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Gymnastics
vs University of Minnesota
The University of Utah Athletics
Friday, January 3
Salt Lake City, UT
6:00 PM
University of Utah
vs
Kentucky
Photo by: Deena Lofgren
Utah Gymnastics Opens Season Friday Against No. 12 Kentucky
12/31/2019 9:31 AM | Gymnastics
Top-15 showdown on tap for season opener at the Huntsman Center.
MEET WEEK
The preseason No. 5-ranked Utah gymnasts (0-0, 0-0 Pac-12) will host No. 12-ranked Kentucky (0-0, 0-0 SEC) to kick off the 2020 season on Friday, Jan. 3 at 6 p.m. in the Huntsman Center. The meet will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks and broadcast on ESPN 700 radio. Doors open at 4:30 p.m.
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QUICK STICKS
• Season tickets have currently totaled 9,376 for the 2020 season, surpassing Utah's previous school record.
• Utah gymnastics season ticket totals over the past five years are:
        2020: 9,376     2017: 8,763Â
        2019: 9,280     2016: 7,315Â
        2018: 9,300Â
• Utah led all NCAA women's sports in attendance for the ninth time in 2019, averaging 14,852 fans per meet.
• Utah's season opener against Kentucky will be the first time since 2008 that the Utes will face an SEC program in the first meet of the year.
• Utah was tabbed as the No. 5 team in the nation for the third consecutive year in the WCGA preseason poll.
• The Utes were picked to finish second in the preseason Pac-12 coaches' poll behind defending Pac-12 champion UCLA.
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CHALK TALK
• Cristal Isa and Cammy Hall are slated to compete against Kentucky in their return to the competition floor following season-ending injuries suffered during their freshman seasons.
• Transfer Emilie LeBlanc looks to be a lock in the leadoff role for Utah on bars and beam.
• Sydney Soloski has added vault back into her skillset and will be in the lineup for the first scored vault of her career.
• Ute freshmen have earned lineup spots and could make their Huntsman Center debuts Friday night.
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UTE INSIDER
Utah returns 10-of-24 routines from last year's NCAA Championships seventh-place finish … The Red Rocks return eight letterwinners, which includes two All-Americans in Missy Reinstadtler (all-around) and Sydney Soloski (floor) … Junior Emilie LeBlanc transferred from Maryland where she was a bars and beam specialist, while Utah welcomed a freshman class of two former U.S. National team members (Maile O'Keefe and Abby Paulson) and two Junior Olympic national champions (Jillian Hoffman and Jaedyn Rucker) … Team captains for this year's team are Reinstadtler, Kim Tessen, and Soloski.
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FOR THE FANS
Ute gymnasts will be signing autographs following the conclusion of the meet. The Ford Kids Zone will be Frozen-themed with the first 250 kids receiving a Utah Gymnastics snowflake wand. The Ford Kids Zone will also feature two balloon artists, two face painters, a poster making station and Elsa braiding station. There will be a pre-meet DJ spinning fan favorites from when doors open until the meet begins.
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SCOUTING KENTUCKY
Coach: Tim Garrison (9th season)
2019 NCAA Finish: 9th
Preseason National Rank: No. 12
Notes: Kentucky posted its best finish in program history in 2019, placing ninth in the nation last year … Kentucky returns 13 gymnasts and brings in seven newcomers … Highlighting the returners, senior Mollie Korth earned regular season All-American honors for the third-straight year as a junior all-arounder.
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SERIES HISTORY
Utah and Kentucky have only met once in the series history. The sole meeting was at the 2018 NCAA Championships where the teams faced off in the second semifinal session. Utah came out ahead of Kentucky in the semifinal, finishing third and sixth, respectively. The season opener will mark the first dual meet between the programs.
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TIME TO TUNE IN
The meet will air on the Pac-12 Networks and be broadcast on Utah's flagship radio station, ESPN 700. Jim Watson will serve as the play-by-play announcer for the Pac-12 Networks, while Samantha Peszek will be on the call as the color analyst. Joining ESPN 700's play-by-play announcer Mike Lageschulte this season as the color analyst is former Ute All-American Kyndal Pond.
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UP NEXT
Utah will compete in the inaugural Rio Tinto Best of Utah NCAA Gymnastics meet at the Maverik Center on Saturday, Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. The five-year podium event will feature all four in-state Division I gymnastics programs. The Utes will take on No. 23 BYU, No. 26 SUU and Utah State.
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The preseason No. 5-ranked Utah gymnasts (0-0, 0-0 Pac-12) will host No. 12-ranked Kentucky (0-0, 0-0 SEC) to kick off the 2020 season on Friday, Jan. 3 at 6 p.m. in the Huntsman Center. The meet will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks and broadcast on ESPN 700 radio. Doors open at 4:30 p.m.
Â
QUICK STICKS
• Season tickets have currently totaled 9,376 for the 2020 season, surpassing Utah's previous school record.
• Utah gymnastics season ticket totals over the past five years are:
        2020: 9,376     2017: 8,763Â
        2019: 9,280     2016: 7,315Â
        2018: 9,300Â
• Utah led all NCAA women's sports in attendance for the ninth time in 2019, averaging 14,852 fans per meet.
• Utah's season opener against Kentucky will be the first time since 2008 that the Utes will face an SEC program in the first meet of the year.
• Utah was tabbed as the No. 5 team in the nation for the third consecutive year in the WCGA preseason poll.
• The Utes were picked to finish second in the preseason Pac-12 coaches' poll behind defending Pac-12 champion UCLA.
Â
CHALK TALK
• Cristal Isa and Cammy Hall are slated to compete against Kentucky in their return to the competition floor following season-ending injuries suffered during their freshman seasons.
• Transfer Emilie LeBlanc looks to be a lock in the leadoff role for Utah on bars and beam.
• Sydney Soloski has added vault back into her skillset and will be in the lineup for the first scored vault of her career.
• Ute freshmen have earned lineup spots and could make their Huntsman Center debuts Friday night.
Â
UTE INSIDER
Utah returns 10-of-24 routines from last year's NCAA Championships seventh-place finish … The Red Rocks return eight letterwinners, which includes two All-Americans in Missy Reinstadtler (all-around) and Sydney Soloski (floor) … Junior Emilie LeBlanc transferred from Maryland where she was a bars and beam specialist, while Utah welcomed a freshman class of two former U.S. National team members (Maile O'Keefe and Abby Paulson) and two Junior Olympic national champions (Jillian Hoffman and Jaedyn Rucker) … Team captains for this year's team are Reinstadtler, Kim Tessen, and Soloski.
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FOR THE FANS
Ute gymnasts will be signing autographs following the conclusion of the meet. The Ford Kids Zone will be Frozen-themed with the first 250 kids receiving a Utah Gymnastics snowflake wand. The Ford Kids Zone will also feature two balloon artists, two face painters, a poster making station and Elsa braiding station. There will be a pre-meet DJ spinning fan favorites from when doors open until the meet begins.
Â
SCOUTING KENTUCKY
Coach: Tim Garrison (9th season)
2019 NCAA Finish: 9th
Preseason National Rank: No. 12
Notes: Kentucky posted its best finish in program history in 2019, placing ninth in the nation last year … Kentucky returns 13 gymnasts and brings in seven newcomers … Highlighting the returners, senior Mollie Korth earned regular season All-American honors for the third-straight year as a junior all-arounder.
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SERIES HISTORY
Utah and Kentucky have only met once in the series history. The sole meeting was at the 2018 NCAA Championships where the teams faced off in the second semifinal session. Utah came out ahead of Kentucky in the semifinal, finishing third and sixth, respectively. The season opener will mark the first dual meet between the programs.
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TIME TO TUNE IN
The meet will air on the Pac-12 Networks and be broadcast on Utah's flagship radio station, ESPN 700. Jim Watson will serve as the play-by-play announcer for the Pac-12 Networks, while Samantha Peszek will be on the call as the color analyst. Joining ESPN 700's play-by-play announcer Mike Lageschulte this season as the color analyst is former Ute All-American Kyndal Pond.
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UP NEXT
Utah will compete in the inaugural Rio Tinto Best of Utah NCAA Gymnastics meet at the Maverik Center on Saturday, Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. The five-year podium event will feature all four in-state Division I gymnastics programs. The Utes will take on No. 23 BYU, No. 26 SUU and Utah State.
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Players Mentioned
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/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
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/ Gymnastics
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