Saturday, March 9
East Lansing, Mich.
2 PM
Michigan State University
198.150
vs
189.750
Greenville
Photo by: Matthew Mitchell
No. 8 Michigan State Celebrates Senior Day with Season-High 198.150 to Win Quad Meet
3/9/2024 5:44:00 PM | Women's Gymnastics
EAST LANSING, Mich. - In its final regular-season home meet, No. 8 Michigan State gymnastics went out in style with a season-high score of 198.150 to win a quad meet with Central Michigan, Fisk and Greenville Saturday at Jenison Field House.
The 198.150 was the second-best in school history behind MSU's 198.225 against Bowling Green and LIU on March 5, 2023. CMU finished second (196.425), while Fisk (192.925) and Greenville (189.750) were third and fourth, respectively. MSU has now eclipsed the 198.000 mark twice in the same season for the first time in program history and is one of seven schools in the NCAA this season to record multiple scores of 198.000 or higher.
Following the meet, the Spartans celebrated Senior Day with six seniors - Baleigh Garcia, Naomi German, Delanie Harkness, Sydney Hayashi, Giana Kalefe and Tara Walsh - as well as MSU's two fifth-year seniors Jori Jackard and Nyah Smith.
With the victory, the Spartans improved to 16-3 overall this season. Michigan State won all four event titles, as well as the all-around. Junior Skyla Schulte won her second-straight all-around title with a score of 39.575. She has now earned six all-around titles this season.
"The environment, having the arena stretched for Big Tens, kind of getting a feel for it, that was exciting. I liked the intimacy of the old way, but now that our crowds are getting bigger, I think that was a huge contribution, and things just started falling into place," said head coach Mike Rowe. I said 'what a night to peak, on senior night'. Everybody contributed something even our exhibitions were hitting. It makes you feel good to know that you're doing something right."
MSU started out strong on vault with a score of  49.450, which tied the fifth-best score in school history. It was the third-best team score on vault this season. Sophomore Olivia Zsarmani and freshman MaKayla Tucker won the vault title with stellar 9.925 scores. Tucker tied her career high set at Michigan on Feb. 4, while Zsarmani set a new career best. Junior Gabi Stephen, sophomore Sage Kellerman and CMU's Elizabeth Cesarone tied for third with match 9.875 scores.
The Spartans tied their second-best score of the season on bars with a 49.475, which they also achieved at the Super 16 to open the season on Jan.5. Senior Delanie Harkness won the bars title, tying her career high with a 9.950. She also had a 9.950 in the season opener at the Super 16 on Jan. 5. Harkness was one of three Spartans to reach or surpass the 9.900 mark. Stephen was second with a 9.925, while fifth-year senior Jori Jackard tied for third with a 9.900.
Michigan State continued to soar, tying the school record on beam for the second time this season with a 49.600. All six Spartans scored at least a 9.900. Schulte took the beam title, tying her career with a 9.950 for the fourth time this season. Seniors Baleigh Garcia and Giana Galefe both tied for second, recording 9.925 scores. Tucker, Harkness and Stephen tied for fourth with 9.900s.
MSU completed the sweep on floor 49.625, which tied the third-best in school history. The Spartans also matched the score against Iowa on Jan. 28. Schulte once again tied her career with a 9.950, while Kalefe and Garcia scored 9.925. Tucker, Harkness and Stephen tied for fourth along with Fisk's Morgan Price, scoring 9.900.Â
"It is very, very emotional because we are losing eight seniors. A couple have hinted that they are staying for a fifth year, but nothing is solid now," concluded Rowe. "But, it's a big chunk of our culture. It's a third of our team and our program. It's 'a now you seem them, now you don't' kind of thing. Of course we wish them well, but everything they have contributed to this program makes it what it is today. Going back to Team 47, when we were just coming out of COVID and all that stuff, to Team 50 now, where we are on this high road and they were in the midst of it all. The grit and the grind, but also they were in the sweetness of it too. It's going to be a hard transition and it's going to shave our roster since we only have two coming in next year. We are definitely going to miss them. They all contributed something very unique and very special, and I'm going to miss it."
The Spartans will conclude the regular-season schedule next week at a tri-meet at Texas Woman's University along with Rutgers and Centenary on March 17 at 3 p.m. ET.Â
The 198.150 was the second-best in school history behind MSU's 198.225 against Bowling Green and LIU on March 5, 2023. CMU finished second (196.425), while Fisk (192.925) and Greenville (189.750) were third and fourth, respectively. MSU has now eclipsed the 198.000 mark twice in the same season for the first time in program history and is one of seven schools in the NCAA this season to record multiple scores of 198.000 or higher.
Following the meet, the Spartans celebrated Senior Day with six seniors - Baleigh Garcia, Naomi German, Delanie Harkness, Sydney Hayashi, Giana Kalefe and Tara Walsh - as well as MSU's two fifth-year seniors Jori Jackard and Nyah Smith.
With the victory, the Spartans improved to 16-3 overall this season. Michigan State won all four event titles, as well as the all-around. Junior Skyla Schulte won her second-straight all-around title with a score of 39.575. She has now earned six all-around titles this season.
"The environment, having the arena stretched for Big Tens, kind of getting a feel for it, that was exciting. I liked the intimacy of the old way, but now that our crowds are getting bigger, I think that was a huge contribution, and things just started falling into place," said head coach Mike Rowe. I said 'what a night to peak, on senior night'. Everybody contributed something even our exhibitions were hitting. It makes you feel good to know that you're doing something right."
MSU started out strong on vault with a score of  49.450, which tied the fifth-best score in school history. It was the third-best team score on vault this season. Sophomore Olivia Zsarmani and freshman MaKayla Tucker won the vault title with stellar 9.925 scores. Tucker tied her career high set at Michigan on Feb. 4, while Zsarmani set a new career best. Junior Gabi Stephen, sophomore Sage Kellerman and CMU's Elizabeth Cesarone tied for third with match 9.875 scores.
The Spartans tied their second-best score of the season on bars with a 49.475, which they also achieved at the Super 16 to open the season on Jan.5. Senior Delanie Harkness won the bars title, tying her career high with a 9.950. She also had a 9.950 in the season opener at the Super 16 on Jan. 5. Harkness was one of three Spartans to reach or surpass the 9.900 mark. Stephen was second with a 9.925, while fifth-year senior Jori Jackard tied for third with a 9.900.
Michigan State continued to soar, tying the school record on beam for the second time this season with a 49.600. All six Spartans scored at least a 9.900. Schulte took the beam title, tying her career with a 9.950 for the fourth time this season. Seniors Baleigh Garcia and Giana Galefe both tied for second, recording 9.925 scores. Tucker, Harkness and Stephen tied for fourth with 9.900s.
MSU completed the sweep on floor 49.625, which tied the third-best in school history. The Spartans also matched the score against Iowa on Jan. 28. Schulte once again tied her career with a 9.950, while Kalefe and Garcia scored 9.925. Tucker, Harkness and Stephen tied for fourth along with Fisk's Morgan Price, scoring 9.900.Â
"It is very, very emotional because we are losing eight seniors. A couple have hinted that they are staying for a fifth year, but nothing is solid now," concluded Rowe. "But, it's a big chunk of our culture. It's a third of our team and our program. It's 'a now you seem them, now you don't' kind of thing. Of course we wish them well, but everything they have contributed to this program makes it what it is today. Going back to Team 47, when we were just coming out of COVID and all that stuff, to Team 50 now, where we are on this high road and they were in the midst of it all. The grit and the grind, but also they were in the sweetness of it too. It's going to be a hard transition and it's going to shave our roster since we only have two coming in next year. We are definitely going to miss them. They all contributed something very unique and very special, and I'm going to miss it."
The Spartans will conclude the regular-season schedule next week at a tri-meet at Texas Woman's University along with Rutgers and Centenary on March 17 at 3 p.m. ET.Â
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