Missouri
No. 2 Florida
No. 7 Gymnastics Hosts No. 2 Florida for Friday Night Heights
2/5/2026 8:30:00 AM | Gymnastics
Mizzou meets Florida for its third-straight home meet against the No. 2 ranked team.
No. 7 Mizzou plays host to No. 2 Florida at Mizzou Arena on Friday at 8 p.m. for Friday Night Heights. The meet will be nationally televised on ESPN2, with commentary provided by John Roethlisberger, Sam Peszek and Taylor Davis.
THE FIRST TOUCH
-Missouri ranks No. 7 nationally for the fourth consecutive week and sits in the top five on floor, continuing to establish Mizzou among the NCAA's top tier this season.
-The Tigers face a top-three opponent for the fourth straight meet, with all four teams appearing in the 2025 NCAA Championship Semifinal or Final.
-Missouri is seeking the highest-ranked win in program history against No. 2 Florida.
-In the previous regular-season meeting in Gainesville, Mizzou posted its fourth-best score in program history (197.725).
-Missouri has scored 197.000 or higher in 35 of its last 42 meets dating back to 2023.
-Under head coach Shannon Welker, the Tigers have finished inside the national top 15 in six consecutive seasons.
-Missouri is one of eight teams to advance to the NCAA Championship Regional Final in each of the last five seasons.
MEET STORYLINES
-Missouri faces its third top-two opponent in its last four meets during the opening stretch of the season.
-The Tigers host the No. 2-ranked team for the third time this season. Prior to 2026, Mizzou had hosted a team ranked second or better just three times in its history.
-Three of the Black & Gold's first five meets feature opponents that finished the 2025 season in the NCAA Championship Semifinals or Finals.
PROMOTIONS
-Fans are invited to participate in Super Hero/Princess Night, with free capes and light-up tiaras available while supplies last.
-Missouri honors Military and First Responders as part of its appreciation night.
-Mizzou gymnastics welcomes campers back to Mizzou Arena for Camper Reunion Night.
-The program will celebrate Alumni Weekend with a reunion of former Tigers.
-The first 200 students in attendance receive free cookies.
THE MATCHUP
-Mizzou is 2-38 all-time against Florida.
-The Tigers' two wins against the Gators came in the NCAA Championship Semifinal on April 17, 2025, and on March 2, 2019, in Columbia.
-In the previous meet in Gainesville, Mizzou posted its fourth-best score in program history, 197.725, on Feb. 28, 2025.
KNOCKING ON THE DOOR OF HISTORY
-Missouri is seeking the highest-ranked win in program history in its contest against No. 2 Florida.
-The Tigers' most recent top-three win came against the Gators in the NCAA Championship Semifinal on April 17, 2025.
-MU has defeated a No. 3-ranked team three times in program history: against Florida last season, at home against LSU on Jan. 26, 2024, and in the NCAA Championship Semifinal over Michigan on April 15, 2022.
AMONG THE BEST OF THE BEST
-Missouri is one of only five programs nationally with at least five different gymnasts recording a 9.950 or higher across multiple events this season, joining Oklahoma, LSU, Florida and Utah.
-Hannah Horton (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) delivered a 9.975 on vault at the team's second meet of the season.
-Addison Lawrence (Olathe, Kan.) added a 9.950 on balance beam for the fourth time this season against LSU.
-Lawrence's score was matched by Railey Jackson (Park Forest, Ill.) at Alabama, earning a career high, and by Lauren Macpherson (Gilbert, Ariz.) against LSU, matching her personal best.
-Kimarra Echols (Henderson, Nev.) reached the threshold at Alabama on vault, becoming one of two freshmen to score 9.950 or higher on the apparatus.
THESE GIRLS ARE ON FIRE
-Mizzou ranks top 10 in all four event rankings in week five: sixth on vault, 10th on bars, seventh on beam and third on floor.
-This marks the first time in the Road to Nationals era (dating back to 1998) that Missouri ranks inside the top 10 nationally on all four events after every team has competed.
ADDI'NG UP 9.950s
-Lawrence had big shoes to fill entering her senior season in replacing the 2025 NCAA balance beam national champion Helen Hu, but has proven to be one of the best in the country on the apparatus this season.
-Lawrence has opened her final year of collegiate competition with four scores of 9.950 on beam in the team's first five meets, one of just four gymnasts in the country to have four such instances.
-The Olathe, Kan., native ranks sixth nationally in balance beam scoring average at 9.935.
FAB FLOOR LOOKING FAB
-Mizzou's highest event ranking comes on the floor exercise, where it stands third nationally with an average of 49.415.
-The team's No. 2 ranking on floor in weeks three and four tied the program's second-highest individual-event team ranking from week three onward. It previously ranked No. 1 on beam in weeks eight and nine in 2006 and No. 2 on beam in weeks three and five in 2022.
-Kennedy Griffin (Strongsville, Ohio) leads the team in scoring average on floor with 9.905, which stands 19th in the country, while Horton joins her in the top 20, standing at 20th with 9.900.
-Mizzou is one of nine programs nationally with three or more gymnasts ranked in the top 50 on floor.
BEAM QUEENS
-Mizzou ranks seventh on beam through week five with a scoring average of 49.265 and a high of 49.400 in three meets this year.
-The Tigers are one of six programs with five gymnasts ranked in the top 50 nationally on the apparatus.
KIMARRA ECHOLS - A NAME TO WATCH
-Echols was named to the College Gym News 2026 Freshman of the Year Watchlist on Dec. 22, 2025, and has proven to be one of the best first-year gymnasts in the nation.
-The Henderson, Nev., native ranks 10th nationally on uneven bars with a scoring average of 9.905 and is the only freshman appearing in the top 10.
-She added a career-best 9.950 on bars at Alabama and a pair of 9.925s at the Ameritas Master's Classic and against LSU.
-Echols won the all-around at the Black & Gold exhibition (39.600) before making her collegiate debut against Iowa State with a 38.650 all-around, highlighted by a 9.900 on bars.
JUST HORTON THINGS
-Following the first few meets of the season, Hannah Horton is among the nation's best in two of the three events she's competed in.
-The Brooklyn Park, Minn., native ranks ninth after a career-best 9.975 on vault at the Ameritas Master's Classic, and 20th on floor after earning 9.925 in four of the team's five meets this season.
-The junior won event titles on vault, bars and floor in the team's meet against Iowa State and on vault and floor at both the Ameritas Master's Classic and against Oklahoma.
GODDESS WITH GLASSES
-After not breaking into lineups as a freshman, Ayla Acevedo (Virginia Beach, Va.) trained largely on her own during the summer, consistently attending voluntary morning practices, going to class and returning later in the day for conditioning while balancing a biochemistry major.
-Acevedo earned a new floor routine after approaching the staff and being told she could get one if she became competition-ready. She received the routine roughly one month before the season during Black & Gold exhibition meet week.
-The sophomore made her collegiate debut on floor at the team's season opener against Iowa State, scoring a 9.900, and matched that score in the third meet against Oklahoma.
-Her 9.875 scoring average on the apparatus ranks tied for 40th nationally.
-She performs to K-pop music from KATSEYE, the first known NCAA floor routine using that group, according to program research.
TANSKANEN AMONG THE WORLD'S BEST
-Sophomore Kaia Tanskanen (Howell, Mich.) represented Finland internationally throughout the offseason, highlighted by a 15th-place finish in the all-around final at the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championship, marking the best all-around finish by a Finnish gymnast in history at the event.
-Tanskanen was the only active NCAA women's gymnast to compete in the World Championship all-around final and one of just two NCAA athletes to qualify, competing among the world's top 24 gymnasts.
-She advanced to the world final after placing 16th in qualifications, posting consistent routines across all four events and debuting upgraded difficulty on bars and floor as part of her elite development.
-Earlier in the summer, Tanskanen placed 11th all-around at the European Gymnastics Championships, recording a 50.799 total to qualify for the World Championships and finish as the top Finnish athlete in the field.
NO SHORTAGE OF ALL-AMERICANS BACK IN COMO
-Of the nation-leading nine WCGA All-America honors MU tallied following the 2025 NCAA Championship Semifinal meet, four return to Mizzou, tied for most in the country along with Alabama, Oklahoma and Florida.
-Tisler was named a WCGA Vault First Team member. On the WCGA Second Team, Horton earned recognition on uneven bars, while Kelly was recognized on uneven bars and balance beam, and Lawrence was also honored on balance beam.
TURNING HEADS IN THE PRESEASON
-Mizzou opened the 2026 season ranked No. 7 nationally in the WCGA preseason poll, marking its highest preseason ranking in program history.
-The Tigers earned multiple first-place votes, one of just five teams nationally to do so, and have appeared in the WCGA preseason top 10 in three of the last four seasons.
THE BEST SEASON IN MIZZOU WOMEN'S SPORTS HISTORY
-The 2025 Mizzou gymnastics season finished as the most successful season of any varsity women's team in school history, placing third at the NCAA Championship Final.
-It marked the first time the program advanced to the NCAA National Championship Final and the second time it had competed in the NCAA Championship Semifinals, having done so for the first time in 2022.
-Helen Hu captured the program's first individual national title after scoring 9.9875 on balance beam.
-The coaching staff was recognized for its outstanding season, as head coach Welker garnered 2025 WCGA National Coach of the Year and SEC Coach of the Year honors, while the staff was named the 2025 College Gym News Coaching Staff of the Year.
NO FLUKE
-The Tigers' best season in program history reflected sustained growth rather than a one-year breakthrough.
-Under Welker's leadership, Mizzou has consistently become one of the premier programs in the nation, finishing in the top 15 in each of the last six seasons after only doing so four times between 1998 and 2014.
-Both times the Tigers ranked among the top five to finish the season were under Welker - 2022 (fifth) and 2025 (third).
-Mizzou has scored 197.000 or better in 35 of its last 42 meets dating back to 2023.
A NEW ERA
-Mizzou gymnastics announced it has changed its primary home venue to Mizzou Arena on Oct. 21, 2025.
-The Tigers compete in five of six regular-season home meets at Mizzou Arena during the 2025-26 season.
-Mizzou Arena previously hosted select gymnastics meets, with the most recent coming at the team's 2025 season opener, the Beauty and the Beast meet.
-Hearnes Center remains part of the schedule, hosting Senior Day vs. Arkansas for the team's last meet in Columbia for the season on March 1.
-Mizzou Arena opened in 2004 and is home to Mizzou men's and women's basketball, known as one of the nation's top home-court advantages, with both programs beating a No. 1-ranked opponent in the last four seasons.
ELITE COMPETITION COMING TO MIZZOU ARENA
-In the program's first season at Mizzou Arena, the Tigers welcome some of the best teams in the country.
-No. 2 Oklahoma (Jan. 16), No. 2 LSU (Jan. 30) and No. 2 Florida (Feb. 6) are all slated to compete in CoMo.
-This marks the first time since at least 1998 that Mizzou competed against multiple top-two teams at home in the same season.
ANOTHER CROP OF IMPRESSIVE FRESHMEN JOINS THE AMBUSH
-Mizzou's incoming freshman class, led by five-star and top-10 recruit Kimarra Echols (Henderson, Nev.), ranks No. 11 nationally and fifth in the SEC, according to College Gym News.
-Echols is joined by four-star Hayli Westerlind (Riverton, Utah), three-star Maiya Terry (Coeur D'Alene, Idaho) and Bryce Kupbens (Belmont, Calif.) in the 2025 freshman class.
-It marks the third time since 2021 the Tigers have welcomed a top-11 recruiting class.
TRANSFER EXPERIENCE BOLSTERS 2026 ROSTER
-Mizzou continues to be a premier destination for transfers, as it brought in three talented gymnasts for 2026.
-Makayla Green (Mays Landing, N.J.) joins as a veteran uneven bars specialist and 2025 Illinois team captain after a breakout senior season that included multiple bars titles. The year was highlighted by a win at the NCAA Championship First Round, while posting a career-best score of 9.925 four times during the year.
-Dakota Essenpries (Adrian, Mo.) brings SEC and NCAA Championship experience to Columbia after competing in every vault lineup for Arkansas during the 2025 season. She recorded a career-high 9.900 at the NCAA Championship Second Round, adding depth and consistency to Mizzou's vault rotation.
-Sara Wabi (Chicago, Ill.) arrives as an experienced all-around contributor after earning three All-Midwest Independent Conference First Team honors. She helped lead Illinois State to MIC championships in 2023 and 2025 and qualified as an individual on uneven bars for the 2025 NCAA Regional.
2026 SIGNING CLASS AMONG BEST IN MIZZOU HISTORY
-Mizzou welcomes the No. 6 recruiting class nationally for 2026-27, according to College Gym News, marking the second top-10 signing class in the past three years and the program's second-highest ranked class ever.
-The six-member class—Addison Anderson, Ashtyn Conley, Dakota "Coco" Haynes, Raegan McCarty, Kendall Morgan and Imani White—ranks fifth in the SEC and continues Mizzou's run of three consecutive top-20 classes.
-The group features two five-star recruits and multiple national, regional and state champions, bringing proven success across all four events and depth throughout the lineup.
-White headlines the class as the highest-rated signee in program history, ranking No. 5 nationally, with a decorated résumé that includes a career-high 10.0 on vault, multiple national team selections and extensive postseason experience.
FEATURE - THE GIRL WITH THE KOI FISH TATTOO: GROWTH COMES FROM WITHIN
-Lawrence's journey is defined by perseverance, symbolized by a koi fish tattoo inspired by Japanese folklore, reflecting her belief in growing through adversity rather than avoiding it.
-After starting gymnastics at age five, Lawrence navigated injuries, pressure, and a hip surgery that sidelined her for the entire 2024 season, strengthening her resolve as she leaned on her support system and long-term growth.
-She returned in 2025 as a WCGA All-American, crediting Mizzou's culture for reshaping her relationship with the sport, and now aspires to coach and mentor young gymnasts, emphasizing joy, communication, and confidence beyond results.
FEATURE - HORTON BOUNCES BACK
-Horton's freshman season tested her resilience as she navigated the twisties late in 2024, stepping back to reset mentally with support from her coaches and teammates.
-That approach fueled her 2025 breakout, highlighted by WCGA Uneven Bars Second Team All-America honors and an NCAA Seattle Regional bars title.
FEATURE - AN IMPACT IN AND OUT THE GYM
-Kelly arrived at Mizzou as one of the nation's top recruits and has consistently used gymnastics as a platform to uplift and serve others beyond competition.
-A native of Barbados, she is one of the few collegiate gymnasts representing the Caribbean and became the first Barbadian woman to compete at the Pan American Championships and qualify for the World Championships.
-Kelly has been open about competing with scoliosis, managing the condition through treatment and recovery while crediting gymnastics with building resilience and body awareness.
-She co-founded the Stronger Together Foundation and authored Am I Too Tall for Gymnastics?, while also earning 2025 WCGA Uneven Bars and Balance Beam Second Team All-America honors.
FEATURE - THE ART OF THE LEO
-Leotard design at Mizzou is a collaborative process, led by associate head coach Whitney Snowden with input from staff and direct feedback from student-athletes throughout the year.
-The Tigers try on and train in sample leotards so the staff can evaluate how designs move, fit and catch the light, while athletes share what feels best and what helps them compete confidently.
-Athlete comfort is the priority, as the design goal is to balance Mizzou pride with performance-ready fit, ensuring gymnasts can focus on routines rather than how a leo feels or moves.
-With multiple fabrics, stones and revisions involved, the team's GK partnership helps streamline the process and allows more testing and refinement—making the final look a true player-first, team-built product.
FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For all the latest on Mizzou gymnastics, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.
Players Mentioned
