@MizzouGym Ranked 14th Nationally in RoadtoNationals.com Rankings
1/11/2016 9:19:00 AM | Gymnastics
The ranking is the highest for the Tigers since they were 14th on March 5, 2012
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Mizzou gymnastics team is ranked 14th in the nation in the Road to Nationals first in-season rankings of the 2016 season, the program's highest ranking since 2012. The Tigers went 2-0 in their opening weekend with team scores of 195.350 and 195.200 for a scoring average of 195.275.
The No. 14 ranking marks the program's highest spot in the national rankings since March 5, 2012, when the Tigers also clocked in at 14th.
The Tigers have steadily climbed in the rankings in Head Coach Shannon Welker's two-plus seasons at Mizzou. Last year in Welker's second year at the helm, the Tigers entered the in-season rankings for the first time since 2012 and ultimately finished 21st in the final team rankings for the biggest 2014 to 2015 improvement in the country (41st to 21st).
After coming in at No. 23 in the preseason coaches' poll prior to the 2016 campaign, Mizzou improved nine spots in this week's rankings. An impressive 195.350-195.075 win over then-No. 15 Illinois in the season opener on Jan. 8 as the team tied the highest opening meet score in program history. Two days later, Missouri traveled to Lindenwood and claimed a 195.200-192.000 victory over the Lions to close out the weekend.
Team rankings are based on average score until Feb. 22, when the rankings move to Regional Qualifying Score (RQS). To calculate the RQS, the six highest scores for a team are taken, three of which must be from away meets. The highest score is then dropped and the remaining five scores are averaged to get the RQS.
