March 21, 2014
Missouri Meet Notes
BIRMINGHAM, Al. - After posting their season high score in last year's conference tournament, the Missouri gymnastics team looks to do the same this Saturday in the 2014 SEC Championships in Birmingham, Al.
All eight SEC teams will compete this Saturday, Mar. 22 inside the BJCC Arena. Missouri will be a part of the first session which begins at 2:00 p.m. CT, while the second and final session begins at approximately 6:00 p.m. CT.
The 2014 SEC Gymnastics Championships will feature six of the nation's top-15 teams, including four teams among the top-six nationally. Session number two will slate No. 1 Florida, No. 2 LSU, No. 4 Alabama, and No. 6 Georgia. Missouri will join No. 12 Auburn, No. 15 Arkansas and Kentucky in the afternoon's first session.
Fans can follow the action on www.SECDigitalNetwork.com. Saturday's SEC Championships will be aired Mar. 27 at 4:30 p.m. CT on ESPNU and again on Mar. 29 at 10:00 a.m. CT on ESPN2.
Missouri Tigers Gymnastics Quick Facts
The Tigers finished the regular season with a 6-7 (.462) record under first-year head coach Shannon Welker. It marked a drastic improvement over the 2013 Tigers, as that year's squad only tallied a 4-17 (.182) overall record.
While Missouri improved their mark this season and took advantage of some non-conference wins, the Tigers are still in search of their first all-time SEC victory. With an 0-13 (.000) record the past two years, Missouri looks to turn things around next year during the 2015 season.
Missouri's lone regular and postseason victory in SEC gymnastics came at last year's SEC Championships, as they finished seventh out of eighth in the final team results, defeating the Kentucky Wildcats.
Missouri At The 2013 SEC Championships
(Mar. 23, 2013) Showing steady improvement all season long, the 2013 Missouri Gymnastics team recorded their season high score of 195.525 at last year's conference tournament. The Tigers also earned a season high 49.250 score on the balance beam at the event.
Missouri's team total ranked them seventh out of eighth overall, as the Florida Gators took home first place with their 198.000 team score.
The Tigers began the day's first session on floor and finished with a solid 48.975 team total on the event. An array of Missouri gymnasts put up strong scores, led by senior Tori Howard's 9.850 score and Cathryn Aliceaacosta and Sandra Ostad's marks of 9.800 apiece.
Missouri closed out the competition on beam, as Laura Kappler matched her then personal best score of 9.800. Howard and Mackenzie McGill each posted team best scores of 9.900 in the middle, and were followed by a big 9.875 score from Rachel Updike.
Additional Missouri Gymnastics Tidbits
The Tigers' top event all year has been on bars, as their 48.960 event score ranks T-26th in the nation. Junior Rebecca Johnson's RQS bars score of 9.850 leads the way for Missouri, which ranks T-65th in the country.
Updike has turned in the most successful individual RQS score of 2014 so far, as the junior's 9.900 score on vault is tied for the 21st best mark in the country.
For the latest information on all things Mizzou Gymnastics, check-in to MUTigers.com. You can also follow the Tigers on social media, by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter and Instagram.
