Imani White’s journey from open-gym sessions with her cousins to becoming a five-star, top-five recruit has been marked by big moments, bigger growth, and a deepening belief in what she’s capable of. A perfect 10.0 on vault, a breakthrough meet at the Presidential Classic, and even an ankle injury that tested her confidence all helped shape the competitor she is today. After reopening her recruitment following Cal’s coaching change, she found her perfect fit at Missouri—a program whose ambition, certainty, and energy matched her own. Now, as she looks ahead to her final club season and her future as a Tiger, White is focused on joy, consistency, and chasing her biggest dreams yet.
Responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Club gym: Brandy Johnson’s Gymnastics
College team: Missouri
Hometown: Orlando
How did you first fall in love with gymnastics?
I started gymnastics at a small gym near my house, just going to their open sessions with my cousins. There, I remember being on their team and competing pretty much for fun. I think when I really fell in love with gymnastics was when I first came to my current gym, Brandy Johnson’s. I don’t think until I got there that I ever realised winning was really the point of competing, and I didn’t know the joy that came with it.
You’ve already had some incredible moments in your career—including scoring a perfect 10.0 on vault. What was that experience like for you, and what does that accomplishment mean to you now?
Scoring a perfect 10.0 is probably my best memory of last season; it almost felt unreal. The best part of it was not only how excited I was, but how excited everyone, including other teams at the meet, were! It felt like all the work I had been putting in was displayed on the screen for everyone to see. Most of all, it proved to me I can do something that good, not just on vault but on any of the other events.
What has been the highlight of your gymnastics career so far?
The highlight of my career was probably competing at the Presidential Classic last year. I’ve had a rough history with that meet, and up until then, I’d been really superstitious about it, thinking I would do bad again. Instead, last year at Presidential, I hit my first 10.0 ever and got a 39.300, my highest all-around up to that point! It made all of my goals for the season that felt a little out of reach suddenly feel realistic.
You originally committed to Cal but reopened your recruitment after the coaching change. What was that process like, and what ultimately made Missouri feel like the right fit for you?
I would describe the process of reopening my recruitment as a realization. Something that took me a long time to figure out is that you’re in recruitment for yourself; it doesn’t matter what anybody else thinks. If you’re unhappy or unsure of your position, change it, because it’s all on you in the end, not anybody else. With me switching to Mizzou, it just felt like it was a perfect fit. The coaches saw how I worked as a person, and I think that’s why they sought me out in the first place—because once I got there, I felt so at home that it was like I was already on the team. I just remember getting home and all I could talk about was Mizzou. I just wanted to go back, and that’s when I knew.
Missouri has had incredible success recently and has become known for its energy and team culture. What about the program or the coaching staff stood out to you the most?
What stood out to me most about the Mizzou staff was their ambition and certainty. Not only did they have all these big goals for their team, but they were absolutely sure they were going to get there. That’s a mindset I want to align myself with.
Was there a specific moment or meet when you realized college gymnastics was within reach?
My biggest turning point in realizing I was going to be a DI gymnast was when colleges started coming to the gym to watch me. I remember one day where I wanted to get my hair done. It takes forever, so I planned it and told my coach I was going to miss practice. A few days later, she told me I had to be at practice that day no matter what because there was a college coach coming to see me. At the time, I didn’t really get it. I was just thinking, “Well, there’s other people they can watch,” but now I realize it was because they were truly coming in just to show their face and let it be known that they were interested in me before recruiting even started.
Every gymnast faces challenges—whether it’s an injury, confidence, or balancing life outside the gym. What’s one of the toughest challenges you’ve faced, and how did overcoming it change you?
The toughest challenge I had to face was rolling my ankle the meet before our state meet last year. At my gym, state is a really big deal, and our goal is always to win as a team. I was one of the people who was supposed to be a counting score on some events, so I changed my beam routine so I could do it without hurting my ankle too much. It was really just a test of the confidence I had in myself to compete a new beam routine. We ended up winning, so it was all worth it! I went on to compete that beam routine for the rest of the year and was able to get the rest of my skills back pretty quickly after my ankle was healed, so everything worked out in the end!
Who has made the biggest impact on your gymnastics journey? How have they influenced your approach or perspective on the sport?
I would have to say my coach, Kelly, has been the biggest influence on my gymnastics. She has more belief in me than I have in myself sometimes. She has been coaching me since I was 10 or 11 and is literally the reason I am as good as I am today. If I didn’t have Kelly giving me reality checks every once in a while, I don’t think I’d be as happy as I am with where I am today.
What goals are you most excited about this season? Is there a specific skill, meet, or mindset you’re focusing on?
My biggest goal this year score-wise is to get at least one more 10.0 on any of my events. Overall, I just want to compete stress-free and enjoy my last year of club gymnastics with my team.
What’s a personal gymnastics achievement you’re especially proud of that might surprise people?
A big personal achievement for me has been seeing how my form has gotten better over the years. I’m pretty sure there aren’t many videos of it, but my form didn’t get better until a few years ago, and it’s been something I’ve had to work on since I started gymnastics and still have to work on to this day. The fact that some people wouldn’t have even guessed that I had a huge problem with form is something I am so proud of.
Looking ahead to college, what are you most excited to experience—both in and out of the gym?
I am most excited to just experience the insane energy in a college arena when competing! Outside of the gym, I’m most excited to be on campus and experience all four seasons for once!
If you could describe the gymnast you hope to become at Missouri in three words, what would they be—and why?
Reliable, automatic, and known. One of the best compliments you can get being on a team is to be a reliable person who everybody can count on. Being automatic, and to me means just making it look easy, like you know it’s going to be there every time. Lastly, I want to be known, not as an underdog but as a competitor.
What’s something on your college gymnastics bucket list?
Something I want to do in college is be an all-arounder and help my team win its first national championship!
Rapid Fire Questions
Vault, bars, beam, or floor? Definitely bars
Which four gymnasts would be on your college gymnastics Mount Rushmore? Trinity Thomas, Haleigh Bryant, Margzetta Frazier, and Sunisa Lee
What’s your most-used emoji? 
or 
What’s one of your gymnastics pet peeves? Getting sprayed by the water bottle on bars
What’s one of your pre-meet rituals or superstitions? I almost always eat Chinese food before a night meet, and my meet schedule has to have everything planned down to the minute.
What’s a hidden talent people may not know about? I can sing pretty well.
What’s your favorite leotard your college team has worn? This one!
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Article by KT Couldrey and Elizabeth Grimsley
