For Mizzou Gymthusiasts™, it’s never too early to start focusing on the upcoming season, and over the last month-plus (these took longer to get out than I intended), I have taken you through each apparatus,
looking at who’s back, who’s gone and who’s new that could push for a rotation spot. I compiled notes, research (mostly from Balance Beam Situation) and data (mostly from Road to Nationals and my own recaps), and attempted to provide a projected lineup. Because it’s still the preseason and I haven’t seen any of these routines in person (hey Shannon, help me out here, please?), this is all very much subject to change and basically, I’m just trying to provide you some info and make an educated guess.
And because my technical knowledge is still lacking in many areas of the sport— I am getting better! — I asked my dearest and smartest gym colleagues, Mizzou J-Schooler/Flipside co-host/Inside Gymnastics editorial & social media coordinator, Nate Salsman, and ESPN talent booth/stats coordinator Claire Billman, for their help. In this final edition, I also collected lineup predictions from KOMU producer/Flipside co-host Grace Ainger. As always, I thank the Mizzou staff, gymnasts and the aforementioned crew for their feedback and openness in this project.
To keep the style of traditional NCAA dual meets, the previews have come out in Olympic order. We started with way-too-early vault predictions (which you can read here), and then moved onto uneven bars (which you can read here) and beam (which you can read here).
This week, in the final installment of this series, we’re moving on to…
It was yet another incredible season for the Fab Floor, and anyone tuning in to Mizzou gymnastics was in for an absolute treat, as these ladies continued to have the most fun performing viral routines that featured dazzling showmanship and eye-popping choreo.
Having a choreographer on staff as immensely talented as Jackie Terpak since the 2023 season has proven pivotal, as it allows the routines to evolve as the season progresses. When talking with Jackie over email about the floor squad, she said the plan is to “remain one of the best floor teams in the country.”
“We may have lost some big routines, but we are bringing in some big ones as well. And we have many Tigers that have the ability to step up and deliver.”
Ain’t that the truth?! Just wait ‘til I lay it out for you below.
Season Rewind
Multiple Tigers ended the 2025 season ranked nationally in the top 25, including Jocelyn Moore (10th), Amari Celestine (11th) and Kennedy Griffin (14th). All three also earned WCGA Second Team-All American honors for the regular season. Between the three of them, they accounted for… [counting]… [still counting]… a 10.0, 9.975, 9 x 9.95, 10 x 9.925, 9.9125, 9 x 9.90, and 2 x 9.875. Wow.
Though two of the three listed above have exhausted their eligibility (sad face), this team will welcome back six — SIX!!!!— routines in 2026 who scored a 9.90 or higher. Insane. When looking at how the lineup ended up ranking nationally by NQS, Jocelyn came in at no. 10, followed by Amari at no. 11, Kennedy at no. 14, and then Hannah (no. 73) and Elise (no. 78) rounding out the top 100. Rayna was just outside of it at no. 104.
By season’s end, the Tigers were ranked 4th nationally with a 49.575 NQS (ties 2024), 49.458 avg (4th nationally) and 49.725 program high score (3rd nationally), which was broken on February 14 at the Zou to the Lou meet (that hardly anyone saw because the feed was trash, I am reminded reading my recap).
Six times during the 2025 season the Tigers scored 49.500 and above, and if not for some whack ass (it’s true, and the fact that I can just say this makes me love working for a fan blog) scoring in some of the postseason meets, it would have been more than that.
Fast Forward
Going into this season, Jackie told me, “Our focus is to work with our student-athletes to upgrade their routines and find the best plan for them! For some it might be upgrading their difficulty, while others may be focusing on upgrading their execution, their consistency, or their performance quality.
“Everyone has a personalized plan,” Jackie said, “and our goal is to put together a routine that is impressive but one that they will be clean, confident and consistent with.”
This could be working on some E passes (ex: double layout, full-twisting double tuck, double arabian, etc.) upgrading leap passes (ex: switch leap, tour jete’, Popa, wolf, etc.), and getting creative with some of their combo passes. We know by now that Mizzou loves a unique routine, so the anticipation is slowly killing me. I need an intrasquad, a practice, anything… PLEASE HELP ME.
Along with all the jumps and leaps and tumbling, there’s also the question of choreography. Jackie is choreographing a whopping FOURTEEN new floor routines for the Tigers this year.
Without further ado, let’s get to the possible floor competitor deep-dive.
Kennedy Griffin, Junior
- 2025 STATS: 10.00 high | 9.930 NQS | 9.892 avg
- 2024 STATS: 9.975 high | 9.930 NQS | 9.911 avg
It was the Year of the Ten for Kenny G (great nickname; I didn’t come up with it), who earned her first collegiate 10 at the Zou to the Lou meet on Valentine’s Day. Overall, KG earned eight scores of 9.925 or better in 2025, including two 9.95s, the aforementioned perfect 10, and five 9.925 scores. Wow. And that doesn’t count the numerous 10s she received from individual judges in competition.
Kennedy’s routine features a big ol’ double pike (two flips in pike position; a D skill) that has tons of height and amplitude to open, followed by a punch front (a flip from two feet) through to a round-off, back handspring and a double tuck (exactly what it sounds like; a D skill). KG also does a tour jete 1/2 turn (basically, a front leap off one foot into a split full turn mid-air and then land in the same direction you started from) to a Popa (straddle full turn, where you just up twist 180 degrees, middle split, twist another 180 degrees, then come down) then another Popa before ending on her knees and waving her hand like she’s fanning herself. Honestly, iconic.
As for what is next musically, Jackie had this to say about KG’s Queen Bey choreo: “Kennedy is continuing to progress through Beyonce’s discography. We are currently working on putting music together from her albums that she put out between 2010-2020.” CANNOT WAIT.
Hannah Horton, Junior
- 2025 STATS: 9.925 high | 9.885 NQS | 9.870 avg
- 2024 STATS: 9.950 high | 9.885 NQS | 9.743 avg
H2 had a great season on floor, always looking cool as hell performing a Michael Jackson medley that featured, among other things, aspects of the Thriller dance. She earned four 9.90-plus scores, including two 9.925 on the road at Florida and then at home vs. Auburn.
Hannah’s routine features a high, powerful tuck full-in, which Claire said was a “great example of a full-in, as she does a very distinct full twist out of the back handspring and waits until right before the second salto (flip) to go into that tuck position.” (You’ll be able to watch it below to learn what this means.) She also does a switch side half (a switch leap with 3/4 twists total— a straddle position after the first 1/4 twist, and then another 1/2 turn on the way down) to a Shushunova (a skill in which you jump up to a straddle pike and rotate 180 degrees before dropping to the floor like you’re doing a pushup), then a punch front (flip from two feet) to a RO BHS to a double tuck.
When I asked what’s next for H2’s floor music, Jackie said, “We had our fun with the MJ (Michael Jackson) theme. This year the plan is to do a Tyler the Creator inspired routine!” Aaaah, that media day photo surrounded by vinyls, including propping up the album makes sense now…
Elise Tisler, RS-Senior
- 2025 STATS: 9.925 high | 9.880 NQS | 9.860 avg
- 2024 STATS: 9.975 high | 9.925 NQS | 9.875 avg
- 2023 STATS: 9.800 high (injury-shortened)
- 2022 STATS: 9.850 high | 9.688 avg
The always enthusiastic Elise was a joy to watch on floor in 2025, and I felt was the victim of underscoring in many meets this year. Alas, she earned eight scores of 9.875-plus, including a 9.925 against Georgia and a 9.90 at Zou to the Lou. Some back tightness led to some lineup switches as postseason arrived, but I am certain we’ll see her back in the lineups as much as possible in 2026, due to her massive scoring potential (as noted, she scored a 9.975 in 2024).
Elise’s skills include a front handspring to front layout to a Rudi (a flip forward with a 1.5 twist), an awesome tour jete to Popa, and round-off back 1.5 full to front layout.
Rayna Light, Junior
- 2025 STATS: 9.925 high | 9.870 NQS | 9.858 avg
- 2024 STATS: 9.900 high | 9.825 NQS | 9.832 avg
Rayna had a career-defining season on floor, taking on the role of leadoff once Elise was backed off of floor a bit in the postseason. She earned three scores of 9.90-plus —each of which matched or exceeded her previous career high— including a 9.925 against Auburn.
Rayna’s skills include a floaty roundoff back 1.5 to a punch front layout (a front flip from both feet in a straight body position). She also does a tour jete half turn (see KG’s routine above for that explanation) to wolf full turn (one leg is bent and the other is straight out— think Olivia & Amari’s beam routines, just on the floor), and a roundoff back handspring to double pike to close out.
Railey Jackson, Sophomore
2025 STATS: 9.925 high | 9.860 avg
I LOVED watching Railey’s Black Swan-themed floor routine and am really hoping to see more in 2026— she’s one of few Tigers to complete three passes. RJ appeared five times on FX her freshman season. Her season high, which you can watch below, was a 9.925 and came at the Zou to the Lou meet.
RJ’s routine includes a RO BHS double pike, followed by a RO back 1.5 to front lay for her second pass; a switch ring to tour jete, and then a RO BHS double tuck to close the third pass.
“I like what a departure this routine is from the rest of the lineup!” Claire said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s had ballet—her hands and posture are really open and lovely. Très dramatique!
I agree!
Kaia Tanskanen, Sophomore
- 2025 STATS: 9.90 high
In just five limited appearances on floor her freshman season, the World Championships qualifier scored no lower than 9.825 and three of the four performances scored 9.875 or higher.
While those keeping an eye on her this summer saw Kaia compete Finland’s first Silvivas (a double-double) at the 2025 Paris Cup, she will not compete that in NCAA. Why? Nate told me that it’s Elite only “unless you’re Jade Carey,” and that the skill she does (full-in) is worth the same as the double-double in NCAA. “The risk does not equal the reward,” Claire said.
So anyway, what will she compete? This past year, it was a roundoff back handspring to a full twisting double tuck (i.e. a tucked full-in), a switch full (or tour jete half?) to Popa, and a back 1.5 (twists) to front full layout.
Olivia Kelly, Sophomore
- 2025 STATS: one exhibition routine (score unknown)
Per Olivia, she’s working on a double arabian (E-skill, you turn 180 degrees, while competing two saltos and ending the opposite direction) and for a second pass, a round-off whip back handspring (essentially, a BHS with no hands touching the ground) back handspring double tuck (two backwards tucked somersaults) and double pike.
Because I don’t have a bunch of Mizzou videos for her, here’s Livs routine from Worlds, where Claire tells me she did a RO BHS tucked double arabian, a split jump full turn, a RO BHS back 2.5, double wolf turn (like she does on beam), tour jete half, switch leap to tour jete, RO BHS double tuck, and a full turn to a double stag jump (AKA a ring jump).
Below is a video Olivia graciously sent me demonstrating the round-off whip pass.
Lisa Szeibert, Sophomore
- 2025 STATS: did not perform
After talking to Lisa, I’m psyched to see this one live, you guys. Her club coach was former Olympian Jayci Phelps, who famously used floor music that featured revving engines and various car sounds. Lisa, a car lover, will be using a variation of that music, which can be heard here.
As for skills, she has said that while the routine is not set in stone yet, she is working on a front through to double back, rudi layouts, and 1 1/2 front fulls (a salto with a full turn in the air).
Amari Celestine (9.975 high | 9.935 NQS | 9.830 avg)
Jocelyn Moore (9.950 high | 9.940 NQS | 9.905 avg)
Jessa Conedera (9.85 exh)
Kylie Minard (9.675 exh)
You guys, I am so sad that we are not going to see an Amari or Joci floor routine ever again, and we’ll just left to relive them on the internet. Their accolades have already been shared above, so I won’t get into it again, but instead we will relive their routines in this space one last time. I also personally will miss talking with them after meets, as they always were good for an excellent quote.
SEC Championships silver medalist & WCGA Second Team All-American Jocelyn Moore
WCGA Second Team All-American Amari Celestine
Kimarra Echols, Freshman
We will see what of this routine makes it into her Mizzou one —it is three passes and the majority of the Tiger tumblers do two— but it’s fun to watch for sure!
Here’s a video of the freshman from Level 10 Nationals in mid-May, where, per Claire, she competed a RO BHS to full-twisting-double tuck (FTDT, E-skill), as well as a switch ring jump (in the air you touch you throw your head back and touch your back leg while in a split) to tour jete half, a punch front through to a RO back 2.5, a double turn, a RO BHS double tuck, and a scorpion kick (similar to the switch ring but standing and head and back leg touch).
Bryce Kupbens, Freshman
I’m told she is training floor, but as for what skills the freshman will do, we will have to wait to see in some intrasquad meets, I suppose! Meanwhile, here’s a floor video from February 2024 (I couldn’t get it to embed).
Sara Wabi, Grad Student
Wabi (pronounced like Robby but with a W) also competed on floor for Illinois State, earning four 9.875 and two 9.85 scores last season to go along with a 9.865 NQS, but with the team’s mighty floor depth, I’m not sure we’ll see her there.
Karen’s Potential Lineup
Sure Things
- Hannah
- Kennedy
- Kaia
- Elise
In the Mix
- Railey
- Kimarra
- Rayna
- Olivia
- Sara
Have to See
- Lisa
- Bryce
- Dakota
Nate’s Potential Lineup
Sure Things
- Hannah
- Kennedy
- Kaia
- Elise
In the Mix
- Railey
- Kimarra
- Rayna
- Olivia
Ultimate Lineup Order (as of right now)
- Elise
- Railey
- Olivia
- Hannah
- Kaia
- Kennedy
Grace’s Potential Lineup
See Y’all on the Floor
- Hannah Horton
- Kennedy Griffin
- Kaia Tanskanen
My Picks to Fill:
- Elise Tisler
- Railey Jackson
- Olivia Kelly
On Deck:
- Rayna Light
- Sara Wabi
- Kimarra Echols
Leadoff (as of right now)
- Tisler
- Kelly
- Jackson
- Horton
- Tanskanen
- Griffin
As for what’s next from me, I am working on a leotard feature that I hope to be finished with sometime in the next month (LOL), and hopefully we’ll have some intrasquads to report from. Thank you all for tuning in to this series. I’m grateful every day I get to cover this phenomenal team and program who provide an unprecedented amount of access.
