Rodriguez Dominates as Kentucky Upsets No. 12 Auburn, 197.325-196.275
AUBURN, Ala. – Kentucky (1-6, 1-2 SEC) put together its most complete performance of the season, using season high scores on all four apparatuses to earn its first victory of the season—a 197.325-196.275 upset win at No. 12 Auburn (1-4, 0-4 SEC).
The Wildcats posted the highest score of the meet on all four events and took home all five individual event titles. Delaynee Rodriguez put together another career night, setting or matching career highs on vault, bars, and in the all-around—taking home the title on all three events. Rodriguez has now won eight event titles in 2026—including the all-around crown in four out of five meets. Freshman Gabby Van Frayen won the first event title of her career, tying for first on the balance beam. Creslyn Brose continued her excellence on floor, winning her second consecutive title on the event and eighth of her career.
The Wildcats scored 49.2 or higher on all four events to break the 197 barrier for the first time in 2026 and set a new season best team score—besting the mark set last week by nearly a point. Kentucky also continued its dominance at Neville Arena—winning for the fourth time in its last five regular season meets in Auburn. The victory also marks Kentucky first road victory in Southeastern Conference action since February 2, 2024 at Alabama.
Rodriguez continued her stellar start to her junior season, scoring a career best 39.650 in the all-around. The Las Vegas native’s previous career best of 39.550 lasted only a week, with tonight’s score etching Rodriguez as the fourth-highest scoring all-around in Kentucky history. Rodriguez’s mark is also the fifth best by an NCAA gymnast this season. Rodriguez tied her career highs on both vault and bars, scoring a 9.925 and 9.950, respectively. She closed the meet with a season best 9.900 on floor and a 9.875 on beam.
Not to be lost in Rodriguez’s dominance, seven more Wildcat personal bests were set or matched on Friday night. The moment of the night came in the first rotation, as freshman Sabrina Nemcek nailed her collegiate debut with a massive 9.900 score on the uneven bars. Other career best marks include a 9.850 on bars from Chesney Bennett, a 9.900 on floor from Callie Gardner, a 9.900 on vault from Ryan Noonan, a 9.900 on vault and a 9.850 on floor from Cecily Rizo, and a 9.850 on bars and a 9.900 on beam from Van Frayen. Additionally, two Wildcats competing in exhibition bested their previous career best scores, with Addisyn Hofseth scoring a 9.825 on vault and Isabella Rivelli scoring a 9.825 on floor.
The Wildcats began the night with a 49.375 on bars, besting the previous team best by 0.350. Four of the six Wildcats in the lineup set or matched career high scores. Rivelli began the night with a 9.775, followed by Nemcek’s dream-like 9.900 performance. The freshman began a string of three straight personal bests, as Van Frayen and Bennett followed with identical scores of 9.850. Noonan delivered a solid routine for a counting score of 9.825, setting up Rodriguez’s first 9.950 on bars since March 8, 2024 at North Carolina.
Moving over to vault, the Cats posted another strong total of 49.300. Cadence Gormley made her collegiate debut on the event to leadoff the rotation, scoring a 9.700. Rizo followed with the first of four sticks in the rotation, nailing her Yurchenko Full to earn only one-half tenth of deduction and score a 9.900. Gardner delivered a 9.750 before Noonan stuck her Yurchenko ½ on, pike ½ off vault for the first time this season and scored a 9.900—the first time the sophomore has reached that milestone on any event in her career. Rodriguez delivered a stuck Yurchenko 1.5 for the second consecutive week, matching her career best set last week for a 9.925. Anna Flynn Cashion closed out the rotation with a 9.825. Competing in exhibition, Hofseth delivered the fourth and final stick to score a 9.825 for her Yurchenko Full.
In the third rotation, the Wildcats delivered their highest event total of the season, scoring 49.450 on the floor exercise. Van Frayen led off the rotation with a solid posting of 9.800, followed by a strong 9.850 routine from Bennett. Gardner set a new career high for the second week in a row, earning a 9.900 on floor for the first time in her career. Rizo followed by adding a 9.850, matching her career high and posting her best mark of the season. Rodriguez broke the 9.900 barrier on floor for the first time this season, setting up Brose to close out the rotation with a 9.950. The All-American from Holly Springs, N.C. has now scored at least a 9.900 in 26 of 29 career floor routines, including 14 postings of 9.950 or higher. Competing in exhibition, Rivelli earned the best floor marks of her collegiate career with a 9.825.
The Wildcats closed the meet with a strong showing on the balance beam, besting the previous team high—set last week— by two-tenths with a 49.200. Rizo led off the rotation with a 9.775, followed by identical 9.825 marks from Brose and Sharon Lee—with the latter being a season best. Bennett added a 9.700 before Van Frayen delivered the best beam routine of her collegiate career—scoring her first career 9.900 on any event. Highlighted by a back handspring-Onodi connection and a stuck round off 1.5 dismount, the freshman earned the first event win of her career in stunning fashion. Rodriguez closed the night with a 9.875 to end her career best all-around performance.
Kentucky will head back to Lexington for another home meet next week, hosting No. 7 Missouri at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, February 13. The meet will serve as I <3 Kentucky Night at Historic Memorial Coliseum and tickets are available for the meet at ukathletics.com/gymtix or on Ticketmaster.
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