The No. 10 Kentucky Gymnastics team put on a thrilling performance Friday night in Memorial Coliseum against No. 13 Alabama, breaking their previous all-time overall score record with a 197.825 to Alabama’s 197.375. The previous record was set last season with a 197.750 at the Auburn Regional.
Senior Raena Worley shone as the top all-around gymnast of the meet, earning a 39.675 total and winning her third all-around title of the season and 15th of her collegiate career. The Wildcats competed in Olympic order, starting with vault, where junior Isabella Magnelli impressed with a 9.925. Magnelli also dominated the balance beam, setting new career and season bests with a 9.975.
Shealyn Luksik shone on the uneven bars with a 9.950 performance, earning her a new all-time high for both her collegiate career and 2023 campaign. The balance beam event, anchored by Magnelli, saw records being set for the Cats with a 49.450 total that tied the third-best in program history and set a new bars and beam combination record of 98.950.
The floor exercise was the final event of the night and saw the Wildcats bring home the victory. Wilson made her collegiate debut on floor, earning a 9.875, while Davis rocked the house with a 9.950-worthy routine that tied her career-best and set a new high for 2023. Anchoring the event, Worley needed only a 9.900 but shut it down with a 9.950 performance, crushing the standing home all-time best and program best.
Head Coach Tim Garrison praised the team for their “keep fighting” attitude throughout the meet. Kentucky’s record-setting night was the first meet of the season in Memorial Coliseum and second home meet of the year. The Wildcats will travel to Columbia, Missouri to face the Tigers next Friday before returning back to Memorial for the following two weeks.