Meet the Wildcats: Alex Hyland
LEXINGTON, Ky. – In preparation for the Blue/White Scrimmage on Dec. 13, UKathletics.com presents “Meet the Wildcats,” an opportunity for you to get to know a little more about the 2016 Kentucky Gymnastics team. Today’s Meet the Wildcats features freshman Alex Hyland. Alex Hyland, a freshman from Foxborough, Mass., enters 2016 as a four-time Massachusetts state event and all-around champion. Alex claimed the Region 6 all-around title in 2014, as well as a three-time uneven bar champion in 2011, ‘13, and ‘14. She has qualified for J.O. Nationsl four times, accomplishing a third-place finish on floor in ‘13, a fourth-place finish on floor in ‘14, and a fifth-place finish on beam in ‘12. Alex had a third-place all-round finish at the Sand Dollar Invitational in ’14 and won the event in both ‘12 and ’13.Here’s a bit more on Alex:Quick FactsBirthplace: Boston, Mass. Parents: Anne & ChrisSiblings: Aidan & JakeTwitter Handle: @alexhyland08Instagram Handle: @alexhyland08Major: KinesiologyNickname(s): AlGet to Know Alex in CompetitionThe best part of being a UK student-athlete is … All of the resources available to us, such as the facilities and the academics. This season, I am most excited for … Since I am from a small gym where we only had one or two girls who were level 10’s, so I’ve never really competed with a team. I’m excited to be part of a team and compete together.I chose UK because … The program is on the rise and I want to be a part of the excitement.The biggest influence for me in gymnastics… My club coach, Nikki Longo. I want to improve my … Landings and making my gymnastics clean and precise. My most memorable moment as a gymnast was … Signing with UK or placing third at J.O. Nationals.Alex Outside of CompetitionMy favorite food … Pasta with broccoliMy pre-meet superstition is … That I have to pet my dogs and say goodbye to them before every meet.Favorite Book … The Fault In Our StarsThe best concert I have ever been to … Brad Paisley Do you have any relatives who played Division 1 sports? Yes, my grandfather played basketball at Princeton.The most famous person I have ever met was … Rob Gronkowski.My biggest fear … PlanesFavorite thing about UK … I love being in a community where they love and respect their athletes.The Wildcats kick off the 2016 season with the Blue/White scrimmage on Sun., Dec. 13 at 2 p.m. The scrimmage will serve as a preview to the 2016 season, with the season opener Excite Night set for Fri., Jan. 8 against Ball State at 7 p.m. All home meets will be held in Memorial Coliseum. For complete news and updates on the Kentucky Gymnastics program, go to UKathletics.com. Breaking news, behind-the-scenes updates and more can be found on Twitter at @UKGymnastics and Facebook at Facebook.com/UKGymnastics.