Michigan State University Athletics
Nikki Smith Receives Big Ten Co-Gymnast and Freshman of the Week Honors
1/24/2023 3:30:00 PM | Women's Gymnastics
ROSEMONT, Ill. - Michigan State gymnast Nikki Smith has been named both Big Ten Gymnast of the Week and Freshman of the Week, as announced by the conference Tuesday.Â
A native of West Bloomfield, Michigan, Smith earns both honors for the first time in her career and becomes the first MSU gymnast to collect both awards in the same week since Skyla Schulte on March 8, 2022.Â
Smith shares the Big Ten Gymnast of the Week award with Iowa's Adeline Kenlin and Rutgers' Hannah Joyner.Â
An integral piece of MSU's 197.200-196.975 victory over No. 3 Michigan on Jan. 22, Smith won the all-around title with a career-high 39.525, tying for fifth all-time in program history. She also set a career-high on vault with a 9.950, which tied for third all-time at MSU, for her first career title on the event.Â
The Spartans' 197.200 is the sixth-best team overall score in program history and a season-high. MSU also tied its program-best team vault score with a 49.400.Â
Smith also tied her career highs on beam and floor against Michigan, finishing in a tie for seventh on beam with a 9.825 and placing fourth on floor with a 9.900. She placed fourth on bars with a 9.850.Â
MSU's win marked its first over Michigan since Feb. 3, 2007. It also marked Michigan's first loss in a conference dual meet since Jan. 27, 2018.Â
The Spartans are back in action for their second conference meet of the season on Sunday, Jan. 29 at Maryland. The dual gets underway at 1 p.m. from College Park, Maryland, with streaming available on B1G+ and live results on MSUSpartans.com.Â
