncie, Ind., to participate in Ball State’s Think Pink Quad Meet. The Wildcats are set to face Ball State, Kent State and Lindenwood on Sunday, Feb. 14, beginning at 1 p.m. Coverage can be found at ballstatesports.com. 

In their last meet, the Wildcats posted their highest team score to date in a 196.775-195.525 loss to No. 4 Alabama. Kentucky earned its ninth event title of the season against Alabama, edging the team on balance beam 49.025-49.000. The win was good for its fourth beam title of the season.  Freshman Sidney Dukes posted a season team-best 9.875 on vault, while classmate Alex Hyland tied the season team-best on beam, scoring a 9.9. 

As always, the Kentucky Gymnastics will have plenty promotions for Friday night’s match against Missouri. 

• Father-Daughter Night at Memorial Coliseum: The Father-Daughter meet will have multiple promotions to make the perfect evening for fathers and their daughters to enjoy the meet! Special winners of UK’s father-daughter dance photo competition be announced and partake in a father-daughter dance during UK’s four-minute bars warmup. Additionally, fathers and their daughters will be recognized in a flower giveaway. A special concessions package will also be offered, with two hot dogs and a bucket of popcorn for $5.00. Heart shaped cookies available for purchase as well. 

• Special Guest Emcee: Join the Wildcats on Friday evening for a special guest emcee, WKYT weatherman Chris Bailey! 

• American Girl Doll Giveaway: Winners of Kentucky’s “Golden Ticket” social media promotion will be entered for a chance to win a custom Kentucky Gymnastics American Girl Doll. For a chance to be selected for a golden ticket throughout the semester, fans must share the promotional Facebook posts leading up to the meet. Golden ticket recipients must be present for a chance to win.

• Student Promotions: UK students will receive free admission and be directed to Section X on a first come, first serve basis. Students in this section will receive wristbands and free pizza during the second or third three-minute touch warmup period. 

• Pre-Meet Promotions: Fans are encouraged to come early and participate in free face painting and balloon animals on the concourse when doors to Memorial Coliseum open at 5:30 p.m. Both face painting and balloon animals will be set up near the marketing gazebo on the west concourse. 

Spectator parking is located in the following areas:

• All E-lots surrounding Memorial Coliseum are off control beginning 3 hours prior to the meet.  This includes the North Joe Craft Center, Rose Street, Linden Walk, and College of Education E-lots.

• The South Limestone Garage (PS#5, adjacent to Kennedy’s Bookstore) and the Rose Street Garage (PS#2) are available 2 hours prior to the meet. 

• Disabled parking is available in the E-Lot (Employee Lot) north of the Joe Craft Center, adjacent to the metered spaces running along the front of the Craft Center with a valid, state issued disabled hang tag.  These spaces are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis until full.

• Free shuttle service from the South Limestone Garage (PS#5) is available beginning 2 hours prior to the meet.  The shuttle picks up/drops off on Administration Drive, at the end of the pedestrian sky bridge accessed from the 3rd floor of the parking garage.  The pickup/drop off point is near Memorial Coliseum at the Euclid entrance.  Shuttles will operate until 1 hour post-meet.  

Please note: parking is prohibited in any R-lots (Residential). Vehicles parked in Residential lots without a proper permit, along yellow curbs, grass spaces, or other non-specified and unapproved areas may be subject to ticket and/or tow.

Following a stellar performance against the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Southeastern Conference office announced Tuesday, Feb. 9, that freshman Sidney Dukes was named SEC Freshman of the Week. 

The Tyler, Texas native continued to play a key role in Kentucky’s overall production. The first-year Wildcat led the Blue and White to a team-best score this season of 195.525 behind a personal-best 39.375 in the all-around, good for second overall. 

Dukes made her mark on beam, coming in second to classmate Alex Hyland with a 9.875. The freshman also finished top five on vault (9.875, team best), bars (9.8) and floor (9.825).

For the second week in a row, the University of Kentucky is ranked at No. 25 in the national rankings, averaging a 195.130. 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 sixth week of action. Dukes ties for No. 24 in the nation, averaging a 39.225 after her career best 39.375 last week. Hyland ties for No. 42 with a 39.058 following her career-high 39.1 at Alabama.

With a 9.850 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. 12. Hyland’s 9.9 at Alabama marked a new career best.

After Kentucky’s doubleheader weekend, the Wildcats will take off until the following Sunday where the Wildcats will face off against the Mountaineers of West Virginia. WVU is the only remaining non-conference opponent that Kentucky has that is ranked among the top 25, currently at No. 24. Zaakira Muhammad leads the way for West Virginia, currently the No. 15 all-arounder in the nation.

 

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.