Michigan State University
Michigan
Season-High 197.500 Propels No. 6 MSU Gymnastics Past No. 20 Michigan in Breslin Debut
1/17/2025 10:39:00 PM | Women's Gymnastics
EAST LANSING, Mich. - In front of a program-record crowd of 6,251, the No. 6 Michigan State gymnastics team made its Breslin Center debut with a win over No. 20 Michigan 197.500-196.975 Friday evening.Â
With the victory, the Spartans improve to 4-1 (1-0 B1G) overall this season, while the Wolverines fall to 3-2 (0-1 B1G). Michigan State has now defeated Michigan in three-straight dual meets and is 5-1 in all meetings between the two teams since 2023. MSU's 197.500 is its highest-ever Week 3 score, topping last year's record of 197.475 set at Penn State on Jan. 19, 2023.
"I'm ecstatic. I was just saying to the team that we have to be so proud of what we did today," said head coach Mike Rowe. "We have our floor squad back. We just kept taking it one event at a time. That was fun to see because we know that is what we are capable of doing, we do it in the gym every day and that is going to help them here."Â
The Spartans took the top two spots in the all-around with junior Nikki Smith taking first in a season-high 39.525, while senior Gabrielle Stephen was second with a season-high 39.450. Michigan's Jahzara Ranger was third, earning a 39.325.Â
MSU opened the meet with a 49.350 on vault to take a narrow 0.075 lead over the Wolverines after the first rotation. Smith won the event title with a 9.950, tying her season high. Making her first appearance since MSU's season opener on Jan. 4, sophomore MaKayla Tucker scored a season-high 9.900 to finish second. Junior Sage Kellerman scored a 9.850, while freshman Cady Duplissis, junior Olivia Zsarmani and Stephen each scored 9.825s. Â
A 49.325 on bars gave MSU a 98.675-94.450 lead over Michigan at the halfway point of the meet. Sage Kellerman led the Spartans with a 9.900 to earn a share of the event title with Michigan's Sophia Diaz and Carly Bauman. Fifth-year senior Delanie Harkness and Stephen scored 9.875s, while freshman Amy Doyle tied a career-high 9.850 and Zsarmani scored a 9.825. Â
Still continuing to widen the gap, MSU took a 148.000-147.600 lead after the third rotation with a 49.325 on beam. Four Spartans – fifth-year senior Giana Kalefe, Zsarmani, Smith and Stephen - earned a share of third place, while Duplissis added a 9.825. Kalefe and Smith's scores were season highs.Â
MSU put the meet away on floor with a season-high 49.500, which was also the best team score on any event for the Spartans this season. Smith and a returning Skyla Schulte shared the event title with matching 9.925s in the fifth and sixth spots in the lineup. Junior Elle Beaufait scored a season-high 9.900 to finish third and Tucker, Harkness and Stephen scored 9.875s. Five of MSU's six floor scores were season highs.Â
"It's just what I imagined it would be but times ten," said Rowe. "You just look up there and seriously, a couple times, I got teary eyed. They weren't going to open the curtains up in the upper deck and then I saw they had half of them open. By the end of the meet, it was all open, It's exciting for us, the sport, the university, the program. We had a good draw. The crowd was very responsive, it was electric in there and we just fed off that. It just helps us bump it up another notch."Â
 The Spartans continue conference action on the road at Ohio State on Friday, Jan. 24 at 6 p.m. The meet will stream on B1G+.Â
Players Mentioned
