No. 6 Kentucky Posts Season High Road Score, Falls at No. 11 Mizzou

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The sixth-ranked Kentucky gymnastics team suffered its first conference loss of the season, falling 197.200-196.800 to No. 11 Missouri in the Cats’ SEC Road Opener. The Cats were able to post a season-high road score in the defeat, topping the previous mark of 196.500 set in Oklahoma City on January 11.

The Wildcats posted a season high floor score of 49.350 in the defeat and saw Skylar Killough-Wilhelm pick up event wins on the vault and in the all-around. The fifth-year transfer from Washington now owns three event wins as a Wildcat.

It took a season high score from the Tigers to eclipse the Cats on Sunday night, who were trailing from start to finish. Kentucky began the night on the uneven bars, posting a season-low equaling score of 49.025.

After a drag of the feet on the low bar started the rotation with a 9.350 from Isabella Rivelli, the Cats righted the ship with scores of 9.775 and 9.750 from Ryan Noonan and Hailey Davis, respectively. The Cats broke into the 9.8s with a solid set from Jillian Procasky, earning a 9.825. Delaynee Rodriguez posted the highest score of the rotation, highlighted by a stuck double layout dismount, with a 9.875. Killough-Wilhlem closed the rotation with a 9.800. A 49.200 vault score from Mizzou gave the Tigers a 0.175 lead after one rotation.

The Wildcats responded well on vault, as the NCAA’s No. 2 team on the apparatus posted a 49.175. Starting with a pair of Yurchenko Fulls, Rodriguez and Cecily Rizo commenced the rotation with scores of 9.775 and 9.800, respectively. Noonan posted a 9.775 with the first 10.0 start value vault for Kentucky, followed by a 9.825 from Makenzie Wilson. Isabella Magnelli stuck her front handspring pike with a half twist to score a 9.875 and Killough-Wilhelm vaulted a clean Yurchenko 1.5 to score a 9.900 and pick up her first vault event at Kentucky. In rotation two, Mizzou scored a 49.225 on bars to lead by 0.225 at the midway point of the meet.

The Cats shined in rotation three, scoring a 49.350 on floor to best their previous season best mark by almost a tenth of a point. Five of the six Wildcats in the rotation set or equaled their season high score, including Rizo, who competed her first career floor routine as a collegiate athlete.

Rodriguez led off once again for the Cats, modeling her outstanding consistency with a 9.850, posting that score for the third straight meet. Procasky followed with a 9.825, which equaled her season best. Magnelli continued her stellar night with a 9.875, topping her previous season best mark by 0.025. Rizo was the next Wildcat to take the floor, competing her floor routine for the first time as a Wildcat and delivering a veteran-like performance to earn a 9.850. Killough-Wilhelm followed in the fifth spot for Kentucky, equaling her season best on floor with a 9.875. The rotation was closed by Davis, ranked No. 9 in the country on the event, who posted a 9.900, her third consecutive score of 9.9 or better to start the 2025 season. Mizzou also posted a 49.350 on beam to enter the final rotation with a 0.225 lead.

On the balance beam, the Wildcats posted a 49.250 as a team thanks to a pair of 9.900s from Killough-Wilhelm and Magnelli. Rodriguez delivered a stellar routine in the leadoff position to score a 9.875. Creslyn Brose earned a 9.800 in her only event of the night, followed by Sharon Lee with a 9.725 and Procasky with a 9.775. Needing a pair of big scores to end the meet with a new road high score, the two fifth-years delivered nearly-flawless routines in succession, allowing the Cats to post a 196.800 on the night.

The all-around competition was a friendly one, as Killough-Wilhelm bested her teammate Rodriguez for the event title. The veteran got the win thanks to a season best score of 39.475 by setting or equaling season high event scores on three of the four apparatus, as well as no scores lower than 9.800. Rodriguez finished the night with a 39.375, less than a tenth off her season—and career—high.

The Wildcats will have a short turnaround in the coming week, returning home for 2025 Excite Night, presented by White, Greer, & Maggard Orthodontics, on Friday, January 31. The meet will see the Cats host No. 12 Auburn at 7 p.m. on the SEC Network+. Fans can purchase tickets to Excite Night—and all Kentucky Gymnastics home meets—on Ticketmaster.

For the latest on the Kentucky gymnastics team, follow @UKGymnastics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, as well as on the web at UKAthletics.com.