Columbia News

The University of Missouri gymnastics program has received national recognition following a record-setting season. The team’s coaching staff was named College Gym News Coaching Staff of the Year, while redshirt senior Helen Hu earned the title of Comeback Gymnast of the Year, according to an announcement from the publication on Monday.

Recently, head coach Shannon Welker was honored as National Coach of the Year by the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA). The association also recognized MU’s assistant coaches with National Assistant Coaches of the Year awards.

Missouri’s 2025 gymnastics season concluded with a third-place finish at the NCAA Championship Final, marking the most successful year in program history. The Tigers’ No. 3 national ranking is also the highest achieved by any women’s sports team at Missouri.

Welker is the first Missouri coach to earn a national coach of the year award since wrestling coach Brian Smith in 2017. He also received Southeastern Coach of the Year for a second time and WCGA South Central Coach of the Year honors. This season, his team produced nine WCGA All-America honors and six WCGA Regular Season All-Americans, setting new records for the program.

Assistant coaches Whitney Snowden, Lacey Rubin, and Jackie Terpak were part of Welker’s staff recognized with national honors. Snowden coached uneven bars, Rubin led balance beam routines, and Terpak oversaw floor exercises.

Helen Hu became Missouri gymnastics’ first individual national champion after winning the balance beam title with a score of 9.9875 during the NCAA Championship Semifinal. Her accolades this season include being named both a WCGA first-team All-American and regular-season first-team All-American, selection to the All-SEC Team, SEC Specialist of the Year, SEC Balance Beam Champion, and earning five SEC Specialist of the Week awards—a program record.

"Last week, head coach Shannon Welker was named the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association's (WCGA) National Coach of the Year. Additionally, MU's assistants were given National Assistant Coaches of the Year honors by the same association."

"The 2025 season was the most successful year in Missouri gymnastics history, ending with a third-place finish at the NCAA Championship Final. The Tigers' final ranking of No. 3 marked the highest of any Mizzou women's sports team in school history."

"Welker, who is Mizzou's first national coach of the year award winner since wrestling's Brian Smith in 2017, was also named Southeastern Coach of the Year for the second time in his career and WCGA South Central Coach of the Year. Under his leadership this season, the Tigers accounted for nine WCGA All-America honors and six WCGA Regular Season All-Americans, both of which were program bests."

"Assistant coaches Whitney Snowden, Lacey Rubin and Jackie Terpak also collected the accolade as part of Welker's staff. Snowden oversaw the team's uneven bars, Rubin guided the team on the balance beam and Terpak led Mizzou on the floor exercise."

"Under the nationally recognized coaching staff, Hu became the program's first individual national champion, claiming the balance beam title after a 9.9875 effort at the NCAA Championship Semifinal. She was named both a WCGA first-team All-American and a WCGA regular-season first-team All-American, an All-SEC Team member, SEC Specialist of the Year, SEC Balance Beam Champion and a record-setting five SEC Specialist of the Week awards."