Senior Season Off to Flying Start for Korth
Mollie Korth has been outstanding for the Kentucky gymnastics team since her arrival on campus. Korth has earned numerous SEC and national awards and has established herself as one of the top gymnasts in UK history, all while lifting the program to new heights during her three seasons in Lexington.
But as her senior season approached, some might question what’s left for Korth to accomplish. However, the Cambridge, Wisconsin, native does not follow that line of thinking.
After Kentucky’s week one meet at Utah, Korth was named SEC Gymnast of the Week for the first time in her career. And she carried that momentum into Excite Night on Friday.
Korth made it two in a row with a win in the all-around again on Friday night, posting a season-high 39.625 and carrying the 10th-ranked Wildcats to a 196.475-195.500 win over eighth-ranked Missouri in front of nearly 12,000 fans at Rupp Arena.
From the very beginning of Friday’s meet, it was obvious that Korth was at the top of her game, as she nailed her vault, scoring a meet-high 9.925 to set the tone for the evening.
“Coming out here in front of this whole crowd and knowing what I know how to do, I think it helped me a lot,” Korth said. “And just started the ball rolling for a great night.”
Continuing her strong effort, Korth also had an outstanding effort on the bars. Korth was nearly flawless in her routine, registering another meet-high 9.925. Korth then posted a 9.850 on the beam, keeping her strong competition going. She followed that with a 9.925 on the floor, which was also a meet-high on Friday.
UK head coach Tim Garrison knows how important Korth’s performance is to the Cats.
“Mollie ignites the team, it’s as simple as that,” Garrison said. “She’s a huge all-arounder for us. If she didn’t set a record for herself tonight, she got really close. Every meet, she just consistently brings the performance and the team can follow her lead. And with the young team we have right now, we absolutely need her spark. And she did it. She was the rock at the end who we was going to be there.”
As a senior, Korth knows that a lot of the younger gymnasts are looking to her to be the example.
“I have the other three seniors next to me being leaders and I think a lot of people look up to me, which I appreciate a lot,” Korth said. “So, it’s really exciting to walk into the gym every day being not even a leader in the gym, but also out.”
The senior has been a big part of the Wildcats’ success for three seasons, and that’s not likely to change during her senior campaign, especially if her performances from the first two weeks are an indication of what’s to come.
