Michigan State Gymnastics Takes Second Overall at B1G Championships

Saturday, March 19

Columbus, Ohio

5:30 PM

Michigan State University

197.050

Big Ten Championships

Michigan State Gymnastics Takes Second Overall at B1G Championships

3/19/2022 9:50:00 PM | Women's Gymnastics

2022 GYM B1G Championships Results

Team's best performance since 2006.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Michigan State gymnastics competed in the evening session of the Big Ten Championships on Saturday night, finishing in second-place overall with a final score of 197.050. Michigan was the 2022 B1G Champion with a 198.200, while Iowa took third and had a final score of 196.950.

Michigan State's second-place finish was the team's best performance in the Big Ten Championships since 2006's second-place showing. The conference championships were hosted by the Spartans that year, with MSU earning a team score of 194.975.

"Finishing in second place at the Big Ten Championships is just mind-blowing," Rowe said. "We have an amazing staff that loves working with them and it's the biggest thrill as a head coach to be able to do this. This team has worked their butts off. They're extremely coachable. They want to be better. They want to put this program back on the map, and they're doing everything they can to get there."

Saturday's B1G Championships meet was another record-setting series for the Spartans. Michigan State's total was the highest team score in a B1G Championship meet in program history, dethroning the previous all-time high of 196.025 set at 2004's championships. It was MSU's fourth score of 197.000 or higher this season and the fourth-best in team history.

MSU's vault (49.250) and bars (49.300) scores were also Spartan program-best championship highs, scoring above the previous top scores set in 1997 and 1998, respectively.

Freshman standout Skyla Schulte took fifth overall in the all-around with a final score of 39.500, the third-highest all-around score of her Spartan career. The current MSU all-around record holder scored a 9.875 on vault and bars, a 9.850 on beam and a 9.900 on her floor routine to secure the fifth-place showing.

Freshman Gabrielle Stephen tied for sixth overall on vault, earning her a spot on the podium with a score of 9.900.

Three Spartans landed in a tie for sixth overall on beam, with sophomore Giana Kalefe, senior Lea Mitchell and Schulte all scoring a 9.850. With three 9.900s scored on floor, seniors Sydney Ewing and Ashley Hofelich as well as Schulte tied for seventh overall. A total of six Spartans earned top-ten scores over four different events on the day.

The Spartans followed a traditional rotation and began the meet on vault. Senior Alyssa Wiedeman and sophomore Baleigh Garcia led off with back-to-back 9.800s, while Lauren Hsu nearly tied her career-high with a 9.850. Likewise, Schulte put up a near-personal best with a 9.875. The best vault score of the night for MSU was a 9.900 by freshman Gabrielle Stephen in the anchor spot. The team's cumulative score of 49.250 was their best-ever on the event in a B1G Championship meet, and the fourth-highest all time.

Stephen kicked off the bars rotation in a big way with a tie for her career-high score, sticking a 9.850. Junior Tori Loomis followed it up with an identical score, which ties her personal best. Sophomore anchor Delanie Harkness also received a 9.850. Schulte and senior Lea Mitchell led all Spartan bars performers with scores of 9.875.

After two rotations, Michigan led with a 98.950. MSU and OSU were tied each with a 98.550, while Minnesota held a score of 97.750.

Michigan State put up a 49.075 on beam in the third rotation. Wiedeman led off with a 9.775, followed by a 9.850 by Kalefe. Two more 9.850s were achieved in the lineup by both Mitchell and Schulte, making for a three-way tie for the highest Spartan beam score.

Heading into the final rotation, Michigan held onto its lead with a 148.625 while Michigan State pulled away with the second-place spot with a 147.625. Ohio State was in third with a 147.350 and Minnesota totaled 147.150.

Taking to the floor for the final rotation, MSU saw three gymnasts score a 9.900 en route to a 49.425 team score. Ewing led off with the first 9.900 of the rotation, tying her career-best score. Harkness kept up the solid Spartan scores with a 9.875, while junior Nyah Smith scored a 9.850. Back-to-back in the final two routines, Schulte Hofelich each earned a 9.900.

At the conclusion of the meet, the Big Ten Gymnast, Freshman and Coach of the Year award recipients were recognized. MSU's own first-year gymnast Skyla Schulte took home the Freshman of the Year award and head coach Mike Rowe was named Coach of the Year. Michigan's Sierra Brooks was the 2022 Gymnast of the Year for the conference.

"They're [the team] always there for each other, and at the same time they're pushing each other to be better because they're all trying to break into the lineups," Rowe added. "Every week it's competitive, but they still don't stop. They're those kind of kids that are just pushing and pushing their teammates to be better. They kind of raise their own bar. And the culture is melding into something big here. It's almost like they're back to being the little girls they were when they first fell in love with the sport. They're passionate about gymnastics and they have so much fun. And as a staff it's a pleasure working with them, and that's what it's really all about."

MSU will now await its NCAA Regional placement, with NCAA announcements coming during the 2022 NCAA Women's Gymnastics Selection Show on Tuesday, March 22 at noon.