Team Gold Earns Win at Gymnastics’ Black & Gold Intrasquad
12/12/2025 9:00:00 PM | Gymnastics
Freshman Kimarra Echols scores 39.600 to earn the all-around title.
Mizzou gymnastics opened the year with its annual Black & Gold intrasquad meet on Friday evening at Mizzou Arena, where Team Gold beat Team Black, 158.150-157.650.
The exhibition was scored using a four-count format, with only the top four routines per rotation counting toward each team's total.
SHOWSTOPPERS
Freshman Kimarra Echols (Henderson, Nev.) led Team Gold with an all-around score of 39.600, which would rank tied for the 12th-best mark in program history. Echols shared the balance beam title with sophomores Railey Jackson (Park Forest, Ill.) and Kaia Tanskanen (Howell, Mich.), scoring 9.950, while also tying for second in the meet on floor (9.900), uneven bars (9.900) and vault (9.850).
Jackson and Tanskanen each posted all-around scores of 39.550 for Team Gold.
"I showed what I've been working on in the gym, and that makes me really excited for what's ahead," Echols said.
Team Black's lone all-around competitor was junior Hannah Horton (Brooklyn Park, Minn.), who tallied a 39.350, highlighted by a 9.900 on uneven bars.
The Tigers combined for 39 of 50 scores of 9.800 or better and 14 scores of 9.900 or higher, including five on balance beam.
"I was really impressed tonight," head coach Shannon Welker said. "We saw a lot of people step up, steady progress across the lineup and a glimpse of how good this team can be."
RECAP:
VAULT
-Jackson captured the vault title with a 9.900.
-Echols, Dakota Essenpries (Adrian, Mo.), Horton and Elise Tisler (Fairfax Station, Va.) tied for second with scores of 9.850.
-Team Gold edged Team Black on the apparatus, 39.400–39.300.
BARS
-Tanskanen secured the uneven bars title with a 9.950.
-Team Black saw Makayla Green (Mays Landing, N.J.) and Horton score 9.900, finishing fifth and sixth, respectively.
-Team Black opened the meet with three consecutive 9.850 scores from Addison Lawrence (Olathe, Kan.), Lauren Macpherson (Gilbert, Ariz.) and Rayna Light (Brandon, Fla.).
-Jackson's 9.850 tied those three for the third-best score of the night.
-Both teams posted identical totals of 39.500.
BEAM
-Echols, Jackson and Tanskanen each scored 9.950, pacing Team Gold to an impressive 39.700 on balance beam.
-The remaining Team Gold competitors – Grace Anne Davis (Albertville, Ala.), Lisa Szeibert (Wyoming, Mich.), Hayli Westerlind (Riverton, Utah) and Amy Wier (St. Louis, Mo.) – all added 9.850 routines.
-Kennedy Griffin (Strongsville, Ohio) and Macpherson led Team Black with scores of 9.900.
-Overall, 11 of the 14 Tigers who competed on beam scored 9.850 or better.
FLOOR
-Echols, Tanskanen and Maiya Terry (Coeur D'Alene, Idaho) each scored 9.900, finishing second behind Griffin's meet-anchoring 9.950.
-Ayla Acevedo (Virginia Beach, Va.) and Jackson opened the rotation for Team Gold with scores of 9.850.
-Team Gold topped Team Black on floor, 39.550–39.350.
UP NEXT
The Tigers open the 2026 season against Iowa State on Jan. 4, 2026, at 2 p.m. CT at Mizzou Arena. The meet will be streamed live on SEC Network+.
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