No. 9 Kentucky Posts Season High 197.925 to Topple No. 16 Arkansas, Creslyn Brose Scores Perfect 10
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Behind season high scores on three apparatus, outright wins on all five individual events, and a perfect ten from Creslyn Brose, No. 9 Kentucky (6-5, 3-4 SEC) matched the third highest score in program history and bested its previous season high by over six tenths in a 197.925-197.725 senior night win over No. 16 Arkansas (7-8, 3-4 SEC).
It was a historic night for the Cats, who—in addition to tying the program’s third highest team score—set the program’s third best floor score with a 49.725, tied the program’s third best beam score with a 49.525, and tied the program’s ninth highest vault score with a 49.425.
The Cats won earned at least a 9.950 from the top scorer on all four events, highlighted by Isabella Magnelli’s 9.950 on vault and near-perfect 9.975 on beam to take both titles. Skylar Killough-Wilhelm won bars with a 9.950 and scored a season best 39.625 to claim her fourth all-around title of the season. In addition to Brose’s ten, Hailey Davis added a near-perfect 9.975 on floor.
Brose is now the fourth Kentucky gymnasts of all time to score a perfect ten, joining Jenny Hansen, Makenzie Wilson, and Raena Worley. Her routine was the 11th perfect floor score in school history, with Hansen holding six and Worley added four last season. It is the 36th perfect ten across all routines in school history.
Kentucky’s senior night started on vault, where a trio of gymnasts competing in their final meet as a Wildcat stuck their vaults. Jillian Procasky started the night with her second straight stuck Yurchenko Full since entering the lineup, scoring a 9.850. Cecily Rizo took a hop on a huge Yurchenko Full to contribute a 9.800, setting up Makenzie Wilson and Magnelli for back-to-back stuck front handspring pike halfs. Wilson posted a 9.925 to set up Magnelli’s career-high tying score. Ryan Noonan dropped a 9.675 before Killough-Wilhelm closed the opening rotation with a huge Yurchenko 1.5 to go 9.875. The team score of 49.425 tied a season high set on the opening weekend of the season and allowed the Cats to take a half-tenth lead after one rotation.
Moving to bars, the Cats responded after an opening fall from Isabella Rivelli to add a 49.250 team total. Annie Riegert re-entered the bars lineup and steadied the ship with a 9.750, followed by Procasky with another 9.850. Davis posted a 9.800 to set up Delaynee Rodriguez for a season high-tying 9.900. Killough-Wilhelm delivered a rock solid routine to match her season high and keep the Cats in front by a half-tenth.
The Wildcat beam lineup soared past their previous season best by over a tenth with a 49.525. Rodriguez delivered in the leadoff spot once again, starting the rotation with a 9.875. Brose followed with a 9.825, setting up Sharon Lee and Chesney Bennett for back-to-back 9.900s. Lee’s score matched her career high while Bennett soared past her previous career high by over a tenth. Killough-Wilhelm added another 9.875 to the team score before Magnelli brought the house down in her final beam routine in HMC. The fifth year received a ten from one judge and matched her career high from 2023.
Entering the final rotation, Kentucky maintained its half-tenth lead, sealing the deal with one of the best rotations in school history. Procasky started things off with a 9.850, matching her season high. Magnelli set a new season high with a 9.900, setting up Rodriguez for a 9.925, her second consecutive week with the career high score. Killough-Wilhelm delivered a season high 9.925 before the Cats laid the hammer down. Brose, who had a pair of 9.975s last season, finally earned her perfect mark, sending Historic Memorial Coliseum into a roar. Davis, competing in her final routine in Lexington, almost ended the night with back-to-back tens, setting a new career high of 9.975.
The Cats will close the regular season next Friday, traveling to the Swamp to take on No. 4 Florida at 6:45 p.m. ET on March 14. The meet will be streamed live on SEC Network + from Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.
For the latest on the Kentucky gymnastics team, follow @UKGymnastics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, as well as on the web at UKAthletics.com.
