Kentucky Goes Undefeated at Home on Senior Day
LEXINGTON, Ky. – No. 12 Kentucky gymnastics celebrated its senior class and last meet in Memorial Coliseum before renovations begin with a win over No. 9 Auburn, 197.675-196.450.
Kentucky was undefeated at home this season for the first time since 1984 with its fifth and final victory as this season’s home schedule came to a close. The undefeated home slate was the first of the Tim Garrison era.
The Wildcats were joined by 5,593 members of Big Blue Nation on Saturday afternoon after the originally-schedule Friday meet was postponed due to severe weather.
The 2023 class is made up of Raina Albores, Makenna Clarke, Kaitlin Deguzman, Kassidy Howell, Ashlyn LaClair, Shealyn Luksik, Arianna Patterson, Elyssa Roberts and Worley.
Competing in Olympic order, Kentucky began Senior Day on vault with a new program-best overall total of 49.550. . Sophomore Makenzie Wilson was the meet’s top performer earning a season and career best 9.975 average, earning a 10 from one of the judges. Her previous best of 9.875 was blown out of the water with a near-perfect performance adding a second first-place finish on the event to her career tally. Following her lead was fifth-year senior Patterson who tied her personal career and season best with a beautiful 9.950. Worley began her Senior Day off with a bang as well earning a 9.925 for her Yurchenko one and a half.
Next on bars, the Wildcats tallied a 49.375 to continue with the second apparatus of the afternoon. DeGuzman tied her career and season highs earning a 9.925 on the event thanks to her height and stuck landing. She was also the top scorer on the uneven bars for the third time in her career. Worley anchored the event with a 9.900 while sophomore Jillian Procasky set a new season best with a 9.850. Junior Bailey Bunn also notched a high score for the day with a 9.875.
Moving to the balance beam, the Cats saw its lowest tally of the afternoon with a 49.350. Beam Queen Isabella Magnelli was the star of the event with a 9.950 which was the top score of the meet. The top performance was her fourth first-place finish on the apparatus. Both Luksik and Patterson tallied 9.850 to help the team advance with a lead moving into the fourth and final event of the day, the floor exercise.
On floor, the Wildcats sealed the deal with a combined 49.400. Junior Haley Davis rocked the house with a top meet score of a 9.950 with Worley following suit with a 9.950 of her own. Worley’s shared win on the event was the 14th of her career and fifth floor 9.950 of the season. Davis has also tallied four wins on the apparatus in her career with five routines scoring a 9.900 or better this season. Patterson was also a star with her 9.900-scoring routine.
Kentucky will close out its 2023 campaign with a tri-meet at Illinois next Friday before looking to postseason competition.
For the latest on the Kentucky gymnastics team, follow @UKGymnastics on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, as well as on the web at UKAthletics.com.
