How Mizzou Gymnastics is establishing itself as a national power

The room where a team gathers to hear the announcement of its postseason fate on selection day is often fraught with anxiety and anticipation. For the Mizzou gymnasts, staff and supporters assembled at the Columns Club in Memorial Stadium two weeks ago, any cause for concern was already far in the past. As one of the nation’s top 16 teams by their National Qualifying Score, the system used by the NCAA to determine placement and qualification for the postseason, the Tigers already knew their seed and their destination.

Now, MU heads to Lexington, Kentucky, as the No. 8 national seed just two steps away from another nationals appearance, which would be the program’s third in the last five years. And as impressive as that achievement would be on its own, Mizzou is also on the cusp of something even greater: earning a status as one of the sport’s elite.

While the Tigers are still relatively new to the national stage, they are already knocking on the door of a place very few MU programs before it have entered. Returning to Fort Worth for the second straight year would leave no doubt: Mizzou is becoming one of the sport’s legitimate, national powerhouses. How the Tigers have established themselves as a standout brand in gymnastics is arguably just as interesting as how they have gotten so close to reaching the mountaintop of the sport.

Reaching New Heights By any objective measure, this postseason will be the culmination of the greatest five-year span in program history. Two of the program’s four total national championships appearances have come during that stretch, including last season’s record-breaking third place finish at Four on the Floor. MU also finished fifth nationally in 2022.