MSU Gymnastics Travels to Michigan Sunday on ESPNU

MICHIGAN STATE (4-1, 0-1 B1G) Dual Meet at Michigan (3-0, 1-0 B1G)
DATE	Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022
TIME	2 p.m. ET
LOCATION	Ann Arbor, Mich. • Crisler Center
VACCINE INFO	Michigan Athletics Vaccination Policy for Spectators
TICKETS	Tickets
STREAMING	ESPNU [WATCH LIVE]
RESULTS	Live Results
ROSTERS	Michigan State \| Michigan
MEET NOTES	Michigan State \| Michigan
SOCIAL MEDIA	@MSU_gymnastics \| MichiganStateUniversityGymnastics \| @msu_gymnastics

EAST LANSING, Mich.- No. 15 Michigan State women's gymnastics hits the road this Sunday, Jan. 30, for a conference dual with in-state rival No. 1 Michigan. The meet featuring the Spartans and the defending National Champion Wolverines is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. inside the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor.

Sunday's showdown between the two teams will be nationally televised on ESPNU.

Spartan fans traveling to Sunday's meet are asked to adhere to Michigan's vaccination policy for indoor events, which can be found here.

LAST TIME OUT The Spartans were defeated in a narrow loss to No. 16 Iowa on Jan. 22 by a 196.475-196.350 margin.

Despite the loss, there were several bright spots as MSU took the top spot in three individual titles, as well as all-around, and won the vault and bars events. After posting a 49.100 on vault in their first rotation, the Spartans went on to score a 49.300 on bars, the fourth-best showing in program history.

Freshman Skyla Schulte came away with the all-around win, scoring a 39.225. Seven different Spartans posted a 9.900 or better across all four events, highlighted by a 9.950 on vault by Gabrielle Stephen. ON THE ROAD AGAIN The Spartans take to the road for their first away meet since the season opener on Jan. 9 at UC Davis. On the west coast with the host Aggies and Sacramento State, Michigan State took the top spot with a program-best season opening score of 195.875. The Green & White won outright or shared the crown in all four individual events and posted the two-best all-around scores against the Aggies and Hornets.

COACH ROWE QUOTE "Every weekend is an opportunity to grow, and we are working towards demonstrating a more assertive, entertaining style in our program. Even though our line-ups are continually evolving, we are getting better at competing like we practice, while maintaining the little details that will help move us forward one step at a time.

It's exciting to face the reigning 2021 NCAA National Champions, with this ultimately being our biggest challenge so far this season. Even though our focus will be on the routine in the moment from one event to the next, our priority will be on maintaining consistency with solid performances that will help us achieve success.

This is a very unique and special team loaded with talent and passion. They take our mission seriously and are having a great time working at it! They pride themselves in demonstrating their newly found grit, while gaining momentum and not looking back. They compete like a team, having each other's backs and we are anxiously anticipating what lies ahead for the 2022 season!" ROOKIES MAKING THEIR MARK Several first-year gymnasts have stepped up in major ways so far this season, with Spartans earning Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors in two of the first three weeks of competition.

Freshmen duo Skyla Schulte and Gabrielle Stephen were named Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch prior to the beginning of the season. After MSU's opening meet, Schulte was named Freshman of the Week for her performance in the UC Davis tri-meet. She finished second all-around and won a share of the vault title, along with a third-place showing on bars.

In Week Two, Stephen earned her own Freshman of the Week award after winning the all-around and vault title at home against Bowling Green and Illinois State on Jan. 15. Her all-around score ranked ninth in the league and 46^th in the nation.

The pair have combined for seven event titles through the first three meets of the season.

BARS STARS Michigan State ranks fourth in the conference and 19^th in the nation on bars, averaging a score of 48.967 over the first three meets.

The Spartans have won the bars event at each of their three meets so far, with five different members of the squad having won or shared the event crown. Sophomore Delanie Harkness is currently 16^th in the nation and fourth in the conference among all bars specialists, averaging a 9.892. Harkness has emerged at the top of the podium in every meet this season and set a career-best score of 9.925 against Iowa last time out.

VAULTING TO NEW HEIGHTS The Spartans have also won the vault title at all three meets, holding the third-best average in the Big Ten and No. 15 in the nation with a 49.067. Michigan State posted a season-high 49.100 on vault against Iowa on Jan. 22, the tenth-best team vault score in program history.

In addition, Gabrielle Stephen nailed a perfect 9.950 on vault against the Hawkeyes, winning the individual title and earning the maximum score given her start value. It was the third-best vault score in Spartan history and the first 9.950 since Alina Cartwright in 2015.

LAST TIME OUT WITH THE WOLVERINES Sunday will be the first dual meeting between the in-state rivals since the 2019 season, when the Wolverines bested the Spartans 194.050-195.975, at home.

The Spartans last met with Michigan in 2020 at the Big Five meet that year in Toledo, Ohio. Michigan State took fourth place with a 195.975 among fellow conference teams Michigan, Minnesota, Penn State and Maryland. The Wolverines placed first with a 197.950. UP NEXT Michigan State returns home for a dual meet with Maryland on Saturday, Feb. 5. The meet will also serve as the teams' Alumni Day reunion and a celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day.