Michigan State University Athletics
Stephen Earns Big Ten Freshman of the Week Honors
2/22/2022 2:38:00 PM | Women's Gymnastics
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State gymnast Gabrielle Stephen was named this week's Big Ten Freshman of the Week, the conference announced Tuesday afternoon. This is the third Freshman of the Week award for the Elgin, Illinois native and the second in as many weeks.
Stephen's performance on Saturday, February 19 at the Saturday Session of the Big Five meet helped propel the Spartans to a first-place finish and season-high road score of 196.975.Â
The Spartans excelled this weekend in competition against Minnesota, Nebraska, Penn State and Rutgers in the Saturday Session of the annual Big Five meet hosted in Toledo, Ohio. MSU bested second-place Nebraska by a 196.975-196.750 margin, and earned event-best scores on vault (49.200) and beam (49.300). Stephen took second place in the all-around with a 39.475, just one-tenth of a point behind all-around winner and fifth-year senior Lexy Ramler of Minnesota.Â
Stephen's all-around score was a personal best and the fifth-best in program history. The Spartan freshman started out strong in Saturday's meet with a 9.875 posted on vault, tying for a second-place spot on the podium for that event. She tied for third overall on beam when she earned the first 9.900 of the night for the Spartans, and went on to tally another 9.900 on floor, the final event of the night for the Spartans. Her floor routine tied for fifth-best of the night.Â
Stephen's average on beam ranks third in the Big Ten and eighth in the nation, while her vault scores rank fifth and ninth, respectively. In her first season with the Green and White, she has claimed three vault and three beam titles each, both with high scores of 9.950.Â
The Spartans have collectively earned five Freshman of the Week accolades this season with Stephen claiming three and fellow first-year Skyla Schulte receiving the honor twice. Both were also named Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch prior to the start of the season. The pair are currently ranked 16th and 17th, respectively, in the nation all-around.Â
MSU is back in action this weekend for a dual meet with Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio. The road meet is set to begin at 4 p.m. inside the Covelli Center on Saturday, February 26.Â
Stephen's performance on Saturday, February 19 at the Saturday Session of the Big Five meet helped propel the Spartans to a first-place finish and season-high road score of 196.975.Â
The Spartans excelled this weekend in competition against Minnesota, Nebraska, Penn State and Rutgers in the Saturday Session of the annual Big Five meet hosted in Toledo, Ohio. MSU bested second-place Nebraska by a 196.975-196.750 margin, and earned event-best scores on vault (49.200) and beam (49.300). Stephen took second place in the all-around with a 39.475, just one-tenth of a point behind all-around winner and fifth-year senior Lexy Ramler of Minnesota.Â
Stephen's all-around score was a personal best and the fifth-best in program history. The Spartan freshman started out strong in Saturday's meet with a 9.875 posted on vault, tying for a second-place spot on the podium for that event. She tied for third overall on beam when she earned the first 9.900 of the night for the Spartans, and went on to tally another 9.900 on floor, the final event of the night for the Spartans. Her floor routine tied for fifth-best of the night.Â
Stephen's average on beam ranks third in the Big Ten and eighth in the nation, while her vault scores rank fifth and ninth, respectively. In her first season with the Green and White, she has claimed three vault and three beam titles each, both with high scores of 9.950.Â
The Spartans have collectively earned five Freshman of the Week accolades this season with Stephen claiming three and fellow first-year Skyla Schulte receiving the honor twice. Both were also named Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch prior to the start of the season. The pair are currently ranked 16th and 17th, respectively, in the nation all-around.Â
MSU is back in action this weekend for a dual meet with Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio. The road meet is set to begin at 4 p.m. inside the Covelli Center on Saturday, February 26.Â
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