2026 Too Early Mizzou Gym Preview: UNEVEN BARS

It’s never too early to start focusing on the upcoming season, and over the next couple weeks, I’ll be taking you through each apparatus, looking at who’s back, who’s gone and who’s new that could push for a rotation spot. I’ve compiled notes and data (mostly from Road to Nationals), and then I’ll attempt to provide a lineup. Because it’s summer and we haven’t seen much action in the gym, these predictions are very much subject to change and take them with a shaker (bigger than a grain) of salt.

And because my technical knowledge is lacking in many areas of the sport— I am getting better! — I’ve asked my dearest and smartest gym colleagues, Mizzou J-Schooler/Flipside host/Inside Gymnastics editorial & social media coordinator, Nate Salsman, and ESPN talent booth/stats coordinator Claire Billman, for their help. I’ve also gathered some feedback from the gym staff, and I thank them immensely for their openness.

To keep the style of traditional NCAA dual meets, these will come out in Olympic order.

This week, we are moving on to…

With the emergence of freshman Olivia Kelly and re-addition of Amari Celestine back into the bars lineup, it was a GREAT season for WCGA coaching staff of the year honoree Whitney Snowden’s bars crew, who ended the season ranked 4th nationally (up from 11th in 2024) with a 49.470 NQS and 49.367 average score.

While the Tigers didn’t achieve a program record this season, they were ohhhhhh so close, earning a 49.575 twice (March 9 & March 22).

Here’s a line graph of their scores this season, courtesy of Road to Nationals.

The nation’s no. 4 bars squad is set to lose four of this season’s six rotation members to graduation (gasp!), so reinforcements are desperately needed. Don’t worry; they’ve arrived in the form of an injury returnee, transfers, and some talented freshies, and will continue to tradition of excellent bars work.

As my friend Claire said after I shared with her Whitney’s answers, “Mizzou is continuing its tradition of skill variety and unique combinations and dismounts on bars.” No cookie cutter routines for the Tigers’ bar squad!

The WCGA Postseason All-American and regional bars co-champ scored a 9.90-plus three times this season, and a 9.85-plus nine times, which is why H2 finds herself atop this list. Her career-high 9.95 was scored in the NCAA Regional round and she earned her Second Team All-American accolades for her 9.8875 in the national semifinals.

Hannah, per gymnastics skills aficionado Claire, is one of the few NCAA gymnasts who does a true shaposh, which is a low-to-high bar transition in which the gymnast does a clear hip circle (rotating around the bar without touching it) with a handstand before flying to the high bar.

Sitting near the top of this list is Olivia Kelly, who, in her freshman season, was awarded WCGA Postseason All-American honors for her impeccable 9.8875 performance in the national semifinals.

“Olivia stepped up in a big way for us last year, and I anticipate that to continue this year,” Whitney told me.

One can’t really imagine a scenario in which Liv could have had a better season, with a season-high 9.925 in the NCAA Regionals round, as well as a 9.90 at the team’s final regular season meet in Fayetteville. After debuting on bars on January 26, the rookie posted seven scores of 9.85-plus.

Per Claire, Olivia competed a toe-on (it’s really self-explanatory when you watch the video), a church (a piked somersault backward over the bar) to shootover combination as well as a stalder (straddle entry) to double tuck dismount. A new dismount is in the works, but not likely to be ready for the season, I’m told.

Lauren Macpherson, Fifth Year

I fully expect to see LMac compete for bars lineups in 2026, as she recorded two 9.90 scores and a career-high 9.925 to go with four scores of 9.80 in her final season at San Jose State (2024). As a reminder, she required achilles surgery before her 2025 campaign took off, so the only glimpse we got of her was at Black & Gold when she recorded a 9.85.

Per Whitney, Lauren is back to swinging her full routine, which includes a tkatchev and full-twisting double back dismount. =

Addi made her return to the uneven bars in 2025, appearing in the lineup four times, earning scores of 9.825-plus twice, including her career-high 9.90, which she earned on February 21 against Georgia.

Per Whitney, Addi has been working on a front 1.5 twist dismount, which is one of Claire’s absolute favorite skills as it’s rare to see in the NCAA (former Tiger Alisa Sheremeta used to compete one). In this dismount, the gymnasts does a giant swing, and when they let go of the high bar, they twist on a vertical axis.

The Florida native made the bars lineup four times in 2025 in a stretch between January-February where she scored a 9.825 or higher three times, including tying a career-high February 28 at Florida.

Per Whitney, Rayna is back to working her same routine, which includes a maloney (a toe-on shaposh), pak salto (a high-to-low bar release which includes a backwards somersault), and double layout dismount. She’s specifically focusing on leg form in her backswings and her landing consistency.

It’s possible we could see Rayna make a play for the bars rotation in 2026 as she did a nice job in her limited bars role her sophomore, but she’s got some serious competition.

Kaia Tanskanen, Sophomore

The 2023 Finnish National Champion on all-around, bars and floor will be one to watch for sure in 2026 as she’s told me she’s hoping to be in the mix for the all-around. Kaia been training a full twisting double back, which is the same dismount Joci competed, for reference. Per Whitney, Kaia has a handful of skill options, including an ezhova and a shaposh.

Thanks to Claire, I can (kind of) explain what these skills are now! Both skills are transitions, meaning it takes you from the high-to-low bar (ezhova) or the low-to-high bar (shaposh). In a ezhova, the gymnast does a long swing backward and in the transition to the low bar, you do a half turn. Hannah also does a shaposh, which was described earlier as a clear hip circle in a handstand position before releasing the low bar, throwing yourself in a straight body position to catch the high bar upside down.

While we only saw Lisa compete bars at the Black & Gold meet in December, social media reports have shown Lisa working bars like a champ this summer, showcasing a new, higher scoring double layout dismount, among other skills.

“She’s a natural bars swinger and has a lot of skills,” Whitney said, when I inquired about Lisa specifically. “This year, the goal is a toe handstand, ray to overshoot, with a double layout dismount. Both the ray and dismount are upgrades for her!”

In a ray to overshoot combination, the gymnast completes a toe-on tkatchev (ray), which is a high bar release move in which the gymnast takes a long swing forward, and with their toes on the bar and legs together, goes backward over the bar before going into the overshoot, which is a high-to-low bar transition where the gymnast takes a long swing forward with a half turn in flight. The double layout is a common NCAA dismount, in which the gymnast is in a laid out (straight position) and flips twice. _{[I famously demonstrated this with a pen on Majority Rules while Quentin did a handstand in the background]}

Railey Jackson, Sophomore

Shannon mentioned that a senior year shoulder injury kept Railey out of competing all events her freshman year, and a year removed from that, we may see her in the bars rotation. Notably, per Whitney, she’s been training a big ray (a toes on the bar tkatchev— swing forward then go backward over the bar— think Joci Moore) with a double layout dismount.

While we didn’t see her on bars her freshman season, Whitney said Ayla’s been training a new toe front half dismount, which is like The Celestine (I LOVE THAT DISMOUNT), but instead of a stalder (straddle) entry, it starts with your toes on the bar. When Claire worked for College Gym News, she watched videos of incoming recruits for rankings purposes, and she said that Ayla’s dismount was as high as former Tiger Amaya Marshall and went further, which is frankly… astonishing.

Mara Titarsolej (10.0 high | 9.945 NQS | 9.915 avg)

Amari Celestine (9.950 high | 9.910 NQS | 9.883 avg)

Jocelyn Moore (9.950 high | 9.880 NQS | 9.848 avg)

Kyra Burns (9.925 high | 9.880 NQS | 9.859 avg)

What a loaded group to lose here, y’all. I mean, look at those scores!

Let’s start with Mara, the reigning SEC bars co-champ and First Team WCGA All-American for the regular and post-season. Mara ends her gymnastics career with three career 10s, including two while at Missouri and one this past year, scored at the SEC Championships. She also had a 9.975 in the team’s regular season finale at Arkansas, three 9.95 scores, a 9.9375 in the national semis, and three 9.925 scores. Just insanely talented, and she will.be.missed.

Onto the leadoff, Kyra Burns, who had a fantastic season, scoring a career-high 9.925 vs. Auburn, and three other 9.90 scores, including one at the SEC Championships. She scored just ONCE under a 9.825, so the next leadoff for Mizzou will definitely need to have Kyra’s consistency.

After taking a year off from bars, Amari Celestine returned with a vengeance, and gym fans were filled with joy every time we saw that patented dismount, The Celestine. She earned her career high 9.95 at Zou to the Lou, and recording six more scores of 9.90 or higher. In Mizzou Gym history, only one Tiger earned at least 9.90 on bars in five consecutive meets since 1999— AMARI.

And finally, I’d be remiss to not mention Miss Jocelyn Moore and her massive Tkatchev, which was called out by announcers every single meet, complete with a tape measure to show just how high she went. (it was so high, you guys.) Joci scored her career-high 9.95 against Auburn and added a 9.925 in the SEC Championships, as well as three 9.875 scores and a 9.8625 in the national semifinals.

Makayla Green, Grad Student

Per Road to Nationals data, the Illinois transfer scored 9.90-plus five times last season, including four 9.925 scores. Two of those 9.925 scores were at the Seattle Regional and Big 10 conference meet, respectively, so we know that she can shine under the bright lights.

Makayla’s 2025 average score of 9.850 and 9.890 NQS will put her towards the top of the bars rotation in the upcoming season, and I’m ready to pencil her in. She won seven individual bars titles in her final season at Illinois, including in the head-to-head matchup with UC-Davis in the Washington Regionals Round I.

Per Claire, Makayla does a pretty standard NCAA routine, meaning— a maloney/pak salto and a double layout, “but she’s incredibly consistent. I also really like how extended her arms always are (i.e. no bent elbows).”

The MIC bars champion scored a career-high 9.90 in late February and also scored three 9.875 and a 9.85 in the 2025 season. In fact, she scored 9.80-plus in 9 of 14 meets, including a 9.80 as an individual entrant in the Washington Regional, so the Tigers are getting someone with postseason experience. Skills-wise, she does the same giant to double tuck dismount that Mara competed, and also competes a piked tkatchev to shootover/bail combination. Per Claire, she thinks a season with the Bars Whisperer (AKA Whitney) will do wonders for her pirouetting and dismount.

Dakota Essenpries, Junior

Per Whitney, we shouldn’t count out the Arkansas transfer, who has a big jaeger, which is a long swing backwards followed by a forward salto (flip), along with a strong double layout dismount, which is a higher degree of difficulty (E level) dismount.

I’m excited to see this one, y’all, as Kimarra, who has a 9.85 high as a Level 10, performs a khorkina (a release moved named for Olympic medalist Svetlana Khorkina that involves a long swing backward with a half turn that turns into a straddle backward over the bar). Whitney says that Kimarra is the first student-athlete to do this skill in her time at Mizzou.

Hayli Westerlind, Freshman

Per Whitney, Hayli competes a deltchev, which is a high bar release move that involves a long swing forward, followed by a half turn into a forward flip (salto).

Per Whitney, Maiya has a “HUGE geinger overshoot combination,” which can be described as a long swing forward into a backward salto (flip) into a long swing forward with a half turn in flight to the low bar.

Karen’s Potential Lineup

In the Mix (random order)

Nate’s Potential Lineup

Per Nate, “This was the hardest lineup to pick,” and he needs to see them in action to really determine lineups. When I asked Claire for her predictions, she flat out told me she couldn’t decide until maybe December, so yeah… it was a hard one with so many newbies.