Mizzou Gymnastics Head Coach Shannon Welker Receives Contract Extension

Welker has been coaching the Missouri Tigers gymnastics team since 2014. With a new contract, he will remain in that role through 2029.

Mar 30, 2023; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Amari Celestine of Missouri completes her floor exercise routine as coach Shannon Welker applauds during the NCAA Women s Gymnastics Los Angeles Regional at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Missouri gymnastics head coach Shannon Welker is preparing for the upcoming season, with the first meet of the year scheduled for Friday. Welker has been at the helm of Missouri gymnastics for over a decade and after receiving a new contract extension, he isn't going anywhere.

Welker's extension guarantees he will coach Missouri for another five seasons, extending through 2029. The program has flourished under Welker's command since 2014.

"I have been honored to represent the University of Missouri Gymnastics program and the women that have helped build it into one of the best teams in the country," Welker said in a press release.  "The future of our team is bright, and I appreciate Athletics Director's Veatch's vote of confidence."

Prior to his time at Missouri, Welker worked as an assistant coach at Michigan. After five years, he headed to Missouri for a change of scenery as well as a higher position.

Welker brought a wealth of knowledge with him to Missouri, as he not only had previous coaching experience but also was a gymnast himself at the University of Illinois. His knowledge and talents as a coach led the Tigers to big accomplishments almost immediately.

In his second year coaching, Welker helped the Tigers finish the season as a top-25 ranked program. Missouri sat at No. 21, which was impressive considering that the team was No. 41 the year prior. Due to this jump, the Tigers were recognized as the nation's most improved program.

Determined to prove he wasn't a one-hit wonder, Welker led Missouri to the NCAA Regional for a second year in a row in 2016. The Tigers' third-place finish marked their highest Regional finish since 2010.

Welker's squad cracked a top-15 rank in 2020, landing at No. 14. both that season and the following. Welker's time with the Tigers reached a peak in 2022 when he took Missouri to the NCAA National Championship. Aside from placing fifth there, which is the best finish in program history, the Tigers ended the season ranked No. 11. In light of all of these accomplishments, Welker was named the SEC Coach of the Year.

Despite all that was accomplished in 2022, Welker and the Tigers kept rolling. The two most recent seasons have both been record-breaking, with Missouri scoring its highest regional score in program history in 2023 and posting a school-record score of 197.27 at the SEC Championship meet in 2024.

For all the milestones Welker has helped the Tigers hit, there are more that he has yet to reach. Welker and his team will enter 2025 with NCAA Championship aspirations. At the very least, maybe Missouri can break a few more records. If anyone can help the team accomplish this, it's Welker.