After one of its best seasons in program history, the Missouri Tigers gymnastics squad is off to an exciting start to the 2024 season with an eye-opening debut and a No. 3 national ranking. A season-opening triumph in the Mizzou Invitational vaulted the Tigers to No. 3 in the Road to Nationals standings – the program’s highest ever national ranking. The Tigers will host the top ranked SEC team – Florida – and two local rivals – Illinois and Lindenwood – in the Mizzou to the Lou Quad meet at Family Arena in St. Charles on Friday, February 16 at 6 p.m. Tickets for this special gymnastics quad event go on sale Thursday, January 11 at 10 a.m. at ticketmaster.com.
“We are tremendously excited to give our athletes an opportunity to compete against the best in the country on a big stage and in front of our alumni and fans in St. Louis,” said Mizzou gymnastics coach Shannon Welker. “The competition and the atmosphere are going to be electric and I know it will be a memorable experience for all the teams and fans.”
Welker, a St. Louis native, has established a winning culture in a decade at the helm. Under Welker’s guidance, Mizzou has steadily climbed up the ranks of the ultra-competitive Southeastern Conference and has advanced to the NCAA Regional Final in each of the past three seasons. The Tigers are led by graduate student Sienna Schreiber, junior Amari Celestine, and junior Jocelyn Moore – who last season scored the program’s first perfect 10 since 2004 (and only its third ever) on vault against Auburn.
The Mizzou to the Lou Quad will be featured nationally as a prime-time showdown on SEC Network’s popular Friday Night Heights broadcast. Tickets range from $10 to $35 for this rare opportunity to see Mizzou Gymnastics and some of the best college gymnasts in the country compete on a grand stage at Family Arena in St. Charles. All tickets can be found at ticketmaster.com.
“It’s going to be a phenomenal event, with four great teams and some of the top gymnasts in all of college gymnastics,” said Sports Commission Senior Vice President Chris Roseman. “Mizzou’s gymnastics program has really blossomed under Coach Welker, and having the Tigers shift their meet to St. Louis, bringing in fantastic opponents like Florida, Illinois, and Lindenwood is really something special for fans in St. Louis and St. Charles.”
Florida has become a gymnastics powerhouse under head coach Jenny Rowland. The Gators were ranked No. 2 in the country in preseason polls and have finished in the top four nationally in six of the past seven NCAA Gymnastics Championships, with three SEC titles in that time. The Gators are expected to compete for a national title again this year with a trio of current and former U.S. national team members leading the way: Leanne Wong, Morgan Hurd, and Sloane Blakely.
Illinois is a traditional power in the Big Ten and is a mainstay at NCAA Regionals having reached 19 regionals in a row. The Illini are led by head coach Nadalie Walsh and graduate student Mia Takekawa.
Although the quad meet is hosted by Mizzou, the Lindenwood gymnastics team – historically successful in its division of college gymnastics – may have the home floor advantage, competing just four miles from its campus. It will likely be an emotional experience as the Lions are amidst their final season competing in collegiate gymnastics.
“This quad meet puts a spotlight on the sport of gymnastics and advocacy for all college gymnastics programs,” Mizzou coach Welker said. “The support of college gymnastics from fans and media partners is excellent across the country and our sport is poised to grow, creating more opportunities for these outstanding student-athletes.”
The Mizzou to the Lou Quad is part of the Mizzou to the Lou series, a partnership between Mizzou Athletics and the St. Louis Sports Commission which brings multiple Mizzou athletic events to the St. Louis region during the 2023-24 academic year. Additional details on the Mizzou To The Lou series, hosted by the St. Louis Sports Commission, are available by visiting mizzoutothelou.com.
The St. Louis Sports Commission is the privately funded nonprofit organization that grows, strengthens, and moves St. Louis forward through sports. The organization uses the power of sports to enhance the area’s quality of life and generate economic and social benefit for the St. Louis region.
