Delaynee Rodriguez had another terrific all-around outing against Auburn. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Junior gymnast Delaynee Rodriguez continues to add to her amazing junior season every meet.
Kentucky got its first win of the season Friday night at No. 12 Auburn winning 197.325-196.275. Kentucky scored 49.2 or higher on every event to go over 197 total points for the first time this season and Rodriguez was a big reason for that success.
Rodriguez, who came into this season with two career all-around wins, scored a career-high 39.650 in the all-around — the fourth-highest scoring all-around in Kentucky history. It is also the fifth best mark by any NCAA gymnast this season.
If that wasn’t impressive enough, Rodriguez tied her career highs on both vault (9.925) when she hit a Yurchenko 1.5 for the second consecutive week and bars (9.950 to win both events. The junior from Las Vegas has won eight event titles this season, including the all-around title in four of UK’s five meets.
She closed the meet with a season best 9.900 on floor — her best mark of the season — and a 9.875 on beam.
Freshman Gabby Van Frayen won the first event title of her career, tying for first on the balance beam with a 9.900 that was highlighted by a back handspring-Onodi connection and a stuck round off 1.5 dismount.
Junior All-American Creslyn Brose continued her excellence on floor after coming back from a preseason concussion to win her second consecutive title on the event and eighth of her career with a 9.950. The All-American has scored at least a 9.900 in 26 of 29 career floor routines, including 14 postings of 9.950 or higher.
Coach Tim Garrison had seven more gymnasts set or match personal bests starting with freshman Sabrina Nemcek making her collegiate debut with a 9.900 on the uneven bars. Other career best marks include a 9.850 on bars from Chesney Bennett, a 9.900 on floor from Callie Gardner, a 9.900 on vault from Ryan Noonan, a 9.900 on vault and a 9.850 on floor from Cecily Rizo, and a 9.850 on bars and a 9.900 on beam from Van Frayen.
On vault Cadence Gormley made her collegiate debut leading off the event with a 9.700.
Kentucky had its highest event total of the season on floor with a 49.450 on the floor exercise. Van Frayen led off the rotation with a 9.800 followed by a 9.850 from Bennett. Gardner set a new career high for the second week in a row with a 9.900 on floor for the first time in her career. Rizo followed by adding a 9.850, matching her career high and posting her best mark of the season. Rodriguez broke the 9.900 barrier on floor for the first time this season, setting up Brose to close out the rotation with a 9.950.
Kentucky will host No. 7 Missouri at 7 p.m. Friday.
