Vicky Graff Photo
If Kentucky coach Tim Garrison is right, Isabella Magnelli could add even more to her fantastic collegiate gymnastics career before her final season ends.
“I don’t think there is any limit to the expectation for her. She puts those high expectations on herself but at the same time she is so good and so solid and has performed so well,” said the Kentucky coach. “She has proven to herself time and time again that she is great up there. That is where she lives and what makes her so great.”
Magnelli has won 24 individual titles during her five-year career at Kentucky that started in 2021 when she competed in every meet her freshman season. The New York native is a four-time All-American who has been nationally ranked in the top 10 in vault and balance beam most of this season.
In her final home meet last week against Arkansas, her 9.950 on vault and near-perfect 9.975 on beam — one judge scored it a perfect 10 — won both events for No. 9 Kentucky.
Magnelli got involved in gymnastics at age 5 when her parents put her in gymnastics class because “I would do forward rolls” through the house and needed an outlet for her energy.
“You may remember what people say, but you’ll always remember how they make you feel. Bella makes you feel amazing all the time,” Garrison said. “That’s just her personality every day. She breathes life into the gym as soon as she walks in. She does the same when we compete because she’s amazingly confident and the team benefits from having her as a key component.”
Magnelli was all smiles during her final home match until it ended and the Senior Night ceremonies started. She was one of six seniors on the team and Magnelli cried often as she hugged teammates, teammate’ parents and her family. She also got a huge ovation from Kentucky fans that stayed after the match for the ceremony.
“I love competing in this place,” Magnelli said about Memorial Coliseum. “The fact that it was sold out for the second time (against LSU in the previous home match) is absolutely amazing. Our fans are always just so loud. They’re up out of their seats the whole entire time. Little kids are adorable. They definitely bring the energy, obviously, and it just feeds into us, and it allows us to just go out there and compete better.”
At that LSU match, Kentucky fans brought donations of stuffed animals and toys to donate towards flood relief efforts in eastern Kentucky. Magnelli was touched by the generosity of UK fans again and noted she had worked with the W1974 Collective and visited hospitals to take gifts to children.
“It’s hard seeing those children being sick or in distress but it’s just awesome that BBN just has so much love for everyone,” she said. “Every single sports team here, they always show out. It’s truly such an honor to be here. I would never want to compete in front of any other fans other than BBN.”
Magnelli and other UK gymnasts take time after every home meet to sign autographs and take photos with fans. Normally fans, especially young girls, are lined up along both sides of Memorial Coliseum waiting for the gymnasts.
“It’s truly just such an honor to be an inspiration to so many girls. I remember when I was that age that I would look up to the older girls in my gym, and it’s just so awesome to be that light for these girls,” Magnelli said.
“Just seeing me as a gymnast and being really good at gymnastics, I think I really shine the light of Jesus, and a lot of them really respect that. It’s just really cool to be a different type of inspiration for these girls. I love them so much.
“I would tell them all just continue to put your heart into this sport. It’s definitely a gift from God that everyone has been blessed with that can do it. So just have fun with it and enjoy every moment.”
