Gymnastics Finishes Fourth at Regionals;
Cook Wins Vault Title

BATON ROUGE, La. - The University of Kentucky gymnastics team's season came to an end as the Cats finished a respectable fourth (194.075) at the NCAA Central Regional in the Maravich Center at host Louisiana State University Friday night. Junior Krystle Cook became the first Wildcat since 2002 to reach the NCAA Championships with a first-place vault of 9.9.

"We gave it all we had," head coach Mo Muhammad said following the meet. "We got off to a sluggish start but really had some strong routines on floor. I am very proud of what the team has accomplished this season. With everyone returning, we are going to be a dangerous team next year."

The Cats began the first rotation on bars where junior Alison Sarucci led the team with a 9.8. Junior Krystle Cook followed closely behind with a 9.75. As a team, Kentucky scored a 48.450 before advancing to beam for rotation two.

On beam, freshman Heather Hite paced the Cats for the ninth time this season with a solid 9.75. Hite entered the meet ranked 20th nationally for season average.

After a slow start on the first two events, Kentucky got things going on floor and posted a season-high 49.200, good for sixth all-time at UK. All five of the recorded Wildcat routines earned 9.8s or higher, including Hite's team-leading and third place mark of 9.875. Junior Rachel Riley matched a season-high with a 9.825, while sophomore Kristen O'Shields notched a 9.85. Kentucky's team score matched Oklahoma's floor routine for the highest single-event total of the meet.

The Cats closed out the meet on a winning note and earned a 48.700 team score on vault. Cook registered her sixth 9.9 of her career to take home first place and become Kentucky's first regional winner since Aronda Primault won vault in 2002. O'Shields scored a career-high 9.85 (tie for third place), followed by freshman Jordan Cullum's 9.8.

"It is an honor to be representing Kentucky at the NCAAs," Cook said after her victory. "I am very excited for a chance to compete on vault. I came to UK for an opportunity to reach Nationals, so this really is a dream come true."

Kentucky finished the season with an outstanding 16-15 record, including its first-ever Southeastern Conference dual meet victory under head coach Mo Muhammad. The future looks bright with every Wildcat gymnast who competed during the 2006 season returning.

No. 1-seed Oklahoma (196.375) and No. 2-seed LSU (195.800) finished first and second, respectively, thus earning trips to the NCAA Team Championships, April 20-22, in Corvallis, Ore. Third-seeded Penn State (194.900) finished third, followed by the Wildcats, Michigan State (193.975) and Ohio State (193.000).

Muhammad at Haley Earn Regional Coaching Honors

University of Kentucky gymnastics coaches Mo Muhammad and Tom Haley were both recognized by the National Collegiate Athletics Association for their outstanding coaching efforts during the 2006 campaign Friday. Muhammad earned NCAA Central Regional Head Coach of the Year honors, while Haley earned Assistant Coach of the Year.

After last season's breakthrough campaign, third-year coaches Muhammad and Haley and first-year assistant Jackie McCarter helped take Kentucky to new heights in 2006. As a team, the Cats produced an all-time program-best 16 wins and went the entire season ranked among the top 20 in the country. UK earned a second consecutive bid to the NCAA Regionals and will be represented at the 2006 NCAA Championships by junior Krystle Cook who earned a berth by way of winning the Central Regional vault competition.

"This award is clearly a result of all this team's achievements," Muhammad said. "We have raised the bar of this program, something we plan on doing for seasons to come. I can't say enough about how hard my coaching staff and the team worked."

Haley's coaching strength on the uneven bars was evident throughout the season as the Cats entered the regional meet ranked 15th in the nation - its highest ranking of the four events. Three current Wildcat gymnasts own marks on the program's all-time list, led by Cook's two career 9.925s. Under Haley's tutelage, UK posted the sixth-highest bars mark in school history earlier this season (49.150, vs. C. Michigan, 3/12).

"It makes the job a lot easier when you have consistent performances like we've had this season," Haley said. "It is a great honor to receive the award but the credit really needs to go to the team. Their commitment and hard work is the reason I got recognized."

With the Cats' team season complete, the coaching staff can look forward to a promising 2007 season with every Wildcat who competed in 2006 returning.