Name: Kailey Gillings
Previous Team: Arkansas
New Team: Pittsburgh
College Year: Senior
Major: Accounting
Transfer Announcement: Instagram
Social Handles: Twitter | Instagram
NCAA Career Highs
| Vault | Uneven Bars | Balance Beam | Floor Exercise |
| – | 8.950 | 9.575 | – |
Videos
| Vault | Uneven Bars | Balance Beam | Floor Exercise |
| – | Arkansas at Florida (2020) | Oklahoma at Arkansas (2019) | – |
About Kailey
Gillings’ career at Arkansas was marred by injuries. After sitting out her freshman season, she debuted on beam in her sophomore year and contributed once on bars and beam in her junior season. As a sophomore, she was a WCGA Scholastic All American and an SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll recipient. Prior to college, Gillings was a four-time J.O. nationals qualifier (2014-17). She won bronze medals on beam in 2015 and bars in 2016.
What She Brings to Pitt
Vault
- Skill: Yurchenko full
- Margin of Improvement: Gillings never competed vault in college. In club, it was never her best apparatus. Her Yurchenko full was piked on landing and slightly messy in the air.
- Impact on the Team: Given her injuries, it is unlikely that Gillings will debut on vault in her senior season. Pitt nevertheless will seek to replace its two best vaulters, Deven Herbine and Alecia Petrikis, who have graduated.
Uneven Bars
- Skills: Jaeger, bail to handstand, blind full to double tuck dismount
- Margin of Improvement: Gillings competed only once for Arkansas on bars in her junior year. She was obviously nervous and suffered a fall. She has a lot of potential, though. Her execution is good and will improve with more confidence.
- Impact on the Team: Pitt did very well on bars in 2020 but graduated Michaela Burton, its only 9.9 scorer. Gillings may not quite match the scores of her former Razorback teammate but will be expected to contribute to the lineup.
Balance Beam
- Skills: full turn, BHS + LOSO + LOSO, switch leap to straddle jump quarter, 1.5 twist dismount
- Margin of Improvement: Gillings appeared slightly tentative on beam in the past two years, which is understandable given the little action she saw. Her form is very good, though, and with some further experience, she could score high.
- Impact on the Team: Pitt will have to replace its two best beam workers who recently graduated. Gillings will be expected to make a difference here.
Floor Exercise
- Skills: double pike, double tuck, double turn, 1.5 twist to front pike
- Margin of Improvement: Gillings never competed floor in college. Back in club, her routine was strong, although she struggled with her landings a bit.
- Impact on the Team: As with vault, it is unlikely that we will see Gillings debuting on floor next year. Pitt would not mind some help, though, as two of its best floor workers have graduated.
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Article by Talitha Ilacqua
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