No. 11 Spartans Earn Second-Straight Road Win at No. 14 Penn State

Sunday, February 8

University Park, Pa.

2 PM

Michigan State University

197.125

196.725

Penn State

Photo by: Maya Kolton

No. 11 Spartans Earn Second-Straight Road Win at No. 14 Penn State

2/8/2026 4:21:00 PM | Women's Gymnastics

Results

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - No. 11 Michigan State gymnastics earned its second-straight conference road victory with a 197.125-196.725 win over No. 14 Penn State Sunday afternoon inside Rec Hall.

MSU moves to 3-4 overall and evens its Big Ten record to a 2-2 mark. The Spartans dealt the Nittany Lions their first conference loss of the season, with Penn State dropping to 4-2 overall and 3-1 in the B1G.

The Spartans' 197.150 is their second-highest score of the season and second score over the 197.000 mark in 2026. Three different Spartans captured event titles on Sunday, with senior Nikki Smith winning the vault, floor and all-around titles, while junior MaKayla Tucker shared the vault title with Smith and senior Sage Kellerman captured a share of the bars title.

The Spartans opened up a 49.200-49.050 lead over the Nittany Lions after the first rotation with their second-highest bars score of the season. Kellerman led the way for MSU with a 9.900, her third score of 9.900 or better on the event this season, to earn a share of her second-straight bars title alongside Penn State's Ava Cash. Nikki Smith and MaKayla Tucker each scored 9.850s to share third place, with Smith matching a season high, and freshman Lilia Cosman posted a career-high 9.825 in the No. 3 spot. Junior Kendall Abney scored a career-high 9.775 in her second bars lineup appearance of the season and senior Naya Howard led off with a 9.750.

MSU held a 98.475-98.250 lead after two rotations with a 49.275 on vault. Tucker and Smith each earned season-high 9.875s to collect their first titles of the season on the event with Penn State's Jessica Johanson. For the second-straight week, freshman Korynne Marquart scored a career-high 9.850 and was matched by Kellerman in the anchor spot, while sophomore Cady Duplissis stuck her vault for a 9.825. Making her first lineup appearance in the Green and White, redshirt sophomore Retoshia Halsell led off with a 9.725.

A 49.325 on floor gave the Spartans a 147.800-147.600 advantage over Penn State after three rotations. Smith earned the highest score of the meet by any gymnast on any event with a season-high-tying 9.950 in the anchor spot, her second 9.950 on floor in as many weeks. Tucker finished second on the event behind Smith with a 9.875. Senior Stephanie Lebster led off with a 9.850 to earn a four-way share of third, while Duplissis and junior Gabi Ortiz scored 9.825s and Cosman earned a 9.800.

Despite just a two-tenth lead heading into the final rotation, the Spartans stayed strong under pressure and tied their second-best beam score of the season with a 49.325 to put away the meet. Cosman anchored with a team high and career-high-tying 9.900 to finish second on the event. In the fourth and fifth spots, Smith and junior Isabella Trostel scored 9.875s, respectively. Tucker scored a 9.850, while Abney and junior Emma Misenheimer, who made her first beam lineup appearance of the season, posted 9.825s.

Smith captured her first all-around title of the 2026 with a season-high 39.550. Tucker missed her career high by just half of a tenth to finish second, earning a 39.450.

Up next, MSU hosts Maryland on Sunday, Feb. 15 inside Jenison Field House for a National Girls and Women in Sports Day celebration at 2 p.m. The meet will stream on B1G+.