Senior gymnast Kilpatrick reaching her potential after overcoming setbacks
Expectations are high for Nicole Kilpatrick, and so far this year, she has lived up to them.
The senior is having her best season as a Utah State gymnast, helping lead the Aggies to a No. 27 national ranking and one of their best starts ever.
Utah State has only competed in five meets this season, but already Kilpatrick has set four personal bests and is putting her name in the USU record books.
She turned in career highs on the floor (9.925) and the beam (9.95) against Boise State University on Jan. 24, and on the uneven bars (9.875) and in the all-around (39.475) against the University of Utah on Friday.
Kilpatrick’s 9.95 beam score ties the school record and the 39.475 in the all-around is the fourth best in team history.
The road to success has been long for Kilpatrick, though. She tore her Achilles’ before her freshman season and is barely returning to her potential.
“It took her quite a long time to come back and regain the type of form that she is accustomed to, and now we’re seeing it,” said USU Head Coach Ray Corn.
Although it was a slow process and a lot of work, Corn said Kilpatrick never gave up in her attempts to recover.
“A lot of athletes would have flat given up, but she loves competition,” he said.
She didn’t quit, and now she is back to 100 percent, but Kilpatrick said the time after the injury was
difficult.
“It was a struggle at first,” she said. “It was hard to get motivated.”
Before coming to USU, Kilpatrick was a member of the Senior International Elite team and earned a spot on the United States national team in 1997.
Although her previous experiences in competition were on the individual level, she said they helped prepare her for college meets.
“I think it helps pressure-wise,” she said. “I’m used to being put on the spot to hit [a routine].”
After high school, Kilpatrick followed in her sister Melissa’s footsteps in coming to USU, but she said that wasn’t a big part of her decision.
“I really like the coaches and girls,” Nicole said.
Originally from Ringwood, N.J., Nicole said she lived in more of a city and really likes the scenery in Utah.
“It was a good change for me,” she said. “It is really different, but I like it a lot.”
Not only has Nicole been successful in competition, but she has also excelled in the classroom, being named an NCAA Academic All-American three times.
Nicole will complete her gymnastics eligibility this spring, but said she will still have a year of schooling left. She is a pre-physical therapy and chemistry major, and said she plans on going to pharmacy school after graduation.
In the meantime, though, she is focusing on competing and, as one of only three seniors on the team,
leadership.
Corn said Nicole fills a leadership role in three ways — on the floor, in the gym and in the classroom.
“I’m not a very outspoken person so I try to lead by example, I guess,” she said.
Teammate Jessica Parenti said, “Nicole is an awesome leader. I have a lot, of classes with her so she’s with me throughout the day. I really admire her a lot and she’s a lot of motivation in the gym. She keeps us going.”
Parenti and Megan Nelson, both freshmen, compete in the all-around with Nicole, and Corn said their success has helped to drive the senior to perform
better.
“I really do believe that the challenge of having the freshmen has been good for her. I think she has readily accepted it,” he said. “I think it’s made her a better collegiate gymnast, and she’ll continue to improve on that.”
Nicole said that she doesn’t really see any rivalry between her and the freshmen, though, and that there is no competition between the team members.
“I’m trying to do the best for the team,” she said. “It’s always nice to have people beside you. We try to help each other along.”
And they are helping each other to perform well. Against Utah the Aggies turned in a 196.150, their best home score and second best all-time score.
With eight meets left, Corn said he expects the Aggies to continue to improve and Nicole will be leading the way.
“I just hope that we can find a few more Nicole Kilpatricks in our recruiting process,” he said.
–slbk5@cc.usu.edu