Kentucky Makes History with Third Place SEC Championship Finish

NEW ORLEANS, La. – Three-seed Kentucky gymnastics closed the 2024 Southeastern Conference Championship in third place overall for the first time in program history scoring a 197.600 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, La.

Competing in the evening session for the third time in program history, the Cats saw its highest placement to date. LSU claimed the title with a 198.025 overall with Alabama in second place scoring 197.750. Rounding out the evening session was Florida with a 197.300 overall. The first session of the day concluded in the order of Missouri (197.275), Arkansas (197.050), Auburn (196.775), and Georgia (196.075).

Six Wildcats, Raena Worley, Creslyn Brose, Hailey Davis, Bailey Bunn, Arianna Patterson, and Isabella Magnelli, earned individual wins in the top-10. Fifth-year senior Worley closed the night as the floor co-champion, third-place all-around winner, and second-place finisher on beam. Patterson (vault) and Magnelli (beam) each earned second-place finishes on their respective events as Brose also finished in the top-five on floor.

Kentucky began the night on the uneven bars with an overall 49.425. Bunn, Davis and Worley tied for the team’s top score all earning 9.900 each. Jillian Procasky was the next best score for the Cats kicking off the meet with a 9.875 while the freshman duo of Delaynee Rodriguez (9.850) and Cecily Rizo (9.800) rounded out the event.

The second rotation of the night, the balance beam, resulted in an overall 49.500. Magnelli and Worley tied with Alabama’s Luisa Blanco, Georgia’s Anya Turner and Lily Smith, and LSU’s Hailey Bryant for second-place overall each earning 9.950 on the apparatus. Bunn was close behind with a 9.925 closing her second event of the night with a stick and point right at head coach Tim Garrison. Rodriguez kept her balance tying her career and season best with a 9.900. Brose earned a 9.775 while Patterson was given a 9.275 following a fall off of the equipment.

Tying beam for the best Kentucky rotation of the night, UK tallied a 49.500 on the floor exercise. Worley earned a 9.975 for the top score of the Championship tying with LSU’s KJ Johnson and Bryant. The 2024 SEC floor co-champion ended her final conference championship leaping into Garrison’s arms in celebration before sharing the excitement with her teammates on the side of the podium. Worley has been nationally ranked on the floor exercise for seven consecutive weeks earning four perfect 10.0’s in regular season competition.

The next best Wildcat score on the event was Brose who danced her way to a 9.925. The freshman has scored above a 9.900 on the event in 11 of this season’s 12 meets. Similar to Brose, Davis also showed her consistency once again with a 9.900, earning the score or better 10 times in 2024. Closing out the rotation was Magnelli and Wilson (9.850) and leadoff Rodriguez (9.800).

To finish the evening, Kentucky ended the conference contest on vault with a total of 49.175. Patterson was Team 50’s best score as she ended her last SEC’s with a 9.925 to tie her season best for the fifth time. She tied LSU’s Kiya Johnson for second place overall. Magnelli was the next top score for the Cats with the 9.850 while three UK gymnasts earned 9.800 – Procasky, Rizo and Worley. Wilson anchored the apparatus with a 9.775.

No. 6 Kentucky will find out its NCAA Regional fate on Monday, March 25. Fans can tune in to the selection show at Noon p.m. EST 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.