The Missouri Tigers women's gymnastics team represents the University of Missouri in NCAA Division I women's gymnastics. The team competes in the Southeastern Conference and is coached by Shannon Welker. The team's home venue is the Mizzou Arena.
| Missouri Tigers women's gymnastics | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1980; 46 years ago |
| University | University of Missouri |
| Head coach | Shannon Welker (12th season) |
| Conference | SEC Division I Division |
| Location | Columbia, Missouri |
| Home arena | Mizzou Arena (Capacity: 15,061) |
| Nickname | Mizzou; Tigers |
| Colors | Black and gold[1] |
| Four on the Floor appearances | |
| 1 2025 | |
| NCAA Tournament appearances | |
| 34 (1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025) | |
History
editThe program was founded in 1980. The Tigers made their first NCAA regional in 1982 and their first NCAA semi-final in 2010.[2]
Shannon Welker was appointed head coach in 2014. Since 2015 the team has made 10 consecutive NCAA regional appearances.[3] In 2022 the Tigers made their second ever NCAA semi final.[3]
They finished third at the 2025 NCAA Championship Finals, reaching the final for the first time in program history.[4][5] They were originally awarded fourth place, but after an inquiry into Amy Weir's score on beam, Missouri's team score increased enough to raise them to third place ahead of Utah.[6] Helen Hu also made history, earning first place on balance beam.[4]
Championships
edit| Missouri Tigers Individual NCAA Championship Titles | |||||
| Gymnast | All-Around | Vault | Uneven Bars | Balance Beam | Floor Exercise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helen Hu | 2025 | ||||
NCAA Championship appearances
edit| Missouri Tigers Four on the Floor Appearances | |
| Year | Finish |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 3rd |
Arena and facilities
editMizzou Arena
editThe Tigers announced that they would change their home venue from Hearnes Center to Mizzou Arena for the 2026 season.[7] Mizzou Arena has a capacity of 15,061.
Hearnes Center
editMissouri gymnastics competed at the 13,611 capacity Hearnes Center from the program’s first season in 1980 until 2025.[7]
Head coaches
edit| Name | Year |
|---|---|
| Jake Jacobson | 1980–2012 |
| Rob Drass | 2000–2013 |
| Shannon Welker | 2014–present |
2026 Roster
edit| Name | Height | Year | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayla Acevedo | 5-3 | SO. | Virginia Beach,VA |
| Grace Anne Davis | 5-0 | GR | Albertville, AL |
| Kimarra Echols | 5-0 | FR | Henderson, NV |
| Dakota Essenpries | 5-2 | JR | Adrian, MO |
| Makayla Green | 5-3 | GR | Mays Landing, NJ |
| Kennedy Griffin | 5-6 | JR | Strongsville, OH |
| Hannah Horton | 5-1 | JR | Brooklyn Park, MN |
| Railey Jackson | 5-1 | SO | Park Forest, IL |
| Olivia Kelly | 5-6 | SO | Bronx, NY |
| Bryce Kupbens | 5-2 | FR | Belmont, CA |
| Addison Lewrence | 5-4 | SR | Olathe, KS |
| Rayna Light | 5-4 | JR | Brandon, FL |
| Lauren Macpherson | 5-1 | GR | Gilbert, AZ |
| Lisa Szeibert | 5-1 | SO | Wyoming, MI |
| Kaia Tanskanen | 5-2 | SO | Howell, MI |
| Maiya Terry | 5-6 | FR | Coeur D'Alene, ID |
| Elise Tisler | 5-6 | SR | Fairfax Station, VA |
| Sara Wabi | 5-2 | GR | Chicago, IL |
| Hayli Westerlind | 5-4 | FR | Riverton, UT |
| Amy Wier | 5-1 | SR | St. Louis, MO |
Coaching staff
edit- Head coach: Shannon Welker
- Associate head coach: Whitney Snowden
- Assistant coach: Lacey Rubin
- Assistant coach: Jackie Terpak
- Director of Operations: Mady Clark
References
edit- ↑ "Mizzou Athletics Brand Guidelines and Toolkit". Retrieved August 20, 2025.
- ↑ "Mizzou Gymnastics History". University of Missouri Athletics. Retrieved 2026-02-07.
- 1 2 McAndrew, Calum. "Can Mizzou gymnastics make NCAA Championship? What to know, how to watch Missouri in regionals". Columbia Daily Tribune. Retrieved 2026-02-07.
- 1 2 "Mizzou Gymnastics Finishes Third in NCAA Finals". Missouri Tigers On SI. 2025-04-19. Retrieved 2026-01-06.
- ↑ McAndrew, Calum. "Missouri gymnastics finishes third in NCAA National Championship at end of historic season". Columbia Daily Tribune. Retrieved 2026-02-07.
- ↑ Xuan, Story by Henry Chappell; Photos by Yong Li (2025-04-19). "Third's a charm: Mizzou gymnastics rallies in NCAA Championships final for best finish in program history". Columbia Missourian. Retrieved 2026-02-07.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - 1 2 McAndrew, Calum. "No more Hearnes Center home meets for Missouri gymnastics, as Tigers move to Mizzou Arena". Columbia Daily Tribune. Retrieved 2026-02-07.