Post-season play is returning to Lexington for the first time in more than a decade this weekend, when the Kentucky gymnastics program welcomes eight additional teams to the Bluegrass for three days of competition with two spots in the National Championship meet up for grabs.
Kentucky has earned the No. 16 overall seed in the 2026 tournament and is set to host NCAA Regional competition for the first time since 2010. The NCAA Lexington Regional will take place inside Historic Memorial Coliseum on April 2, 3, and 5.
While competition begins Thursday afternoon, the Wildcats will begin competition in Semifinal II on Friday at 7 p.m. ET.
All-session and single-session tickets are available here.
🚨🎟️SINGLE SESSION TICKETS ON SALE NOW!!!
— Kentucky Gymnastics (@UKGymnastics) March 25, 2026
Grab your tickets to any of the four sessions the NCAA Lexington Regional today and secure your spot to witness some of the best gymnastics in the country!
🎟️https://t.co/84wyyktm9p#WeAreUK | #Team52 pic.twitter.com/54giRZVTcZ
Competition in Lexington will begin Thursday, April 2 at 2 p.m. ET with a dual meet between Central Michigan and Rutgers. The winner will claim the final spot in Friday's Regional Semifinals, joining No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 16 Kentucky and Ohio State in the night session.
Semifinal I begins Friday at 1 p.m. ET and will feature No. 8 Missouri, No. 9 Arkansas, NC State, and Maryland. Individual competitors from seven additional programs will also compete during the semifinal sessions.
Every session of the NCAA Lexington Regional will be streamed live on ESPN+.
The two highest-scoring teams from each session will advance to the Regional Final, to be played Sunday at 5 p.m. ET, also in Memorial Coliseum. The four advancing teams will battle it out for two available qualifying positions to the 2026 NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships, set for Thursday, April 16 in Fort Worth, Texas.
🗣️“It’s wonderful to be hosting our own regional and it’s wonderful to be a seeded team in our own regional.” - @UKCoachGarrison on @BBNTonight earlier this week
— Kentucky Gymnastics (@UKGymnastics) March 27, 2026
🎟️https://t.co/84wyyktm9p#WeAreUK | #Team52 pic.twitter.com/TF8gIxG79Q
The Wildcats are making the program’s 37th all-time NCAA Regional appearance, including 21 consecutive regional berths. Kentucky has also earned a national seed in every championship since 2017. The Wildcats had not earned a national seed prior to the beginning of the current streak.
After a somewhat shaky start to the season, the program's surged in recent weeks, jumping from No. 39 on January 19 to its current position, No. 16. After not scoring above 196.500 in any of its first four meets, the Wildcats have scored above that mark in each of its final seven meets of the season—including four scores above 197.
Kentucky enters the postseason with a National Qualifying Score of 196.550, a program-record seven selections for this year's All-SEC team, and a pair of All-Americans: Delaynee Rodriguez (all-around) and Creslyn Brose (floor).
For more on Kentucky gymnastics and all of the Wildcats, join us on BBN Tonight, airing weeknights at 7:30 p.m. on the official station for UK Athletics, LEX 18.
