Week 2: Gymnastics Athletes of the Week
SEC Gymnast of the Week - Kentucky's Raena Worley, a junior from Christiansburg, Va., swept Kentucky's 2022 season opener with victories on all five events in the Wildcats' 196.525-194.750 win over No. 28 Ball State. Worley earned her first career vault title after tying her career high of 9.900 before capturing her fourth bars title with a career-best 9.950 for the third time. A 9.875 on beam earned her a third career win on the event, while a 9.925 on floor was good for her only shared title of the night and eighth floor victory overall in a tie with her teammate Hailey Davis. Worley was named the meet's all-around champion with a total of 39.650.
SEC Specialist of the Week - Florida's Trinity Thomas, a senior from York, Pa., recorded two 10s to help lead her squad to a win over No. 11 Alabama. Thomas completed her "Gym Slam" (10.0 on each event during collegiate career) after anchoring vault lineup with a 10.0. She became the 12th gymnast in the nation to achieve a Gym Slam and first since UCLA's Kyla Ross in 2019. Thomas also anchored Florida's lineup with her fourth floor 10.0 as a Gator to give UF the winning margin versus Alabama. It was the second multiple-10.0 meet for Thomas (2021 versus Auburn) and now owns 10 10.0 marks (four floor, three bars, two beam, one vault) for her collegiate career.
SEC Co-Freshman of the Week - Auburn's Sophia Groth, a freshman from West Des Moines, Iowa, helped her squad earn a 197.250-197.200 victory at No. 15 Arkansas, the second highest road score in program history. In the second rotation, Groth led off vault with a career-best 9.875, good for a tie for second place. She then tied her career best with a 9.85 on floor. In her first career appearance on beam, Groth tied for third with a 9.9. Her score helped Auburn secure the team win with a 49.375 in the event, a team total on beam that finished in the top 10 in program history.
Florida's Leanne Wong, a freshman from Overland Park, Kan., placed second in the all-around with a 39.300 in UF's win over No. 11 Alabama. In her collegiate all-around debut, Wong posted the top total among SEC freshmen for the weekend. She tied for third on floor with a collegiate-best 9.925, and placed third on beam with a collegiate-best 9.90.