Missouri gymnastics held its Black and Gold exhibition Sunday at Hearnes Center. Coming off of a fifth place finish at the Tuscaloosa regional and a seventh place finish in the SEC championships to end last year, the Tigers showcased their skills ahead of the upcoming season.

Last season’s leaders will once again play a key role in Missouri’s success this season. Redshirt junior Morgan Porter, junior Aspen Tucker and senior Britney Ward all return after earning All-SEC honors last season. Tucker recorded scores of 9.85 on vault, 9.7 on bars, 9.85 on beam and 9.7 on floor. Porter contributed scores of 9.8 on vault and floor, respectively. Ward impressed on beam, scoring a team-high 9.9. Senior Madeleine Huber will also be a key contributor on bars, as she scored a team-best 9.9 in the exhibition.

After a season-ending injury two meets into her senior season last year, Becca Schugel will return as a redshirt senior for the Tigers. In the exhibition, the three-time All-SEC gymnast recorded a 9.75 on her bars routine in the exhibition.

Freshman Hannah McCrary will also be a difference maker for the Tigers this season. In the exhibition, she had the team-high on beam with a 9.9 score. She also had scores of 9.7 on floor and 9.75 on beam.

The Tigers, ranked No. 19 in the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association preseason poll, will start their season on Jan. 4 in Tempe Arizona in a quad meet against No. 20 Arizona State, No. 23 Minnesota and Illinois–Chicago.

_Edited by Adam Cole | acole@themaneater.com_