Former Mizzou gymnastics standout returns for final year of eligibility
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Mizzou gymnastics announced that two-time NCAA All-American and three-time All-Southeastern Conference gymnast Helen Hu will return to action at the Hearnes Center for the 2025 season.
The news comes after Hu did not compete during 2024 campaign, as she spent the last year backpacking through European and Asian countries.
“When weighing my options, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I have more to give, and that belief that I could do more,” Hu said in a press release. “I wanted to continue helping the program grow and be a part of this really special sport. It felt like I would be missing out on a special opportunity that people don’t get or can’t achieve. So, I felt like I owe it to myself, the sport and the team to come back for a year because I knew that I could.”
The redshirt senior was a standout for the Tigers on the beam and bars, as she holds career-highs of 9.975 and 9.950 on those events, respectively. Hu is third in the program record books with her score on the beam and second with her score on the bars.
She was last a member of the Tiger gymnastics squad in 2023 when she competed in all 13 meets and posted a 9.900 or better on the beam in 10 of those meets. During that campaign, she earned Second Team All-American status in the event and was on the end-of-season All-SEC team.
Hu notched a couple of near-perfect scores in 2023, as well. On March 10, she scored a 9.975 on the beam for third time in her collegiate career. Then, a few days later, the Chicago-native tallied a 9.950 on the bars. She tied for both the highest team bars and beam score that season.
She's had quite the journey in the black and gold. Prior to a standout redshirt sophomore season, where she helped lead the Tigers to the NCAA Championships, Hu injured herself during the preseason of her true sophomore year. That injury followed a successful freshman season, where she earned quite a few honors: All-SEC Team, Second Team All-American on bars, SEC Event Specialist of the Year, a two-time SEC Event Specialist of the Week, SEC All-Freshman team and a four-time SEC Freshman of the Week.
Hu bounced back from that injury in a massive way during her redshirt sophomore campaign. She finished third in the SEC and fourth nationally on the beam and was recognized as both a member of the Post-Season All-American and the All-SEC Teams in 2022.
“We are so honored to welcome back Helen as a member of our program,” head coach Shannon Welker said in a press release. “She is an exemplary student-athlete and a joy to be around. Helen is scattered in our record books for a reason – she’s a hard worker and a very skilled leader. This team is already incredibly special and adding her onto the roster will only make us better.”
Hu will be re-joining a Tiger team that finished with a No. 11 ranking, following the 2024 season. Welker and company ended the season in the NCAA Gainesville Regional Final, marking the fourth-straight season the Tigers appeared in a regional final.
MU fans will recognize quite a few faces out there, in addition to Hu, as 12 members of the 2024 squad will return: Kyra Burns, Amari Celestine, Jessa Conedera, Grace Anne Davis, Kennedy Griffin, Hannah Horton, Addison Lawerence, Rayna Light, Kylie Minard, Jocelyn Moore, Mara Titarsolej and Courtney Woods.
