Lexington, KY – The No. 6 Georgia gymnastics team secured a hard-fought victory on the road Friday night, defeating No. 23 Kentucky with a final score of 197.275 to 197.025. Competing at Historic Memorial Coliseum, the GymDogs notched their highest SEC road score of the season, marking a significant milestone in the first year under co-head coaches Cécile Canqueteau-Landi and Ryan Roberts. Despite the loss, Kentucky celebrated a season-best home performance, breaking the 197-point barrier in front of an energetic Lexington crowd.

➡️  Kentucky vs Georgia photos

Georgia’s victory was built on a foundation of consistency and a standout performance from their freshman class. All five freshmen saw action, with Kelise Woolford providing a major highlight by winning the beam title outright with a stellar 9.950. Autumn Reingold also made her mark, earning a share of the uneven bars title with a 9.875. The veteran presence of senior Ja’Free Scott proved vital as well; she tied her career high with a 9.900 to share the vault title before anchoring the beam rotation with another 9.900 to clinch the meet.

Kentucky didn’t make the win easy, outscoring the GymDogs on both the uneven bars and the balance beam. Junior Cecily Rizo was the standout for the Wildcats, capturing the first all-around title of her career with a personal-best score of 39.350. Rizo’s night was highlighted by a stuck Yurchenko full on vault that earned her a 9.900, tying for the event title. The Wildcats also saw strong contributions from Gabby Van Frayen and Delaynee Rodriguez, who shared the bars title, and Creslyn Brose, who anchored the floor exercise with a 9.925 to take the event win.

The floor rotation was a seesaw battle where both teams showcased high-level difficulty and showmanship. Georgia’s Ady Wahl and freshman CaMarah Williams both posted 9.925s to lead the GymDogs, while senior Nicole King made a successful season debut on the event with a 9.875. Kentucky’s floor squad kept the pressure on until the final routine, but a small out-of-bounds error earlier in the rotation prevented them from overtaking the Bulldogs in the overall standings.

Ultimately, Georgia’s depth on vault, where they didn’t count a score below 9.850, provided the narrow margin of victory. The win moves Georgia to a 10-3 overall record as they prepare to return home to face No. 7 Missouri next week. Kentucky (1-8-1) will look to carry the momentum of their highest home score of the year into their final road meet of the regular season against No. 3 Alabama in Tuscaloosa.