Tigers Return Home for Hearnes Hula

There’s no time like the present to get vault back on track and increase those scores

Break out the leis and grass skirts because it’s Hawaiian Night at Hearnes Center, and the no. 8 Missouri Tigers are back on the mats to face the Georgia GymDogs

It’s apparently ALSO Cause Night, Fraternity & Sorority Life Night, and possibly Alumni Night? Oh my! It’s the Night of Nights!

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Meet Info for Hawaiian Night

When: Friday, February 21, 2025

Where: Hearnes Center | Columbia, Mo.

Time: 7 p.m. CST

TV: SEC Network+ (Max Thoma PxP, Adalayna Hufendiek analyst)

Live Stats: https://virti.us/session?s=5G1wTbyKRm

Giveaway: Mizzou Gymnastics branded stemless wine glass

About the Venue: Last year, Mizzou averaged 4,644 at Hearnes and maxed out at 7,336 against LSU. This year, they’ve only had two home meets— one during winter break and one during the AFC Championship game), and have averaged 3,495. Hopefully, on Friday they will blow that number out.

History: In its history (per MUTigers), Missouri is 11-23 against UGA, though they have been very successful against them recently, taking each of the last 9 meetings, if you include SECs, last year’s NCAA Regional— they were in the same meet), etc.

They already faced off earlier this season when they met in Denver at a quad meet that also featured LIU. Denver took the W, and Mizzou was runner up. Georgia finished third.

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Last Time On The Mats

When we last saw our Tigers, they visited the Lou for a podium meet against Alabama, Illinois and Iowa on Valentine’s Day. Here’s my longer recap, as well as my quick one from this week’s Olympic Sports Catchup:

At the Zou to the Lou meet on Friday, the Tigers overcame a last place finish after a pretty disastrous first vault rotation (48.85) to claw their way back into it and take the Valentine’s Day W from #14 Alabama (196.675), who they beat for just the second time ever, #26 Illinois (for a second straight week, 196.225) and #28 Iowa (195.00). It was a meet to remember, with good scores on beam (49.30) and bars (49.25) and the greatest floor rotation I’ve ever seen, which broke the school record of 49.700 they set last St. Patty’s Day at Illinois and currently is the second highest score in the entire country (a 49.725). Railey set a new career high with a stunning 9.925 and Kennedy got a perfect 10 on floor, and Amari set a career high on bars with a 9.95.

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Quick Comparisons

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Georgia Outlook

KEY: H= high score; A= average score

PROJECTED LINEUP:

Vault: Ady Wahl (9.925 H; 9.808 A) | Nyla Aquina (9.925 H; 9.825 A) | Anaya Smith (9.90 CH; 9.833 A) | Nicole King (9.875 H; 9.792 A) | Ja’Free Scott (9.875 H; 9.83 A) | Wild Cards: Naya Howard (9.85 H; 9.788 A) OR Csenge Bacskay (9.825 H; 9.804 A)

Bars: Lily Smith (9.95 H; 9.875 A) | Ady Wahl (9.95 H; 9.887 A) | Ja’Free Scott (9.925 H; 9.865 A) | Naya Howard (9.875 H; 9.821 A) | Holly Snyder (9.875 H; 9.800 A) | Wild Cards: Sadie Jane Berry (9.875 H; 9.783 A) OR Emma Mason (9.85 H; 9.817 A) OR Sidney Fitzgerald (9.825 H; 9.817 A)

Beam: Lily Smith (9.95 H; 9.879 A) | Brooke Gleichowski (9.95 H; 9.525 A) | Anya Turner (9.925 H; 9.854 A) | Kara Eaker (9.925 H; 9.90 A) | Ja’Free Scott (9.90 H; 9.825 A) | Wild Card: Naya Howard (9.85 H; 9.695 A) OR Aberdeen O’Driscoll (9.85 H; 9.825 A) OR Harley Tomlin (9.85 H)

Floor: Lily Smith (9.95 H; 9.85 A) | Nyla Aquino (9.95 H; 9.829 A) | Ady Wahl (9.90 H; 9.846 A) | Eryn Williams (9.875 H; 9.812 A) | Emma Mason (9.875 H) | Wild Cards: Csenge Bacskay (9.875 H; 9.85 A) OR Holly Snyder (9.85 H; 9.842 A)

NOTES:

• The GymDogs are led by co-head coaches Cecile Canqueteau-Landi (Simone Biles’ former coach) and Ryan Roberts, who served the past six seasons as an assistant at Alabama & Georgia. They currently sit 4-4, including 2-2 in the SEC.
• Georgia’s victory over Arkansas last weekend was their first since 2022, and a season high on floor (49.450). Freshman Nyla Aquino & sophomore Lily Smith earned 9.95 scores, either earning or matching their career high. Smith was the 2024 SEC Freshman of the Year.
• Georgia’s roster features 10 newcomers, including three transfers— Arizona State’s Anaya Smith, Utah’s Kara Eaker, and Nebraska’s Csenge Bacskay. Eaker is the big one here, as the KCMO native and former national teamer is back from a year off and performs a gorgeous beam. Bacskay was a member of the Hungarian national team and was an Olympic qualifier on vault.
• As for the freshmen, it seems like all have gotten into some kind of lineup at least once this season, with Emma Mason competing on three different apparatuses— bars. beam and floor, and Nyla Aquino on vault and floor. Sadie Jane Berry (from Mooresville, NC, where I used to coach HS swimming!) has competed on bars, while Brooke Gleichowski, Harley Tomlin & Aberdeen O’Driscoll have competed on beam.
• Georgia seems to have been on a similar sort of trajectory to the Tigers, so this should be a close one. They have the same matching high score, a 197.200. They’ve hit the 197 sweet spot twice in six meets, whereas Mizzou has hit it three times in seven meets. Their individual apparatus high scores are pretty even, as well.
• From the chart below you can see that both floor (purple) and bars (orange) are on an upwards trajectory, while beam and vault have been falling slightly week by week.

Data visualization via roadtonationals

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Missouri Lineup Preview

PROJECTED LINEUP:

Vault: Jocelyn Moore (9.975 H; 9.839 A) | Hannah Horton (9.925 H; 9.704 A) | Amari Celestine (9.90 H; 9.889 A) | Elise Tisler (9.85 H; 9.656 A) | Kennedy Griffin (9.85 H; 9.75 A) | Wild Card: Kyra Burns (9.775 H; 9.725 A) OR Abby Mueller (9.80 H; 9.769 A) OR Olivia Kelly (9.75 H)

Analysis: I don’t have Kaia listed, as I’m not sure she’ll be back in the lineup yet, but obviously if she’s ready she’ll be in there with her 10.0 SV. Kennedy went a 9.80 last week and that was one of the higher scores of the rotation, and she’s coming off a fabulous week, so I’d keep her in, and then go with Kyra, who I’m still hoping gets back to her 9.90 that she shocked us all with last season. I’m manifesting great landings this week, Gymnastics Deities?! For a wild, wild card, let’s bring back Rayna, who scored a 9.875 high score last season. I mean, why not?!

Bars: Amari Celestine (9.95 H; 9.889 A) | Mara Titarsolej (9.925 H; 9.886 A) | Hannah Horton (9.925 H; 9.704 A) | Kyra Burns (9.875 H; 9.85 A) | Jocelyn Moore (9.875 H; 9.818 A) | Wild Card: Olivia Kelly (9.825 H; 9.825 A) OR Rayna Light (9.825 H; 9.808 A) OR Addison Lawrence (9.825 H; 9.775 A) OR Abby Mueller (9.85H)

Analysis: I would change nothing about last week’s rotation and that means keeping Olivia Kelly in there. It was very good, even with Hannah’s fall. We know what H-squared is capable of, having seen her at her best at home for Beauty & the Beast so I expect to see that again. On the heels of Amari’s career high last week, I see Mara going minimum 9.95 and possibly getting another 10.

Beam: Helen Hu (10 H; 9.904 A) | Olivia Kelly (9.90 H; 9.862 A) | Amy Wier (9.90 H; 9.804 A) | Addison Lawrence (9.90 H; 9.70 A) | Railey Jackson (9.875 H; 9.818 A) | Amari Celestine (9.875 H; 9.721 A) | Wild Card: Abby Mueller (9.875 H; 9.842 A) OR Jessa Conedera (9.80 H; 9.325 A)

Analysis: I would change nothing about last week’s rotation, honestly. This is a GOOD rotation.

Floor: Kennedy Griffin (10 H; 9.871 A) | Jocelyn Moore (9.95 A; 9.896 A) | Amari Celestine (9.95 H; 9.742 A) | Railey Jackson (9.925 H; 9.862 A) | Elise Tisler (9.90 H; 9.871 A) | Hannah Horton (9.90 H; 9.858 A) | Wild Card: Rayna Light (9.85 H; 9.838 A) OR Jessa Conedera (9.85 H)

Analysis: Kennedy won SEC Co-Specialist of the Week for last week’s 10.0 heroics, and I just see everyone else continuing to improve. I’m Team Railey For Floor, especially after her career-high 9.925 last week. I expect Hannah back in the lineup,. who got an unexpected break from FX last week, which means that I’d guess Rayna is out?

NOTES:

• Hide your eyes from the teal lines! Bars was on an upwards trajectory and took a bit of tumble last week, but it was still a good score, and it was only because the fall meant the one of the lower scores — a 9.80, which is still a good score — had to count. Beam is holding steady, and I think there’s room for even better when the rotation comes together!

data visualization via roadtonationals

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Records To Watch

• Overall Score: 197.85, set at Arkansas in 2023 (197.600 at IL Quad in Mar. 2024)
• Balance Beam: 49.550, set at Arkansas in 2023 (49.400 at Georgia in Jan. 2024)
• Uneven Bars: 49.600 at Illinois Quad on March 10, 2024
• Vault: 49.500 set March 2022 (tied at 2023 NCAA LA Regional Second Round and at Illinois Quad, Mar. 2024)
• Floor Exercise: 49.725, set at Zou to Lou quad meet in Feb. 2025

Mizzou is one of just 7 (!) teams nationwide (and 1 of 4 SEC schools) without “misses” this season (no counting scores 9.5 or under). Fingers crossed!

Mizzou and Georgia are also two of 18 teams (and 2 of all 9 SEC teams) who have scored a 197 this season.

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How Missouri Can Win

Honestly, I think I can use the same things as last week!

• FOUR GOOD ROTATIONS with season highs in two of the four apparatuses. I don’t expect another high on FX after last week, so some combo of vault, beam or bars, I’m looking at you!
• Higher than a 197.200, which is their highest team score. Should they score at least a 197.200, that means the highest score is dropped, and both 197.200 scores will now count, and the Beauty & the Beast 196.700 drops off.
• Good vault landings! This will be where they start, so ATTACK from the beginning. Facing a pretty equal opponent in UGA, this is absolutely necessary.
• Minimize the wobbles on beam and stick the landings on bars and beam. Landings were super sticky last week, so this is a good thing to focus on.
• By being themselves. This is a fun as hell group who really enjoys each other and performing. They will take the win. In my heart of hearts, I KNOW this.

LFG. I’m so excited.