Mizzou Preps for Season at Black & Gold Intrasquad Exhibition

Sophomore Rayna Light following her floor routine during the Mizzou gymnastics team's Black & Gold Intrasquad meet on Dec. 18, 2024.

GymnasticsDecember 18, 2024

Mizzou Preps for Season at Black & Gold Intrasquad Exhibition

COLUMBIA, Mo. — The University of Missouri gymnastics team began the year with its annual Black & Gold Intrasquad exhibition meet on Wednesday morning at Hearnes Center. Team Black took the win, scoring higher in three rotations and tying on bars to defeat Team Gold 196.150-194.700.

Photo Gallery Box Score Photo Gallery Box Score

COLUMBIA, Mo. — The University of Missouri gymnastics team began the year with its annual Black & Gold Intrasquad exhibition meet on Wednesday morning at Hearnes Center.

Team Black took the win, scoring higher in three rotations and tying on bars to defeat Team Gold 196.150-194.700.

SHOW STOPPERS

The Tigers combined for 27 of 50 scores over 9.8 or better and eight scores of 9.900 or greater, four of which came on balance beam. The Black squad chipped in with a combined score of 49.200 on vault, the highest score by either team in any event.

Graduate newcomer Lauren Macpherson brought home the all-around title. The 2023 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Gymnast of the Year earned a 9.900 on the balance beam and scores of 9.850 on vault, bars and floor for a 39.450 total.

Senior Amari Celestine capped off her preseason prep by scoring the highest of any gymnast during the bars and floor routines. The three-time All-Southeastern Conference honoree turned in the highest score of the meet - a 9.950 from her floor performance.

SETTING THE STAGE

Vault

Freshmen Railey Jackson, Ayla Acevedo, Olivia Kelly, Lisa Szeibert, and Kaia Tanskanen competed in their first collegiate contest.
Kyra Burns' 9.900 led the team on the day, which would have tied her career best in the event.

Bars

Amari Celestine notched the highest score on bars with a 9.900. The senior has exceeded a 9.9 in the discipline twice prior in her career.
Three Tigers tallied 9.850s - Macpherson, sophomore Hannah Horton and junior Addison Lawrence.

Beam

Redshirt senior Helen Hu appeared in midseason form during her first collegiate competition since April 2, 2023, posting 9.900 of her own in her return to gymnastics for her final year.
The efforts of Macpherson, alongside sophomores Jessa Conedera and Kennedy Griffin, meant three of the first six Tigers to tackle the balance beam earned 9.900s.

Floor

Celestine clinched the meet's highest score of 9.950 during her floor routine. The senior has earned 23 scores of 9.9 or better on floor in her career.
Freshman Jackson performed the second-best floor routine, tallying a 9.900 in her collegiate debut in the exhibition event.

UP NEXT

The Tigers will open their season with Beauty and the Beast, the simultaneous gymnastics and wrestling competition, on Jan. 3, 2025, at 6 p.m. CT at Mizzou Arena. Gymnastics will compete against Ball State, Illinois State and SEMO during its meet.

SEASON TICKETS ON SALE NOW

Season ticket renewals for the 2025 Mizzou gymnastics season are on sale now at MUTigers.com/Tickets. In addition to hosting "Beauty and the Beast" for the team's regular-season opener, the Tigers will host SEC home duals against Kentucky, Georgia and Auburn.

FOLLOW THE TIGERS

For all the latest on Mizzou gymnastics, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

FULL RESULTS

Team Black: 196.150, Team Gold: 194.700

Vault

Black: 49.100

Lauren Macpherson: 9.850

Kaia Tanskanen: 9.800

Jocelyn Moore: 9.850

Kennedy Griffin: 9.750

Ayla Acevedo: 9.750

Jessa Conedera: 9.850