No. 9 Kentucky Heads East for Quad Meet at Maryland
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COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The No. 9 Kentucky gymnastics program will compete in a quad meet for the first time this season when UK heads to Maryland to face the Terrapins, William & Mary and Penn. The meet is set to begin at 2 p.m. and can be watched live on BTN Plus.
The Wildcats are coming off a historic win over Alabama. The victory was the first in school history, and UK posted a program-best score of 197.475 in the win. Freshman Mollie Korth won the all-around with a score of 39.625 and earned her third SEC Freshman of the Week award for her performance.
SCOUTING MARYLAND, PENN AND WILLIAM & MARY
Kentucky will compete in its first quad meet of the season when they head to Maryland. UK will also face Penn and William & Mary at the XFINTY Center in College Park, Maryland. The Terrapins are the highest ranked team of the three at No. 41 with an average score of 194.250. Penn sits at No. 62 with an average score of 191.595 and a high of 193.575, and William & Mary trails Penn at No. 63. The Tribe have an average score of 191.225 with a high of 193.575.
LOOKING AHEAD: VS NIU, ILLINOIS, AND WASHINGTON
UK will welcome three teams for its second quad meet of the season, and two top-25 teams will attend. The No. 21 Illinois Fighting Illini will come to town with an average score of 195.517 and a high of 196.050. Washington is the highest ranked of the three at No. 14 and averages a score of 195.875. UK will face its third Mid-American Conference team as well, with the Huskies being ranked No. 38 with an average score of 194.317.
FIRST WIN OVER ALABAMA
The Wildcats are 0-70 no more. On Friday, UK earned its first win in school history of the perennial powerhouse Alabama when the Wildcats put up a program-best score of 197.475.
NATIONAL RANKING
The score of 197.475 in win over the Crimson tide moved the Wildcats to No. 9 in the latest Road to Nationals poll. The Wildcats have been ranked as high as No. 6 this season and were previously ranked No. 10.
ROTATION RANKINGS
Not only are the Cats ranked No. 9 in the nation, each rotation ranking sits in the top-20. Kentucky’s highest ranking is at No. 8 on beam with an average score of 49.161 and a high of 49.425. Kentucky follows closely on floor at No. 10 with an average score of 49.125. On bars, Kentucky is No. 14 with an average of 49.018 and No. 19 on vault with an average score of 48.954.
PUTTING UP NUMBERS ON BEAM
Alex Hyland is currently No. 2 in the nation in average beam score at 9.900. She sits behind Maggie Nichols of Oklahoma with a score of 9.937. Hyland has not posted a beam score below 9.875 this season and recently put up a career best of 9.950 against Alabama, with one judge awarding her a perfect 10.
THIRD FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK AND ALL-AROUND WIN
Mollie Korth did it again, as she took home the all-around score with a career high of 39.625, the seventh-highest all-around score in school history and the highest from anyone other than three-time NCAA Champion Jenny Hansen. For her performance, Korth picked up her third SEC Freshman of the Week award.
For complete news and updates on the Kentucky Gymnastics program, go to UKathletics.com. Season tickets can be found on UKathletics.com/Tickets. News and updates on the team can also be found on Twitter at @UKGymnastics and at @UKCoachGarrison and Facebook at Facebook.com/UKGymnastics.
