Mizzou Gym takes Tulsa for SEC Championships looking for more “magic” than “tragic”

Fresh disconnected their first triumph connected The Plains to extremity nan regular season, we’ve reached nan postseason, folks, and nan #9 Missouri Tigers are READY to make immoderate noise. It’s SEC Championships time!

Per Mizzou Head Coach Shannon Walker, who nan media said to connected Wednesday, “We’re excited. I mean, man, nan play flies by and we’re already astatine nan extremity point. But I was really pleased connected really we vanished retired nan season. You know, particularly successful SEC competition, we opened pinch 3 aliases 4 really reliable meets.”

He continued. “They’re each tough, but we went 0-3 location going into that meet pinch Florida and past we turned it astir and for illustration 4-1 connected nan backmost end, truthful conscionable really pleased pinch immoderate of nan toughness and successful nan maturation successful our team, and excited to spell to Tulsa this play and proceed to get better.”

Because they vanished seventh successful nan SEC, they will beryllium successful nan day convention of nan two-part meet, facing disconnected against no. 6 Georgia, no. 8 Arkansas, no. 16 Auburn and no. 19 Kentucky. The goal, of course, is to triumph this convention past besides return retired immoderate number of teams successful nan evening session.

In past year’s SEC meet, nan #7 Tigers recorded their highest ever convention champs score, 197.400, beating nan 197.250 they group nan twelvemonth prior. In their first quality successful nan evening session, Mizzou vanished 4th overall, tying their highest people of nan season, 49.575 connected bars.

Let’s get started.

When: Saturday, March 21, 2026

Where: Bank of Oklahoma (BOK) Center | Tulsa, Oklahoma

Time: 2 p.m. CST

TV: SECN for main provender | SEC+ for individual servants of nan state feeds

MIZZOU ORDER OF EVENTS: BARS —> BEAM —> FLOOR —> VAULT —> BYE*

*with 5 teams, there’s a rotation ‘bye’ for each team, and Mizzou’s is last, which intends nary weird break successful betwixt wherever your power could travel down.

The leo: A infinitesimal for nan caller leo. ✨so pretty✨

[update erstwhile it’s released— Whitney wouldn’t punctual maine of which caller 1 was coming this week and astatine Regionals…]

About nan Venue:

The BOK (Bank of Oklahoma) Center, per its website, is simply a 19.199-seat capacity arena successful downtown Tulsa that opened successful 2008 that is nan superior location of nan Tulsa Oilers of nan ECHL and nan Tulsa Oilers of nan Indoor Football League. It is nan erstwhile nan WNBA’s Tulsa (Detroit) Shock and nan Tulsa Talons of nan Arena Football League. It’s played big to nan OKC Thunder’s preseason games, arsenic good arsenic respective rounds of nan NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, Big 12 Wrestling Championships, NCAA Wrestling Championships and Dallas Stars NHL neutral tract games. It looks ace nice!

This meet, of course, will beryllium group up podium-style, and person 4 judges. While nan Tigers person immoderate familiarity pinch this situation already arsenic it was a akin set-up to Zou to nan Lou from nan erstwhile 2 years, they did not return portion successful a podium meet this year.

The Tigers person had an opportunity to practice beam connected podium, however, owed to nan generosity of a philanthropist (Shannon’s erstwhile nine coach) who sewage nan materials to person a beam podium constructed successful nan Tiger Performance Center. Funnily enough, Shannon said, nan feline offered to proviso a full podium for nan team. “I don’t deliberation Dennis Gates would emotion if I put nan full point successful there,” Shannon joked.

“But we could put a podium successful nan gym and it would beryllium really cool for equilibrium beam. I thought that would beryllium a bully arena because I deliberation that 1 tin — they each station their ain unsocial challenges — but I deliberation beam was a small spot different bounce there, conscionable visual… So he dropped disconnected capable worldly and sewage our accommodation guys to thief america retired and put it together. And truthful we’ve been training connected it for nan past fewer weeks. Obviously nan volition is to mimic what we spot astatine SEC Championships and NCAA Championships and conscionable get a small amended prepared arsenic we move into that clip of nan season.”

When we past saw our Tigers, they wrapped up their regular play pinch a W complete Auburn, 197.325 to 196.700 successful beforehand of a crowd of 9,121 (well, that’s nan sold retired attendance, and who knows what it really was) astatine Neville Arena. I’m paying astir attraction to scores and bid here, arsenic I’m intimately monitoring this for postseason. You tin publication my thoughtful recap here.

After 1: MIZ 49.425 — AUB 49.200

After 2: MIZ 98.750 — AUB 98.350

After 3: MIZ 148.050 — AUB 147.400

After 4: Mizzou takes nan W! MIZ 197.325 to ARK 196.700

If it’s not Missouri, what nan hellhole are you moreover doing here? I kid...

From pursuing this squad nan past fewer years, it’s evident this squad has a awesome civilization that is felt by each and facilitated by caput coach, Shannon Welker, subordinate caput coach & bars coach, Whitney Snowden, adjunct coach & choreographer, Jackie Terpak, and beam coach, Lacey Rubin. It hasn’t ever been this measurement a while back, but currently, there’s nary 1 amended successful my mind, which is why they had specified occurrence successful nan portal successful getting immoderate really under-the-radar transfers nan past fewer years to bolster nan rotations and why they had specified occurrence successful their freshmen recruiting.

Missouri, arsenic it has already been mentioned, has had a bully season, and should this play spell well, they are connected way to decorativeness nan regular play pinch each 4 apparatuses classed successful nan apical 10 each play for nan first clip ever. We haven’t seen nan champion of this squad yet, and truthful nan anticipation is sidesplitting maine for them to get there. Their precocious scores aren’t rather wherever they were past season, and immoderate of that I consciousness for illustration is owed to lackluster judging— pinch six location meets, 1 would expect an iota of location cooking astatine immoderate point, but instead, it oftentimes seemed to use their opponents (cough, cough LSU).

The Tigers averaged a 197.155 crossed 5 meets (3 home) successful January, 197.192 crossed 3 meets (2 home) successful February, and 197.350 crossed 3 meets (2 away) successful March. Below are nan Tigers’ individual rotation breakdowns for each meet. I’ll spell done nan info a spot much thoroughly for Mizzou’s opponents, arsenic I’m not showing each their graphs. But present is Mizzou’s successful each its glory. Draw immoderate conclusions you’d like, but I for illustration nan upward trends we’re seeing. Ignore past week’s level rotation score, please.

After nan Oklahoma meet, Shannon said, “We’ve had immoderate really awesome individual performances, and I deliberation we’re really trying to make this displacement to group excellence for illustration in, you know, that arena excellence correct location connected each event. I deliberation that’s thing that’s a small spot of a modulation we’re pushing towards correct now.”

I’d contend that nan Tigers are still looking for this— group excellence. It was benignant of addressed again successful Wednesday’s pre-SEC media availability. The teams astatine this stage, arsenic referenced successful nan title, are looking for much magic than tragic, Shannon called it.

“Consistency wins, right? And truthful you conscionable want to effort to tighten up nan scope that your kids compete in, rather honestly. And you know, it’s awesome if they tin people a 9.95, but if nan adjacent move they spell 9.65, that’s, you know, I’d almost alternatively return nan 9.85 consistency correct there. And truthful we really conscionable effort to attraction connected consistency and training and immoderate we do, it’s nan rule of averages… That’s what really preach and coach by.”

*many of nan facts — NOT ALL OF THEM — beneath are copied from my previews if it sounds familiar

“I cognize we’re not successful nan evening convention this year,” Shannon said, “But that convention has sewage the, you know, that’s number 1,2,3 and 4 successful nan country. And it’s number 1, 2, 3, and 4 successful nan SEC, right? I mean, beautiful awesome stuff. And nan day session’s nary slouch, either. I mean, there’s immoderate bully teams successful location arsenic well. So, you know, there’s 3 apical 10 teams successful that day session. So it’ll beryllium awesome title there, and that’ll beryllium really awesome mentation for america arsenic we move into nan first information of nan location weekend.”

Georgia is having a bully season, contempt nan nonaccomplishment of prima Lily Smith successful nan past fewer weeks. They person 1 198 score, achieved astatine a podium meet for illustration 1 successful early March, Elevate nan Stage. They besides person 5 scores of 197.5-plus to spell pinch conscionable 1 sub-197 score. They besides person 5 scores successful nan 197.0-197.3 range. If you put each their highest scores together, their highest magic people correct now is 199.125 (w/ Lily included). Obviously, that’s not happening, but absorbing to see, nonetheless.

As of each apparatus, Georgia has conscionable 1 sub-49 people connected vault, earned successful Week 2 (their Week 1), but mostly people successful nan 49.35-49.4 range. On bars, their 49.625 was a crazy people connected March 8, and is dissimilar thing other they’ve ever scored. They mostly autumn successful nan 49.4 range. On beam, they person 1 sub-49 people and tons of peaks and valleys. White they’ve been 49.5-49.55 3 times, they besides been 49.0-49.175 4 times, truthful I’m not judge what this GymDog beam squad is. And finally, connected floor, moreover pinch Lily out, this squad is performing rather good connected FX, pinch each of their scores 49.325 aliases higher. Their season-high 49.725 is simply a afloat tenth higher than nan different scores, and they chiefly are successful nan 49.55-49.6 range. Georgia, for illustration Missouri, is simply a #FloorSchool.

Much for illustration Mizzou, nan Razorbacks person 2 scores this play of 197.5 aliases higher, pinch 4 of their 5 highest scores achieved successful nan friends confines of Bud Walton Arena. They person 1 sub-196 people and 2 sub-197 scores, though nary since Valentine’s Day weekend. Four of their scores autumn successful nan 197.1-197.25 range. If you put each their highest scores together, their highest magic people correct now is 198.75.

For nan circumstantial apparatuses (apparati?), nan vault squad’s precocious score, an astonishing 49.625, is much than 0.2 higher than immoderate different rotation score, and they consistently people successful nan 49.35 range. On bars, they person 2 sub-49 rotation scores, including successful their last regular play meet. Most often, I’d opportunity Ark bars tin beryllium recovered successful nan 49.2-49.25 range. On beam, they person nary sub-49 scores and person 3 49.4o-plus scores, chiefly falling successful nan 49.3-49.4 range. Finally, connected floor, they person 1 sub-49 score, pinch 3 scores successful nan 49.5-49.65 scores, including 2 scores of 49.60-plus. They consistently autumn successful nan 49.4-49.6 scope connected FX.

Individually, Arkansas is nan only squad successful this convention that has a cleanable 10 this season, and it’s from Morgan Price, who besides was precocious named an AAI Award finalist, which goes to nan champion elder gymnast successful nan NCAA (who was nominated). From nan Arkansas site:

The Other/Lesser Tigers (sorry, Auburn) person 3 scores of 197.1 aliases higher this season, on pinch a whopping 9 196 scores… it’s been a weird play for Jeff Graba’s crew, and it doesn’t thief that they are without nan ultra talented Sophia Bell, who is retired for nan play now pinch an achilles injury. Vault is nan only arena that nan Tigers person not earned a sub-49 score, though they peaked a spot excessively soon, it seems, earning their highest people of nan play successful their first meet, and didn’t deed different 49.4 people until March 8. Most of their scores person fallen betwixt 49.2-49.3. Bars has been nan team’s biggest challenge, pinch 4 sub-49 scores. Their astir communal scores connected nan arena autumn successful nan 49.1 range. Beam whitethorn beryllium Auburn’s strongest event, consistency-wise astatine least, pinch 1 sub-49 score, and 3 of their past 5 scores successful nan 49.3 range. Floor has been very up-and-down, and is different arena that Bell took portion in. The Tigers person 3 sub-49 scores connected level this season, but astir of their scores autumn betwixt 49.3-49.45. If you put each their highest scores together, their highest magic people correct now is 198.40.

KEY ADDITIONS: Charlotte Booth (freshman, UB) | Brynn Torry (fr, VLT) | Mia Leverton (fr, VLT) | Katelyn Jong (soph, return from achilles injury) | Emma Wehry (WVU transfer, VLT/UB/BB) | Kaylee Bluffstone (Florida transfer, FX)

KEY LOSSES: WOW. Injuries: Sophia Bell (soph, achilles) | Rebekah Smith (fr, foot) | Graduates: Gabby McLaughlin (BB, FX, student choreographer) | Caroline Leonard (UB) | Sophia Groth (UB, BB, FX) | Olivia Hollingsworth (AA) | Sara Hubbard (VLT) | Sydney Schumaker (VLT) | Sarah Zois (VLT, BB, FX)

If Auburn has had a weird season, Kentucky’s has been conscionable bizarre. Look, they mislaid A LOT successful nan offseason, but wow… they’ve taken rather a tumble virtually and figuratively. On nan bully side, nan Cats person 4 scores successful nan 197s this season, but past they besides person 3 196s successful nan mid-to-upper range, a 195, and (gasp!) 2 194 scores successful nan first 2 meets. In nan last meet of nan season, they were up successful nan little 197s, truthful location is dream they’ve gotten it together. On vault, Big Blue Nation has 1 sub-49 score, but are connected an upwards trend, earning their highest people of nan play successful nan last meet. Most of their scores are successful nan 49.1-49.2 range. On bars, they besides person conscionable 1 sub-49 score, but it’s conscionable been a debased scoring arena for them overall, pinch astir of their scores falling successful nan 49.0-49.1 range, which is besides wherever they fell successful Week 11. Beam is astir apt nan Cats’ astir improved event, and aft a disaster successful their first 3 meets — they scored a 47.0 astatine 1 point! — they’ve been connected nan upswing each week, consistently successful nan 49.2-49.35 range. And yet floor, wherever they started nan twelvemonth pinch a sub-49 successful their first meet, but since nan 4th meet, person consistently been successful nan 49.3-49.4 range. Their highest score, a 49.5, was successful nan past meet. If you put each their highest scores together, their highest magic people correct now is 198.15.

Presenting... my life’s work. It’s each led up to this moment— my maestro database (I said this aforesaid connection nan past 2 years too, truthful conscionable spell pinch it). I went done Road to Nationals (a awesome website) and classed nan highest scores by each of nan 5 teams (Mizzou, Georgia, Arkansas, Auburn and Kentucky) and past secondarily by their nationalist qualifying score. The determination connected alternates, which are listed w/ **alt, are based connected RTN information and for Mizzou, what lineups Shannon has been using. And it’s color-coded by schoolhouse successful their squad colors, because evidently it is.

Below nan floor plan is immoderate much Mizzou-specific notes.

“For nan astir portion [this season], we’ve started connected bars,” Shannon said erstwhile I asked astir nan bid of events. “And truthful we conscionable felt for illustration that was a comfortable spot to start, and we’ve been doing a bully occupation there. So that was, I deliberation it was benignant of easy.” He continued. “I really for illustration nan rotation we got, I almost I whitethorn person moreover picked that one, moreover if I had nan first prime successful that round, rather honestly, because I do for illustration nan truth that you tin conscionable restart. We don’t person to woody pinch nan buy, you know, because if you get immoderate mojo going and immoderate momentum, you want to conscionable support it right, that break successful there.”

“The only point I don’t like,” he said, “Is not being connected nan level successful nan past rotation, because I do think, unfortunately, scores thin to elevate, and I for illustration to beryllium connected nan level successful that past rotation. So it’s a small spot of a springiness and take. I really for illustration nan rotation we have, and I deliberation that’s going to service us.”

Hey, astatine slightest they aren’t starting connected floor, for illustration each of past postseason!

“If you look astatine our squad scores,” Shannon said, “our mean is really good. If you look astatine Road to Nationals and if you look astatine our NQS versus our mean score, they are like, almost identical… That tells maine that we are competing astatine a really accordant level correct there. Now, I would for illustration to beryllium a small higher connected that apical scope of nan score, but you know, you tin conscionable do nan champion you tin pinch nan squad you have.”