Gymnastics Scores 196.225 at SEC Championship
NEW ORLEANS – No. 9 Kentucky participated in the top session of the Southeastern Conference Championship for the second year in a row on Saturday, finishing seventh overall with a final score of 196.225.
Junior Mollie Korth and senior Alex Hyland earned All-SEC accolades for their championship performances. Both competitors have been named All-SEC in every one of their respective seasons on campus.
“I’m proud of all our All-SEC athletes and the many solid routines performed tonight,” said head coach Tim Garrison. “There were definitely some high points. That said, this is championship season, and you pay for your mistakes at championship meets. We will take from this what will make us better and begin focusing on regionals in two weeks.”
Kentucky began its night on floor for the first time all season, posting its second-lowest outing on the event at 48.625. The Wildcats improved on the following apparatus, garnering a 49.125 on vault. Korth’s All-SEC status was earned by way of an individual score of 9.925, the second-best mark among all league contenders.
Kentucky continued its trend of improving upon each ensuing event, scoring 49.200 on bars. Senior Katie Stuart set a new career high, joining Hyland, Korth, and Sidney Dukes as one of four Cats to earn an individual bars score of 9.850.
Balance beam, Kentucky’s final rotation, produced the strongest performance of the night. UK totaled 49.275 as a team, led by Hyland’s All-SEC 9.875 routine.
Host No. 3 LSU (197.900) won its third SEC Championship in a row behind a perfect 10.000 floor routine from all-around champion Sarah Finnegan. No. 4 Florida (197.750) followed closely behind, while No. 10 Alabama (197.350) claimed third place by becoming the first early-session team to finish inside the top four of all eight schools.
Saturday’s outcome had no effect on Kentucky’s National Qualifying Score, meaning the Wildcats will remain at No. 9 in the country heading into NCAA regional play. The NCAA National Collegiate Women’s Gymnastics Selection Show will air Monday at 5:00 PM ET on NCAA.com, revealing in which of four predetermined regions the Cats will competing.
For the latest on the Kentucky gymnastics team, follow @UKGymnastics on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as on the web at UKAthletics.com.
