No. 6 Kentucky gymnastics lost its first SEC competition of the season on Jan. 27, falling to No. 11 Missouri on the road at the Retro Cat Classic, 197.200-196.800.
The Cats started the evening on uneven bars, posting a season-low-equaling score of 49.025 after junior Isabella Rivelli opened the rotation by touching her feet down on the low bar to tally a score of 9.350. Ryan Noonan and Hailey Davis, who notched scores of 9.775 and 9.750, respectively, regained control for Kentucky.
Ultimately pulling the Cats out of the early hole, though, was Jillian Procasky and Delaynee Rodriguez, who both broke into the 9.8s, registering a 9.825 and 9.875, respectively. Closing out the Wildcats’ rotation on bars was Skylar Killough-Wilhelm, who posted 9.800.
Mizzou started its record-setting home opener hot, posting a 49.200 score on vault, its second-best vault score of the season, giving the Tigers a 0.175 point lead after the first rotation. The Tigers’ Elise Tisler, Amari Celestine and Kennedy Griffin all tallied scores above 9.8, and Jocelyn Moore hit the 9.9 mark in consecutive weeks for the sixth time in her career.
In the second rotation, the nation’s No. 2 vault squad, Kentucky, recorded a 49.175. Rodriguez, who is averaging 9.713 on vault this season, started off the Cats just above her usual, landing a Yurchenko Layout with a full twist and a score of 9.775. Cecily Rizo followed suit, also landing a Yurchenko Full and logging a 9.800.
Kentucky’s first 10 start value on vaults was earned by Noonan, who put another 9.775 on the board right before Makenzie Wilson’s front handspring pike with a half twist was awarded a 9.825 by the judges.
The Wildcats only went up from there as senior Isabella Magnelli, who is tied third for vault season average, also stuck a front handspring pike half, earning 9.875 points. Killough-Wilhelm, the Cats’ anchor, picked up her first vault event win after vaulting a clean Yurchenko 1 1/2 to register a 9.900.
The Tigers’ second rotation was another great performance as Mizzou put up a season high on bars with 49.225 points, highlighted by a 9.900 by Celestine, who claimed the win in her best bars performance this season. No Tiger scored below 9.825 and Mizzou held on to its lead, 98.425-98.200.
On the floor for rotation three was Kentucky, which scored 49.350 and topped its previous season best by almost a tenth of a point after five of six Cats set or tied their season high.
Leading off on the floor was Rodriguez once again, who posted 9.850 for the third time in a row, followed by Procasky, who tied her season best 9.825. Magnelli topped her previous season’s best mark by 0.025, nailing down a 9.875 and continuing an outstanding performance.
Rizo, the 5-foot-1 sophomore, gave a skilled routine in her first floor event in blue and white, earning herself a score of 9.850. Just barely edging out Rizo, though, was Killough-Wilhelm, who also tied her season best of 9.857.
Closing out the floor rotation for Kentucky was Davis, who is ranked No. 9 in the NCAA in the event, scoring a 9.900, her third straight time with a score of 9.9 or better to start 2025.
Unfortunately for Kentucky’s comeback efforts, Mizzou matched its third rotation score on beam, posting 49.350 and recording its second best results in the discipline in 2025. The Tigers put on a remarkable performance, with five of their six competitors scoring at least 9.8.
In her debut on the beam, freshman aerialist Olivia Kelly’s routine received a 9.900, but teammate Helen Hu, who notched her first career perfect 10 earlier this season, shined with a near-perfect 9.975. After three rotations, Mizzou extended its lead to 147.775-147.550.
To cap off its night, Kentucky was headed for the beams where it was fighting to avoid an upset. Rodriguez started the Cats off with a strong 9.875 point performance, followed by Creslyn Brose, who tallied 9.800 in her only event of the night.
After a 9.725 and 9.775 from Sharon Lee and Procasky, respectively, Kentucky needed huge scores to overcome defeat. Both Killough-Wilhelm and Magnelli were primed for the task, but regardless of their pair of 9.900’s, the Cats fell just short of victory.
The Tigers finished off the night on the floor, putting up their second-highest score of the season at 49.425 thanks to 9.925 point performances from Celestine and Moore. Tisler marked a 9.875, her best at Mizzou, and Light’s score of 9.850 was her season-best. Celestine’s score was also a season-best.
For the all-around competition title, Killough-Wilhelm bested teammate Rodriguez by just a tenth of a point to claim the win 39.475-39.375. Killough-Wilhelm topped or tied her season high scores in three of the four disciplines and posted no scores below 9.800.
As a result of the meet, Missouri moved up to No. 9 while Kentucky moved down just one spot to No. 7. The Cats will host the new No. 11, Auburn, on Friday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m. for the 2025 Excite Night at Historic Memorial Coliseum.
