Mizzou Central

Decorated Mizzou Gymnast Returns for 2025 Season; The Buzz, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024

Your daily briefing on what's going on with Mizzou athletics, including full TV listings.

Chase Gemes

Helen Hu, Mizzou Gymnastics
Helen Hu, Mizzou Gymnastics / Katie White/Mizzou Athletics

Missouri gymnastics got some encouraging news on Monday, officially making the announcement that Helen Hu will be using her final year of eligibilty to return to the program for the 2025 season.

The two-time NCAA All-American and three-time All-Southeastern Conference gymnast announced her retirement a year ago, but after traveling throughout Europe and Asia since the, she felt that she had more to give to the Tigers.

"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 MUTigers.com 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."

Hu is a massive addition to a Missouri team coming off a No. 11 national ranking last season, holding a career-high of 9.975 three times on the balance beam and 9.950 twice on bars, tying for third and second in the program's record books for the respective events.

The senior is one of greatest gymnasts to ever grace the program, so there's plenty of excitement for head coach Shannon Welker and the rest of the Tigers to have her back in Missouri.

"We are so honored to welcome back Helen as a member of our program," Welker said. "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."

Today's Schedule

  • Women's golf vs. Marilynn Smith Sunflower Showdown in Lawrence, Kan.

Did You Notice?

  • Mizzou football heads back to practice after its 41-10 loss to Texas A&M on Saturday:
  • Mizzou's annual Homecoming Blood Drive started yesterday at the MizzouRec and will take place until Thursday. Both students and community members are welcome to donate.

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More from Mizzou On SI:

Former Mizzou DL Darius Robinson Returning to Practice for Arizona Cardinals
Bowl Projections for Mizzou Football Ahead of Week 7
Mizzou's Season Will Be Determined by Response to Blowout Loss

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Chase Gemes
CHASE GEMES

Chase Gemes is a journalism student at the University of Missouri, and serves as sports editor for its student newspaper, The Maneater. He's covered Missouri football, men's basketball and baseball, along with the Oklahoma City Thunder for FanNation. He's contributed to MizzouCentral since 2023.   

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