Senior gymnast Raena Worley from the University of Kentucky has been announced as one of the six finalists for the 2023 American Athletic, Inc. (AAI) Award. This prestigious accolade recognizes the top senior gymnast in the nation, and the announcement came on Wednesday.
Hailing from Christiansburg, Virginia, Worley has proven to be one of the most successful gymnasts in the program’s history. Over her four-year tenure at Kentucky, Worley has amassed 19 all-around victories, with her highest total reaching an impressive 39.775. In her senior season alone, she has claimed the all-around title six times.
Worley’s extensive list of accomplishments doesn’t stop there; she has also secured first-place finishes 10 times on vault, eight times on the uneven bars, nine times on the balance beam, and 15 times on the floor exercise. Her career-best scores are remarkable, with a 9.950 on vault (achieved three times), 9.950 on bars (earned eight times), a near-perfect 9.975 on beam (in the most recent meet at Illinois), and 9.975 on floor (earned four times).
Competing in nearly every meet throughout her college career, Worley represented the University of Kentucky gymnastics program at the 2022 NCAA Championships, finishing 12th in the all-around competition.
During her time at Kentucky, Worley has been honored with four Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) All-American awards, which include three second team appearances and one first team honor. She has also received multiple Southeastern Conference (SEC) accolades, such as All-SEC, six SEC weekly honors, and three Winter Sports Honor Roll nods. Worley’s commitment to her community has earned her a place on the SEC Community Service Team.
Upon graduation, Worley will hold dual degrees in Communication and Kinesiology.
Fans can look forward to watching Worley and her teammates compete in the upcoming SEC Gymnastics Championship this Saturday in Duluth, Georgia. For the first time in program history, Kentucky is a three-seed. The competition will be divided into two sessions, with Session I featuring seeds 5-8 at 3:30 p.m. ET and Session II showcasing seeds 1-4 at 8 p.m. ET. Both sessions will be broadcast live on the SEC Network.
