Kentucky Closes Regular Season with Impressive Record Setting Finale
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – No. 12 Kentucky gymnastics closed out its 2023 meet campaign on the road with a tri-meet versus No. 22 Illinois and Illinois State. The Wildcats set its highest away meet score in program history and third best overall score with a 197.800.
The top mark secured a spot for the Cats in the evening session of the Southeastern Conference Championships for the first time since 2019.
Senior Raena Worley had herself a day winning her 19th career all-around with an all-time high 39.775 combined tally. Sophomore Jillian Procasky had quite the day herself placing second with an all-around career high of 39.450. Both combined scores were season highs as well for both student-athletes.
Starting the afternoon on the uneven bars, the Wildcats tied its eighth-best program score with a combined 49.450. Worley was the top scorer of the event with a 9.925 worthy routine. Her top score tied her season best. Junior Bailey Bunn was right behind with a second-best meet total of 9.900. Her mark tied her career and season best on the event. Procasky, Luksik and DeGuzman all earned a 9.875 for their performances on the apparatus. Procasky’s 9.875 set a new individual season high for the Wildcat.
Continuing the afternoon with the second rotation, the Cats headed to the balance beam. The team fought hard for a combined 49.375. Topping the apparatus for Kentucky was Worley with a near-perfect 9.975 which set a new career and season best for the gymnast. The Kentucky Beam Queens tied the 10th best program beam score. Isabella Magnelli contributed to the tally with a big 9.900 while Procasky and Arianna Patterson earned 9.850 each.
Kentucky then set its focus on the third apparatus, the floor exercise. The Cats tallied a huge 49.575 which tied the program’s fourth-best score. Once again, Worley neared perfection with a 9.975 tying her career best and setting a new record for her senior season. She has earned a 9.975 five times in her collegiate career and has topped the apparatus in 15 meets. The senior has scored a 9.900 or better in every meet of the regular season.
Hailey Davis was right behind the senior with the sixth 9.950 floor routine of her career and third of the 2023 season. She has scored a 9.900 or better in seven of the last 10 meets. Magnelli earned her fourth 9.900 of the season on the event with Patterson earning her second.
Entering the fourth and final apparatus of the day, Kentucky looked to vault to close out the day. The Cats completed the event with a 49.400 total to tie the program’s seventh best vault tally. Sophomore Makenzie Wilson and Worley were in the second-place spot on the event for the meet each earning 9.900. Freshman anchor Bridget Bourque nearly notched her personal best with a 9.875 to round out the apparatus.
The Wildcats closed out the regular season as the most successful meet slate to date. Kentucky will now set its sights on the postseason which will take place next Saturday in Deluth, Ga. Tickets for the championships can be purchased by clicking here.
For the latest on the Kentucky gymnastics team, follow @UKGymnastics on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, as well as on the web at UKAthletics.com.
