@MizzouGym Impresses at Black & Gold Exhibition

Saturday, December 9

Columbia, Mo.

2:45 p.m. CT

University of Missouri

Black & Gold

12/9/2017 5:13:00 PM | Gymnastics

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Missouri gymnastics team gave Tiger fans a preview of the upcoming 2018 season with the annual Black & Gold exhibition Saturday afternoon at the Hearnes Center. The meet also featured celebrity guest judges and in-meet interviews with student-athletes and coaches.

"This meet gives us a wakeup call to make sure we're prepared and gives us a gauge of where we are to hit the ground running next month," Head Coach Shannon Welker said. "I was very pleased with where we are. I really did like what I saw. We have a couple of things to work on, finishing a couple of routines and getting a couple more gymnasts back from minor things here and there, but we're just trying to pace ourselves."

The Tigers opened the meet on vault, where junior Allison Bower made her Tiger debut on the event. She nearly stuck her vault, a front pike with a half twist (a 10.0 start value), for a 9.75. Redshirt sophomore Morgan Porter returned to the lineup from injury, and opened the rotation with a 9.725. Also with strong vaults were sophomore Aspen Tucker (9.825) and seniors Shauna Miller (9.775) and Kennedi Harris (9.750).

Tucker stuck her bars dismount to open the second rotation with a 9.750. Porter and junior Brooke Kelly each tallied 9.800s, while senior Becca Schugel earned a 9.700.

The Tigers alternated between beam and bars in the third and fourth rotations. On beam, Porter, Tucker and sophomore Mary Nicholson all led the way with 9.800s after strong sets on the event. Freshman Gabrielle Gottula earned a 9.750 and Bower, senior Tia Allbritten and freshman Lauren Clevenger both went 9.700.

Bower concluded her strong meet with a team-best 9.900 on floor in the final rotation. Tucker, debuting her full-in tumbling pass, posted a 9.850, as did Harris. Claiming 9.800s on the event were Clevenger and Kelly. Nicholson added a 9.700.

Missouri officially opens the 2018 season on Friday, Jan. 12 in a road meet at Auburn at 7 p.m. CT. The Tigers home their home schedule on Friday, Jan. 19 against Arkansas at 6:45 p.m. CT.