Welker, Terpak Earn WCGA Regional Coaching Awards
4/8/2026 12:00:00 PM | Gymnastics
Head coach Shannon Welker receives the honor for the second-consecutive year.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou gymnastics head coach Shannon Welker was named the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) South Central Regional Coach of the Year, while assistant coach Jackie Terpak earned WCGA Regional Assistant Coach of the Year honors, the organization announced Wednesday.
This marks the second consecutive regional recognition for Welker and the first regional Assistant Coach of the Year honor in program history.
Welker guided Missouri to another strong postseason showing in 2026, highlighted by the program's sixth-straight berth in an NCAA Regional Final. In his 13th season at the helm, Welker also coached junior Hannah Horton (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) to the program's third Southeastern Conference Specialist of the Year honor in the past four years, a conference-record 10 All-SEC selections and a pair of WCGA Regular Season All-Americans in Addison Lawrence (Olathe, Kan.) and Kimarra Echols (Henderson, Nev.).
Under Welker's leadership, Missouri remained among the nation's top programs throughout the season, ranking inside the top 10 nationally on all four events for seven-straight weeks during the regular season. Week five marked the first time in the Road to Nationals era (since 1998) that Missouri ranked inside the top 10 on all four events after every team had competed.
Terpak, who oversees the Tigers' floor exercise lineup, helped elevate Missouri into one of the nation's premier floor teams. Mizzou scored 49.000 or better on floor in 79 consecutive meets, the fifth-longest streak in NCAA women's gymnastics history, and in every contest since Terpak arrived in Columbia ahead of the 2024 season. The Tigers finished the season ranked seventh nationally on floor with a 49.433 NQS and reached as high as No. 2 nationally during the year.
Missouri's floor unit delivered several standout performances under Terpak in 2026, including a season-high 49.575 on Feb. 20 at the Mizzou Quad when all counting scores reached 9.900 or better. The Tigers also recorded a meet-high 49.450 on floor at the SEC Championship, with four gymnasts scoring 9.900 or higher.
Terpak shares the award with the Oklahoma assistant coaches.
Missouri's postseason continues with Horton representing the Tigers individually on uneven bars at the NCAA Championship on April 16. Horton qualified after earning a share of the regional title with a 9.925.
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