For someone who stands at 5 feet, 2 inches, Rachel Updike casts an incredibly imposing figure.
Every time the Missouri freshman gymnast from Olathe, Kan., readies herself for the vault, balance beam or floor exercise, it has been a virtual guarantee that she will deliver.
Updike has been a juggernaut for the undefeated Tigers this season. She has won or tied for the win in 11 individual events this season. She has been awarded Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Week every time the honor has been given, a first for any gymnast in the history of the conference.
Coach Rob Drass said he relishes the opportunity to work with an athlete as talented as Updike.
“It’s really rewarding because Rachel has all the tools to do really well,” he said. “She had them before she got here as well, and I think that our forte is just fine-tuning those skills, and that’s what Rachel is blossoming with.”
Updike’s lowest score of the season was a 9.650 on the floor against Southern Utah. She has never scored below 9.800 any other time.
The freshman provided multiple stellar performances in high-pressure situations. At home against the University of Denver, Updike delivered a 9.925 performance in the floor exercise to spur the Tigers to victory after stumbles on the beam. On the road against Nebraska, she turned in a 9.950 on vault and 9.875 on the floor to help Missouri upset the then-No. 4 Cornhuskers.
Updike was a highly touted prospect when she entered Missouri. She was a member of the United States Junior National Team from 2006-07 and won a Kansas high school state championship in the floor exercise in 2009. Updike has also won championships at the IGI Chicago Style meet and the Junior Olympics National Championships.
Despite all the accolades, Updike has remained humble and focused on her team.
“I just come in and do as much as I can do, try to hit routines and help out the team as much as I can,” she said.
Her teammates have noticed the difference.
“Rachel is amazing,” senior Mary Burke said. “She comes to the gym ready to work, so it feels good to have someone you can rely on and trust and you know she’s got your back. If you mess up or someone else messes up, she’s going to hit.”
Drass said he believes the improved coach to athlete ratio in college will help Updike improve, citing how the ratio can improve from “20 kids and one coach” to “three (and) one.”
The one gap in Updike’s repertoire is her lack of an uneven bars routine. She competed in the discipline in high school but has yet to develop a routine in college and compete in all-around.
“We’re trying to get Rachel a routine that can score in the 9.8 and above range and then she has to show that she’s proficient enough to hit it and score higher and more consistently than someone in the lineup,” Drass said. “If she can do that, the spot will become Rachel’s.”
Even without the bars routine, Updike provides a wealth of promise for the Tigers.
“She’s a tremendous athlete and we’re very happy to have her for three more years,” Drass said.
