No. 13 Michigan State Gymnastics team wins Big Ten regular season title

The No. 13 Michigan State gymnastics team traveled to No. 24 Illinois to take on the Fighting Illini Monday, Feb. 28 and left with the program's first ever Big Ten regular season championship. The Spartans got a 197.450-196.425 victory over the Fighting Illini, earning a share of the 2023 regular season title with Michigan after the Wolverines defeated Nebraska on Monday.

Michigan State improved to 9-2 overall and 8-1 in Big Ten competition with the win, while Illinois dropped to 8-8 and 4-5 in conference action. Michigan's win over Nebraska matched Michigan State's 8-1 league record to share the season crown.

The Spartans tied the second-highest team score this season with their 197.450 score. That matched the duel at Jenison against Penn State on Feb. 4 and was the fourth meet this year that MSU scored at least 197.000.

Michigan State set a season-high score of 49.450 on beam, which ties for third-best in program history. However, Illinois notched the win on beam with a 49.675, with the Illini's Mia Takekawa winning the event with a 9.975 score. Despite losing on beam, MSU set a season-high with score of 49.450. The Spartans managed to win vault, bars and floor for the overall meet victory.

Sophomore Gabrielle Stephen and freshman Nikki Smith tied for first in the all-around with matching scores of 39.525, a fourth-straight all-around for Stepehens. Fellow Spartan, sophomore Skyla Schulte, took third with a score of 39.450.

Michigan State notched an early lead with a 49.350 score on bars. Junior Delanie Harkness won her fourth title this season in the event with a season-high score of 9.925. Senior Jori Jackard scored a 9.900, a season-high, and first 9.900-plus of the season. Stephen came in at a 9.875, good for tying her career.

MSU maintained its first-place position through the second rotation at the halfway point, thanks to a 49.100 score on vault, holding a 98.450-97.650 lead over Illinois.

Stephen led MSU with her fourth vault title of the seasons and first event title of the night against the Illini after scoring a 9.850. Illinois' Mai Townes shared the crown with a 9.850 as well. Smith, Schulte and Nyah Smith all scored 9.825 as well.

Illinois managed to make up ground in the third rotation, thanks to a score of 49.675 on beam by the Illini, but the Spartans tie for fourth-best floor score in program history helped keep a 148.000-147.325 advantage.

Nikki Smith's 9.975, including a 10.0 from one judge, gave her the event title and tied the program individual event record. It also powered the Spartans to a win in floor alongside Stephen's and Schulte's 9.925 scores for second place. Nyah Smith added a 9.875 score for fourth as well, while junior Giana Kalefe earned a 9.850, good for fifth.

Michigan State earned the win and a share of the Big Ten title thanks to its performance on beam in the final rotation. Kalefe led MSU with her second-straight 9.925, tying her career-high and also tying two Illini for third place in the event.

Michigan State returns to action with a pair of meets this weekend. First up, the Spartans head to Ypsilanti for a tri-meet with Eastern Michigan and LIU on Friday, March 3 at 6 p.m. Eastern Time. Then it is back to Jenison Field House as Bowling Green and LIU come to East Lansing for a meet on Sunday, March 5 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time. The home meet will also mark the Spartans' annual Pink Meet for breast cancer awareness.

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