Mizzou gymnastics released its 2027 season schedule, featuring four home meets and matchups against ten opponents ranked in the top 12 of the 2026 Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association Preseason Coaches Poll.
How Does Mizzou Open the 2027 Campaign?
The Tigers launch their competitive calendar with the Black & Gold Exhibition on Saturday, Jan. 2, at 5 p.m. CT. Following the exhibition, Mizzou travels to Family Arena in St. Charles for the Zou to the Lou meet on Friday, Jan. 8, where they will face regional opponents Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska.
The regular-season home opener and the team’s Southeastern Conference slate both kick off against Georgia on Jan. 15 in Columbia. Mizzou then hits the road for the first time on Jan. 22 to square off against the Florida Gators at Exactech Arena at Stephen C. O’Connell Center. To close out January, the Tigers welcome the Kentucky Wildcats back to CoMo on Jan. 29.
Which Top-Tier Opponents Highlight the February Slate?
February brings a demanding gauntlet of elite opponents, starting with a pair of road tests against two-time defending national champion Oklahoma in Norman on Friday, Feb. 5. The Tigers then travel directly to Fort Worth, Texas, for the Metroplex Challenge on Sunday, Feb. 7, where they will face North Carolina State alongside second meetings against Oklahoma and Georgia. Results from the Metroplex Challenge will not count toward Mizzou’s conference record.
Returning to Mizzou Arena, the squad hosts Alabama on Friday, Feb. 12, before traveling to Fayetteville to face Arkansas on Feb. 19. The home slate wraps up on Sunday, Feb. 28, with Senior Night against Auburn.
Where Does the Regular Season Conclude?
Missouri finishes its regular-season schedule on the road with meets at Iowa on Friday, March 5, and at LSU on Friday, March 12. The postseason follows with the 2027 SEC Championship on Saturday, March 20, hosted at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida.
The NCAA Championship begins on March 31 with Regional rounds running through April 4, leading up to the Semifinal and Final meets at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, on April 15 and April 17, respectively.
Who Returns for Head Coach Shannon Welker?
Head coach Shannon Welker enters his 14th season leading the program, returning 11 members from a 2026 squad that secured the program’s sixth-straight NCAA Championship Regional Final appearance. Last season’s roster featured Hannah Horton earning 2026 SEC Specialist of the Year honors—marking the third straight season a Mizzou gymnast won the award—alongside a conference-record 10 All-SEC selections and two WCGA Regular Season All-Americans, including freshman Kimarra Echols.
The program has also added the fifth-ranked freshman class according to College Gym News, highlighted by top-ranked prospect Imani White and Oregon State transfer Jennifer McMillan.
| Event / Milestone | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Black & Gold Exhibition | Jan. 2, 2027 | Columbia, Mo. |
| Zou to the Lou | Jan. 8, 2027 | St. Charles, Mo. (Family Arena) |
| SEC Opener vs. Georgia | Jan. 15, 2027 | Columbia, Mo. (Mizzou Arena) |
| SEC Championship | March 20, 2027 | Tampa, Fla. (Benchmark International Arena) |
| NCAA Championship Finals | April 17, 2027 | Fort Worth, Texas (Dickies Arena) |
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