Setting a new standard. That’s what this group of gymnasts set out to do this season.
Michigan State gymnastics made history on Monday when it took home the program’s first ever Big Ten regular season championship. The Spartans took down Illinois 197.450-196.425 to improve to 8-1 in the Big Ten to seal a share of the regular season title with Michigan.
MSU head coach Mike Rowe and sophomore Gabrielle Stephen spoke to the media on Thursday about the championship and what’s ahead.
“Shock and awe,” Rowe said were his initial reactions to winning to the Big Ten regular season. “It all started the third weekend of the season when we had our Big Ten opener with Michigan at home. When I saw we were having them so early in the season, I was like ‘If there is any time we are going to get them … this is the time to take advantage.’ The season kept building on that.”
In that Big Ten opener with Michigan, MSU defeated the Wolverines for the first time since 2007 by a score of 197.200-196.975. The Spartans lost at Iowa on Feb. 11, but finished the Big Ten regular season with an 8-1 record.
“Timing was everything,” Rowe said. “They did earn it.”
Just over two days after the victory, the championship feeling is starting to settle in.
“The trophy is real,” Rowe said with a smile. “The T-shirts and the hats are real. We couldn’t be any more thrilled.”
Speaking of the T-shirts, many of the gymnasts and staff members arrived to practice on Thursday sporting the newest collection to their wardrobe, including Stephen.
“It’s so exciting,” Stephen said. “The next day [we] walked around wearing our shirts and hats. It’s something that we knew we could do from the beginning of the season.”
The bus ride back to East Lansing after the meet was something to behold as the gymnasts were cheering whenever there was a quiet moment as they were still overjoyed.
“Even though it was really late at night, we all still had so much energy and just had to release that,” Stephen said about the bus ride back to campus.
Stephen was a top scorer at Illinois on Monday as she tied MSU freshman Nikki Smith for first place in the all-around on Monday night with a score of 39.525. That earned her Big Ten Gymnast of the Week honors. Her teammate, Smith, earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.
“It’s so exciting,” Stephen said. “That’s a goal I've set for myself since last year.”
Culture is something that is important within every sport. Without a supporting culture, full potential is typically unable to be realized.
“We knew we had a big package of talent,” Rowe said. “They’re really good at having each other's backs and picking up where they need to. If someone falls, the rest of them stay on.”
Leadership, whether vocally or by example, is another important quality of a championship program.
“Leadership is probably the most crucial aspect of your program,” Rowe said. “They are a true sisterhood, Spartan family. I don’t feel like we need to talk about that. We just demonstrate it on the floor.”
While the Spartans had time to celebrate the Big Ten regular season championship, many goals are still in focus for the team.
Michigan State traveled to Ypsilanti, Miching for the EMU tri-meet on Friday. The Spartans were victorious over Eastern Michigan and Long Island University. MSU posted a score of 197.500, with a new uneven bars record of 49.525.
The Spartans next meet will be on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Jenison Fieldhouse. It will be the Pink Meet, which raises awareness and support for breast cancer treatment, against Bowling Green and LIU. Fans can get in for free if they wear pink.
“It’s so nice to be around a huge community that’s supporting us, so I think that’s going to be very, very fun,” Stephen said about Sunday’s Pink Meet.
The Spartans will have senior day on Saturday, March 11 at 7 p.m. against Northern Illinois before competing in the Big Ten Championships on Saturday, March 18 in Coralville, Iowa.
MSU will have Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and Ohio State in its pod for the Big Ten Championships.
“We gotta bring it,” Rowe said. “We have four tough teams. We’re fine with the draw we got. It’s gonna be a dogfight.”
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