UK remembers gymnast Shelby Hilton

LEXINGTON, Ky.( UK Athletics) – Shelby Hilton, a University of Kentucky gymnast who fought a courageous four-year battle with cancer, died Friday night in Orlando, Florida, at the age of 25, according to UK Athletics.

UK Athletics says Hilton was a native of St. Petersburg, Fla., and a four-year letter-winner for the Wildcats from 2012-15. She earned competition slots as a freshman on UK’s nationally ranked team, participating in the vault and floor exercise. As her career progressed, the versatile athlete added the balance beam and uneven bars to her repertoire.  She posted career highs of 9.85 on the vault, 9.925 on floor, 9.75 on the beam and 9.825 on bars.

Hilton discovered her illness when she took a frightful fall on a tumbling run during a meet at Florida on Feb. 27, 2015. She was rushed to the hospital for testing on her head and neck, but had avoided the injuries that were feared.  However, an MRI revealed something else – medulloblastoma, a form of pediatric brain cancer that occurs rarely in adults.

After the diagnosis, Hilton immediately began a medical regimen, and alongside four years of treatments, continued to compete in life as she had in gymnastics.  She returned to UK and resumed her studies, twice earning a place on the Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll. While completing her degree in communication, she received the Mike Lyden Courage Award at the 2016 UK Athletics CATSPY Awards. Following graduation, she landed a position as a sales representative in Florida.