Mizzou Gymnastics Earns No. 8 Seed for NCAA Championships

Tigers to compete in Lexington Regional, face familiar foes in first round

Mar. 24, 2026 at 5:49am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The field for the 2026 NCAA Gymnastics Tournament was revealed on Monday night, with No. 8 Missouri matching its highest-ever seed in a regional. The Tigers enter the bracket as the eighth overall seed in the tournament and second in the Lexington regional, where they will face off against No. 9 Arkansas, NC State, and Maryland in the first round.

Why it matters

Missouri's gymnastics program has emerged as a powerhouse over the past decade, advancing to the NCAA Championship meet for the first time last season and setting a program record with a third-place finish. This year's No. 8 seed matches the Tigers' previous high, underscoring the team's continued growth and status as a national contender.

The details

The complete field of teams in the Lexington region are: No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 8 Missouri, No. 9 Arkansas, No. 16 Kentucky, No. 18 Ohio State, No. 21 North Carolina State, No. 27 Maryland, No. 31 Central Michigan, and No. 36 Rutgers. The Tigers kick off tournament competition at noon on April 3 at Historic Memorial Coliseum in Kentucky, facing off against Arkansas, NC State, and Maryland in the first round. If Missouri advances, they would compete against the two best qualifiers of the opposite quad in their region.

  • The field for the 2026 NCAA Gymnastics Tournament was revealed on Monday night, March 23, 2026.
  • The Tigers kick off tournament competition at noon on April 3, 2026 at Historic Memorial Coliseum in Kentucky.

The players

Mizzou Gymnastics

The gymnastics team at the University of Missouri, which has emerged as a national powerhouse over the past decade.

Oklahoma

The No. 1 overall seed in the 2026 NCAA Gymnastics Tournament.

Arkansas

The No. 9 seed in the Lexington Regional, and one of Missouri's first-round opponents.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We're headed back to the Bluegrass State‼️ Mizzou gymnastics starts its NCAA Championship journey as the No. 2 seed at the Lexington Regional ✅”

— Mizzou Gymnastics

“The stage is set! 🤸‍♀️✨”

— NCAA Women's Gymnastics

What’s next

If the Tigers are among the two teams advancing in the bracket, they will compete against the two best qualifiers of the opposite quad in their region.

The takeaway

Missouri's gymnastics program has continued to make strides, earning a No. 8 seed that matches its previous high and setting up a challenging but winnable path to the NCAA Championships. The Tigers' sustained success underscores the growth of the program into a national powerhouse.