Kentucky
Kentucky Gymnastics Posts 197.600 in Baton Rouge
BATON ROUGE, La. – No. 6 Kentucky gymnastics (3-2, 1-1 SEC) traveled to No. 8 LSU (4-1, 1-0 SEC) for Friday Night Heights at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center where the Wildcats fell 198.125-197.600.
Fifth-year Raena Worley earned her 10th individual win on the balance beam (9.925) while tying her career best on the uneven bars (9.975) which was earned in Las Vegas, Nev. earlier this season. She was second in the all-around (39.725) to LSU’s Haleigh Bryant (39.825).
The Wildcats began the night on bars where they tallied a combined 49.450. Worley was the top score for the team on the event while freshman leadoff Delaynee Rodriguez earned a new season and career best 9.900. Bailey Bunn and Annie Riegert each executed solid routines with stuck landings receiving 9.875 from the judges. Freshman Cecily Rizo made her debut on the event with a 9.825 while Cadence Gormely rounded out the rotation (9.775).
Kentucky then moved on to vault for the second rotation of the meet and cumulative score of 49.400. Sixth-year senior Arianna Patterson was Team 50’s highest score with a handspring front half that was awarded a 9.925. Junior Makenzie Wilson was the second highest score on the event for UK with a 9.900. Worley’s 9.875 helped keep the rotation solid, as did Rodriguez and Magnelli’s 9.850 with Rizo earning a 9.750.
Next up on the floor exercise, the Wildcats recorded their best event score of the meet – 49.475. Worley moon walked her way to a 9.950 for the second consecutive week. Her last tumbling pass, a double tuck, neared perfection as she ended her routine anchoring the apparatus. Freshman Creslyn Brose danced her way to a 9.925 while senior Hailey Davis rocked the house with a 9.900. Magnelli, Patterson and Rodriguez each earned 9.850 on the event.
To close the meet, Kentucky faced the balance beam which was the lowest scoring event of the night following a combined 49.275. Event-winning Worley lip-synched through her routine for a 9.925. Beam Queen Isabella Magnelli was the anchor on the event with a solid 9.900. Both Patterson and Rodriguez produced balanced efforts earning 9.850 with Gormely receiving a 9.750. Bunn was the lowest score on the event following a 9.500 but executed an impressive save to stay on the beam avoiding a fall.
The Wildcats will make their home debut next Friday in Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center against Georgia for Excite Night.
Season and single-meet tickets are on sale and can be purchased through UKAthletics.com. Groups interested in special discounted tickets for meets should email WeAreUK@uky.edu.
For the latest on the Kentucky gymnastics team, follow @UKGymnastics on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, as well as on the web at UKAthletics.com.
Kentucky
Kentucky is poised to land either Donnie Freeman or Sebastian Rancik this weekend, per report
Jones posted on Twitter that “Kentucky will have (absent a major change) either Freeman or Rancik by tomorrow,” while also noting the Wildcats still need to add another shooter and another big to round out the roster.
One of the top targets is Donnie Freeman, a 6-foot-9, 205-pound sophomore forward transferring from Syracuse. Freeman arrived in Lexington on Tuesday night and began his visit on Wednesday before leaving without a commitment. While there was concern he could land at UConn, that visit has since been canceled, leaving Kentucky and St. John’s as the top teams.
Freeman averaged 16.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game last season, while adding nearly a block and a steal per contest. He shot 47.4% from the field but 30.2% from 3-point range across 23 games.
The other option is Sebastian Rancik, a 6-foot-11, 220-pound sophomore forward transferring from Colorado. Rancik visited Kentucky starting Wednesday through Thursday and brings a versatile skill set, averaging 12.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2 assists per game while shooting 33.1% from 3.
Either Freeman or Rancik would provide a significant boost at the power forward position for head coach Mark Pope. Kentucky has already added guards Zoom Diallo and Alex Wilkins in the portal.
Kentucky football coach Will Stein reflects on new position
Will Stein was officially introduced to fans and media as the head coach for the Kentucky Wildcats, replacing Mark Stoops.
LEXINGTON — Kentucky football had its first spring game under new coach Will Stein at Kroger Field on Saturday.
The offense, in blue jerseys, had its moments. So too the defense, donning white uniforms.
Ultimately, the blue squad earned a 23-18 victory in a game called just after noon because of inclement weather.
Stein admitted he “got emotional” as he charged onto the field prior to kickoff.
“I know it wasn’t a real game, but when I ran on the field, I definitely — man, I felt it,” he said. “It was like a wave running over me. And very, very, just cool.”
While it doesn’t count in the standings, Stein walked away pleased.
“I think we got a lot of really good work,” he said. “That’s the goal of spring is to improve with fundamentals and technique, learn how to practice, learn what winning edges that we need throughout spring to go into summer and fall and prepare the team for play. And we came out of the scrimmage clean. There (were) no injuries, which to me, that’s the biggest win of the day. I could (not) care less about the score.
“If we come out clean, that’s good. The Wildcats won.”
New starting QB Kenny Minchey looked about as expected, with sharp passes evened out by moments of inconsistency. Martels Carter Jr., a defensive back who is lining up at running back this spring, scored a touchdown and had several nice runs.
And the defense forced multiple three-and-outs and also picked off one Minchey pass on a two-point conversion.
This story will be updated.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
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