Kentucky Gymnastics Begins 50th Season with Big Performance in Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – No. 9 Kentucky gymnastics made its 2024 debut with a 196.775 at the Mean Girls Super 16 Gymnastics Championships in Las Vegas, Nev. held at the Orleans Arena. The Wildcats went head-to-head in a quad meet against No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 6 Michigan, and No. 11 Michigan State.
Oklahoma was the meet’s top-scoring team with an overall 197.850. Kentucky was in second place behind the Sooners while Michigan State (196.300) finished the quad meet in third followed by Michigan (195.875).
The night began with a rotation on the uneven bars where Team 50 tallied a 49.350. Fifth-year senior Raena Worley set a new career best with a near-perfect routine earning a 9.975. Annie Riegert, Jillian Procasky and Bailey Bunn each earned a 9.850 on the apparatus. Delaynee Rodriguez made her freshman debut with a 9.825 while Haley Davis was awarded a 9.800.
Up next, on the balance beam, the Wildcats earned a collective score of 49.100. Worley held the rotation’s highest score with a 9.900 while Rodriguez was close behind with a 9.875. Bunn earned a 9.825 for her routine while freshman Cadence Gromley made her beam debut with a 9.800. Isabella Magnelli was awarded a 9.700 and Arianna Patterson had a 9.050 due to a fall that was not counted in the overall score.
It was time to have a party in the third rotation – the floor exercise. Once again, Worley was the highest scoring Wildcat on the apparatus with a 9.875. Freshman Creslyn Brose boogied in her NCAA gymnastics debut earning a 9.825 from the judges while Davis rocked the house with a 9.800. Rodriguez also earned a 9.800 with Magnelli (9.750) and Makenzie Wilson (9.725) rounding out the rotation. The total tally for the event was 49.050.
Team 50’s final rotation of the evening was the vault where the Cats totaled 49.275. Wilson, one of Kentucky’s most consistent competitors on the event, recorded a 9.950 for her stuck landing. Worley’s performance earned a 9.875 from the judges to bring her all-around tally to 39.625. UK’s second all-around competitor, Rodriguez, was awarded a 9.850 for her leadoff vault to add up to 39.350. The remainder of the vault lineup, Cecily Rizo, Magnelli and Patterson each earned 9.800 from the judges.
The Wildcats will continue their season-opening road trip at Auburn next Friday.
For the latest on the Kentucky gymnastics team, follow @UKGymnastics on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram, as well as on the web at UKAthletics.com.
