Saturday, January 11
East Lansing, Mich.
2 PM
Michigan State University
vs
Central Michigan/Illinois State
Photo by: Andrew Malewicz
MSU Gymnastics Hosts Central Michigan and Illinois State in 2020 Home-Opener Saturday
1/10/2020 10:30:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Michigan State opens the 2020 home schedule in a tri-meet with Central Michigan and Illinois State at 2 p.m. Saturday.
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State gymnastics hosts Central Michigan and Illinois State in a tri-meet at Jenison Field House on Saturday, Jan. 11 in the 2020 home-opener, with the meet slated to begin at 2 p.m.
Saturday's meet will be streamed live on BTN+ and live results will be posted on MSUSpartans.com.
LAST TIME OUT . . .Â
MSU gymnastics opened the 2020 season on the road at Western Michigan on Jan. 5, earning a share of three event wins behind senior Gabriella Douglas on beam, sophomore Ashley Hofelich on floor and freshman Nyah Smith on vault in her Spartan debut. Western Michigan won the duel by a score of 195.275-191.750.
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Douglas won the beam with a 9.925, recording the best Spartan individual score on beam since Lisa Burt also posted a 9.925 during the 2013 season.
Smith took top honors on vault tallying a 9.825 and Hofelich shared the top score on floor with a 9.825.
"Vault and beam have improved greatly over the past few weeks, and floor is developing more quality depth as we speak," Rowe said. "Shoutouts to Nyah Smith for winning vault, Ashley Hofelich for tying for first on floor and Ella Douglas for the winning beam routine with a personal best of 9.925."
Michigan State tallied a 45.500 on bars, 48.875 on vault, 48.575 on floor and 49.000 on beam for its final score of 191.850. The 49.000 on beam was the highest Spartan beam score since Feb. 17, 2018 when MSU tallied 49.050 points. Western Michigan posted a 48.775 on vault, 48.700 on bars, 49.075 on beam and 48.725 on floor for a winning score of 195.275.
MSU opened on bars with junior Lea Mitchell earning the top Spartan spot, tying for second place with a 9.775.
 "This afternoon's meet, even though we're definitely a better bar squad then we exhibited, gained momentum on each following event demonstrating our resilience and tenacity," said MSU head coach Mike Rowe. "This is something that they've greatly improved on and we are proud of them for that."
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Moving to vault for the second rotation, Smith, in her collegiate debut, earned a 9.825 for her first career event title. Hofelich tied for second, posting a score of 9.800.
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On floor for rotation three, Hofelich earned a share of top honors with a 9.825, just shy of her career-high of 9.850. Hofelich tied for the top score with WMU's Binstock and Charlotte Tishkoff.
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Finishing on beam, Douglas took top honors with a career-high score of 9.925.
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In the all-around competition, Mitchell earned a cumulative score 39.100, to place second.
GYMNASTS TO WATCH Â . . .Â
Junior Lea Mitchell and freshman Nyah Smith have been named Michigan State's Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch for the 2020 season.
The Spartans were picked to finish ninth as a team in the preseason coaches' poll.
A native of Boynton Beach, Florida, Mitchell was a steady performer last season in the all-around competition as a sophomore, as she collected seven all-around scores of 39.0 or better. Mitchell also earned four all-around victories in 2019, on her way to earning All-Big Ten Second Team and Big Ten All-Championships Team honors.
Smith enters her first season of competition for the Spartans, hailing from West Bloomfield, Michigan. Smith is one of seven freshmen selected as a Big Ten Gymnast to Watch.
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Smith trained at Oakland Gymnastics, where she was a two-time J.O. National Qualifier in 2017 and 2019, placing ninth all-around at the 2019 J.O. National Championships, with a ninth-place finish on beam and 12th on vault. She also placed sixth all-around at the 2019 Michigan State Championships.
WELCOME FRESHMEN Â . . .
Michigan State welcomes five freshman gymnasts to the roster this season; Chloe Bellmore (Dewitt, Mich.), Ryanna Head (Hernando Beach, Fla.), Jori Jackard (Haslett, Mich.), Nyah Smith (West Bloomfield, Mich.) and Linda Zivat (Manhattan, Ill.).
O CAPTAINS! OUR CAPTAINS! Â . . .
Senior Gabriella Douglas and junior Lea Mitchell will serve as the co-captains for the 2020 season.
Douglas and Mitchell are serving as co-captains for the second-straight season. The duo were both named to the All-Big Ten Second Team and gathered Big Ten All-Championships Team accolades in 2019. Also, the co-captains both competed at the NCAA Regionals in Baton Rouge, Louisiana last season.
"Ella and Lea have once again been designated as the Spartan Gymnastics Team Captains for the 2019-20 season by their teammates and coaches," Rowe said. "When it comes to leadership in the classroom and out, and especially in the arena, they complement each other by setting the standards that exemplify the values, philosophies and long-range goals of our program."
CHIPPEWA NOTES Â . . .Â
The Chippewas begin the 2020 season at Michigan State on Saturday, as the reigning Mid-American Conference regular season champions.
Central Michigan returns senior Denelle Pedrick who placed third in the all-around at NCAA Regionals last season and was named the MAC Gymnast of the Year.
CMU head coach Christine MacDonald enters her first season at the helm of the Chippewa gymnastics program after serving on the coaching staff for 25 seasons.
REDBIRD NOTES Â . . .Â
The Redbirds are coming into the tri-meet following a 193.400-189.050 loss to New Hampshire in their 2020 season opener last weekend.
Freshman Angelica Labat made her collegiate debut in the season opener with an All-Around title, posting a score of 38.850.
Illinois State head coach Bob Conkling is in his 13th season at the helm of the Redbirds program.
QUOTABLE WITH COACH ROWE . . .Â
"Our focus in the gym this week has been to be in the present. Whether it's as a competitor on the apparatus, or a teammate cheering from the sides, not being in the present allows all sorts of potential distractions which might end up with negative results. Making each turn deliberate, more dynamic, with more amplitude or finesse are all some of things we've been addressing to produce the results that we are not only capable of, but will supplement the technique that is necessary in order to fine tune the details."
"The Spartans have been working hard and have been successful this week at doing just that. We're looking forward to being at home, in front of our own fans, families and friends, not only introducing a couple of new faces and talent on the 2020 squad, but to demonstrate the progress we have made since the Green and White. Last weekend at WMU, senior co-captain Ella Douglas won beam with a career high score of 9.925, currently ranked fourth in the NCAA week one, while freshman Nyah Smith won the vault with a 9.825, being ranked 20th while sophomore Ashley Hofelich won floor with a 9.825."
UP NEXT Â . . .Â
Michigan State gymnastics continues its three-meet home stretch next weekend as the Spartans host Ohio State in the Big Ten season opener on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 7 p.m.
Saturday will also be the debut of Spartan gymnastics' new student section, the Spartan Vault. Spartan students are encouraged to contact Holly Tilley at tilleyho@ath.msu.edu for more information. Membership includes a Spartan Vault t-shirt, free pizza, and free reign to cheer the Spartans on to victory. The meet will also be a "Greek Meet" attendance competition with $250.00 at stake for prize money to the Fraternity and Sorority that bring the most fans to the meet. Register your Fraternity or Sorority with Holly as well.
Â
Saturday's meet will be streamed live on BTN+ and live results will be posted on MSUSpartans.com.
LAST TIME OUT . . .Â
MSU gymnastics opened the 2020 season on the road at Western Michigan on Jan. 5, earning a share of three event wins behind senior Gabriella Douglas on beam, sophomore Ashley Hofelich on floor and freshman Nyah Smith on vault in her Spartan debut. Western Michigan won the duel by a score of 195.275-191.750.
Â
Douglas won the beam with a 9.925, recording the best Spartan individual score on beam since Lisa Burt also posted a 9.925 during the 2013 season.
Smith took top honors on vault tallying a 9.825 and Hofelich shared the top score on floor with a 9.825.
"Vault and beam have improved greatly over the past few weeks, and floor is developing more quality depth as we speak," Rowe said. "Shoutouts to Nyah Smith for winning vault, Ashley Hofelich for tying for first on floor and Ella Douglas for the winning beam routine with a personal best of 9.925."
Michigan State tallied a 45.500 on bars, 48.875 on vault, 48.575 on floor and 49.000 on beam for its final score of 191.850. The 49.000 on beam was the highest Spartan beam score since Feb. 17, 2018 when MSU tallied 49.050 points. Western Michigan posted a 48.775 on vault, 48.700 on bars, 49.075 on beam and 48.725 on floor for a winning score of 195.275.
MSU opened on bars with junior Lea Mitchell earning the top Spartan spot, tying for second place with a 9.775.
 "This afternoon's meet, even though we're definitely a better bar squad then we exhibited, gained momentum on each following event demonstrating our resilience and tenacity," said MSU head coach Mike Rowe. "This is something that they've greatly improved on and we are proud of them for that."
Â
Moving to vault for the second rotation, Smith, in her collegiate debut, earned a 9.825 for her first career event title. Hofelich tied for second, posting a score of 9.800.
Â
On floor for rotation three, Hofelich earned a share of top honors with a 9.825, just shy of her career-high of 9.850. Hofelich tied for the top score with WMU's Binstock and Charlotte Tishkoff.
Â
Finishing on beam, Douglas took top honors with a career-high score of 9.925.
Â
In the all-around competition, Mitchell earned a cumulative score 39.100, to place second.
GYMNASTS TO WATCH Â . . .Â
Junior Lea Mitchell and freshman Nyah Smith have been named Michigan State's Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch for the 2020 season.
The Spartans were picked to finish ninth as a team in the preseason coaches' poll.
A native of Boynton Beach, Florida, Mitchell was a steady performer last season in the all-around competition as a sophomore, as she collected seven all-around scores of 39.0 or better. Mitchell also earned four all-around victories in 2019, on her way to earning All-Big Ten Second Team and Big Ten All-Championships Team honors.
Smith enters her first season of competition for the Spartans, hailing from West Bloomfield, Michigan. Smith is one of seven freshmen selected as a Big Ten Gymnast to Watch.
Â
Smith trained at Oakland Gymnastics, where she was a two-time J.O. National Qualifier in 2017 and 2019, placing ninth all-around at the 2019 J.O. National Championships, with a ninth-place finish on beam and 12th on vault. She also placed sixth all-around at the 2019 Michigan State Championships.
WELCOME FRESHMEN Â . . .
Michigan State welcomes five freshman gymnasts to the roster this season; Chloe Bellmore (Dewitt, Mich.), Ryanna Head (Hernando Beach, Fla.), Jori Jackard (Haslett, Mich.), Nyah Smith (West Bloomfield, Mich.) and Linda Zivat (Manhattan, Ill.).
O CAPTAINS! OUR CAPTAINS! Â . . .
Senior Gabriella Douglas and junior Lea Mitchell will serve as the co-captains for the 2020 season.
Douglas and Mitchell are serving as co-captains for the second-straight season. The duo were both named to the All-Big Ten Second Team and gathered Big Ten All-Championships Team accolades in 2019. Also, the co-captains both competed at the NCAA Regionals in Baton Rouge, Louisiana last season.
"Ella and Lea have once again been designated as the Spartan Gymnastics Team Captains for the 2019-20 season by their teammates and coaches," Rowe said. "When it comes to leadership in the classroom and out, and especially in the arena, they complement each other by setting the standards that exemplify the values, philosophies and long-range goals of our program."
CHIPPEWA NOTES Â . . .Â
The Chippewas begin the 2020 season at Michigan State on Saturday, as the reigning Mid-American Conference regular season champions.
Central Michigan returns senior Denelle Pedrick who placed third in the all-around at NCAA Regionals last season and was named the MAC Gymnast of the Year.
CMU head coach Christine MacDonald enters her first season at the helm of the Chippewa gymnastics program after serving on the coaching staff for 25 seasons.
REDBIRD NOTES Â . . .Â
The Redbirds are coming into the tri-meet following a 193.400-189.050 loss to New Hampshire in their 2020 season opener last weekend.
Freshman Angelica Labat made her collegiate debut in the season opener with an All-Around title, posting a score of 38.850.
Illinois State head coach Bob Conkling is in his 13th season at the helm of the Redbirds program.
QUOTABLE WITH COACH ROWE . . .Â
"Our focus in the gym this week has been to be in the present. Whether it's as a competitor on the apparatus, or a teammate cheering from the sides, not being in the present allows all sorts of potential distractions which might end up with negative results. Making each turn deliberate, more dynamic, with more amplitude or finesse are all some of things we've been addressing to produce the results that we are not only capable of, but will supplement the technique that is necessary in order to fine tune the details."
"The Spartans have been working hard and have been successful this week at doing just that. We're looking forward to being at home, in front of our own fans, families and friends, not only introducing a couple of new faces and talent on the 2020 squad, but to demonstrate the progress we have made since the Green and White. Last weekend at WMU, senior co-captain Ella Douglas won beam with a career high score of 9.925, currently ranked fourth in the NCAA week one, while freshman Nyah Smith won the vault with a 9.825, being ranked 20th while sophomore Ashley Hofelich won floor with a 9.825."
UP NEXT Â . . .Â
Michigan State gymnastics continues its three-meet home stretch next weekend as the Spartans host Ohio State in the Big Ten season opener on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 7 p.m.
Saturday will also be the debut of Spartan gymnastics' new student section, the Spartan Vault. Spartan students are encouraged to contact Holly Tilley at tilleyho@ath.msu.edu for more information. Membership includes a Spartan Vault t-shirt, free pizza, and free reign to cheer the Spartans on to victory. The meet will also be a "Greek Meet" attendance competition with $250.00 at stake for prize money to the Fraternity and Sorority that bring the most fans to the meet. Register your Fraternity or Sorority with Holly as well.
Â
Players Mentioned
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