No. 12 Gymnastics Posts Program-Best Season Opener Score, Takes First At Mizzou Invitational

COLUMBIA, Mo. — The No. 12-ranked University of Missouri gymnastics team set a program record for highest season opener with a 197.150 to finish first in the Mizzou Invitational at Hearnes Center on Saturday, Jan. 6. Lindenwood came in second place with a team total of 194.000, while Northern Illinois and SEMO tied for third with 192.775. 

In front of 3,514 fans, the Tigers dominated the competition from the first touch, claiming all four event titles and sweeping the podium on every rotation. Mizzou finished with four scores of 9.900 or higher as Shannon Welker’s squad broke the 197 mark in a season opener for the first time in program history.

Missouri kicked off the quad meet on vault in front of 3,514 fans, led by junior Amari Celestine and freshman Hannah Horton‘s 9.875 scores, tying for first. Both Rayna Light and Grace Anne Davis earned scores of 9.825 to earn third place as the Tigers finished the first rotation in first place with a team score of 49.200. Lindenwood sat in second (48.625) with Northern Illinois (48.425) and SEMO (47.600) in third and fourth, respectively. 

On bars, graduate student Hollyn Patrick led Mizzou, scoring a 9.875 and claiming the top spot. Schreiber earned 9.850 for second, while senior Amaya Marshall and graduate student Mara Titarsolej added scores of 9.825 and tied for third. Totalling 49.175 on the event, Missouri continued to hold down first (98.375) with Northern Illinois (96.675) in second, Lindenwood in third (96.425) and SEMO (96.300) in fourth.  

The Tigers turned up the heat on beam, earning the team’s first two scores of 9.900 or higher for the season. Schreiber led the squad, scoring 9.925 and Davis followed with a 9.900. Celestine added a 9.875 in her beam debut, while Titarsolej earned 9.825. Still in first place, Mizzou’s 49.275 bumped its team score to 147.650. Lindenwood (146.050) moved in second, and SEMO (144.575) bumped up to third. Northern Illinois (144.325) was in fourth place heading into the final rotation. 

Closing out the meet on floor, Mizzou dazzled the home supporters with a 49.450. Junior Jocelyn Moore tied her career high and the program high on the event with a 9.975 to earn first place. Horton finished her collegiate meet strong with a 9.900 for second place. Celestine added a 9.875, while Schreiber and junior Alonna Kratzer chipped in 9.850’s. 

In the all-around competition, Schreiber earned first place, totaling 39.400. 

Meet Notes

• Missouri claimed first place in the quad meet, moving its all-time record to 15-1 against Lindenwood, 10-2 versus Northern Illinois and 38-8 when competing with SEMO. 
• Missouri’s 197.150 marks the highest opening meet team score in program history.
• Three Tigers made their debut in a Mizzou leo: Horton (vault, floor), Light (vault, floor) and Titarsolej (bars, beam).
• Horton notched her first career 9.900 with her performance on floor. 
• Horton also earned the first event title of her career, tying with Celestine on vault with a 9.875.
• Davis tied her career-high on beam, earning 9.900 for the third time in her career. The previous occurrence was at the NCAA Los Angeles Regional Second Round, March, 30, 2023. 
• Moore tied the program-high on floor 9.975, equaling a mark set six previous times, most recently by Moore herself at Arkansas, Feb. 24, 2023.
• Mizzou claimed all four event titles for the first time since the Lindenwood Tri-Meet featuring Lindenwood and Texas Woman’s, Jan. 29, 2023.
• The Tigers swept the podium on every event, claiming each of the top three positions on all four rotations. For vault and bars, Missouri claimed each of the top five entries.

UP NEXT

The Tigers hit the road Friday, Jan. 12, for their first SEC dual meet of 2024, traveling to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for a showdown against No. 8 Alabama. First touch from Coleman Coliseum is set for 6 p.m. CT, and the competition will be broadcast on SEC Network.

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FULL RESULTS

Vault 49.200

T1. Amari Celestine – 9.875

T1. Hannah Horton – 9.875

T3. Rayna Light – 9.825

T3. Grace Anne Davis – 9.825

T5. Jocelyn Moore – 9.800

T7. Sienna Schreiber – 9.750

Bars 49.175

1 Hollyn Patrick – 9.875

2 Sienna Schreiber – 9.850

T3. Amaya Marshall – 9.825

T3 Mara Titarsolej – 9.825

5 Kyra Burns – 9.800

9 Jocelyn Moore – 9.750

Beam 49.275

1 Sienna Schreiber – 9.925

2 Grace Anne Davis 9.900

3 Amari Celestine – 9.875 

T5 Mara Titarsolej – 9.825

7 Sydney Schaffer – 9.750

T10 Amaya Marshall – 9.725

Floor 49.450

1 Jocelyn Moore – 9.975

2 Hannah Horton – 9.900

T3 Amari Celestine – 9.875

T5 Sienna Schreiber – 9.850

T5 Alonna Kratzer – 9.850 

T10 Rayna Light – 9.800