Monday, February 27
Urbana-Champaign, Ill.
7 p.m. ET
Michigan State University
197.450
at
196.425
Illinois
Photo by: Craig Pessman / Illinois Athletics
No. 13 Gymnastics Wins B1G Regular Season Title with Victory at No. 24 Illinois
2/27/2023 9:38:00 PM | Women's Gymnastics
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Tying its fifth-best team overall score, No. 13 Michigan State earned a 197.450-196.425 win at No. 23 Illinois to earn its first Big Ten Regular Season Championship in program history Monday night in Champaign.
The Spartans moved to 9-2 overall and 8-1 in the B1G with the win, while Illinois dropped to 8-8 and 4-5 in the league. MSU will share the regular season title with Michigan, who topped Nebraska Monday night to match the Spartans' 8-1 conference record.
MSU's 197.450 tied its second-best team overall score this season - previously scored in its home dual against Penn State on Feb. 4 - and is the Spartans' fourth score over 197.000 this season.
The Spartans won the vault, bars and floor team titles and set a season-high score of 49.450 on beam, which ties for third-best in program history. Sophomore Gabrielle Stephen and freshman Nikki Smith tied for first in the all-around with 39.525s. Stephen's win marked her fourth-straight win in the all-around. Sophomore Skyla Schulte scored a 39.450 to take third.
BARS
MSU used a 49.350 on bars to take the early lead over Illinois in the first rotation. Junior Delanie Harkness secured her fourth bars title of the season with a season-high 9.925 in the anchor position. Senior Jori Jackard posted a season-high 9.900 for the second 9.900-plus score for the Spartans on the event, her first score over 9.900 this season. Stephen tied her career high with a 9.875, while Nikki Smith, sophomore Skyla Schulte and freshman Olivia Zsarmani scored matching 9.825s to round out the rotation. MSU held a 49.350-48.975 lead over Illinois after the first rotation.
VAULT
The Spartans took a 98.450-97.650 lead at the halfway point with a 49.100 on vault. Stephen picked up her first event title of the night and fourth vault title of the season with a 9.850, earning a share of the title with Illinois' Mia Townes. Schulte and senior Nyah Smith both stuck their vaults for 9.825s. Nikki Smith scored the third 9.825 on the event for the Spartans, while sophomore Lauren Hsu, who made her season debut in the vault lineup, and freshman Sage Kellerman both scored 9.775s.
FLOOR
Illinois cut into MSU's lead in the third rotation with a program-high 49.675 on beam, but MSU's maintained a strong 148.000-147.325 through the third rotation thanks to a 49.550 floor score that tied for the fourth-best in school history. Nikki Smith led the Spartans with a career-high 9.975, earning a perfect 10.0 from one of the judges, to tie for the individual program record and collect the event title. Stephen and Schulte both scored 9.925s, while Nyah Smith scored a 9.875, junior Giana Kalefe earned a 9.850 and Harkness scored a 9.825.
BEAM
MSU secured the victory with its 49.450 beam rotation, led by Kalefe, who scored her second-straight 9.925 on the event to tie her career high. Nikki Smith earned her first 9.900-plus score on the event with a 9.900, while Stephen, Schulte and Harkness scored 9.875s. Harkness tied her career high and set a season high with her 9.875 performance, making only her second appearance in the beam lineup this season. Illinois' Mia Takekawa won the event with a 9.975.
MSU is back in action for a pair of meets this weekend, traveling to Ypsilanti, Michigan for a tri-meet with Eastern Michigan and LIU on Friday, March 3 at 6 p.m. before hosting Bowling Green and LIU at Jenison Field House on Sunday, March 5 at 1 p.m. for the team's annual Pink Meet for breast cancer awareness.
The Spartans moved to 9-2 overall and 8-1 in the B1G with the win, while Illinois dropped to 8-8 and 4-5 in the league. MSU will share the regular season title with Michigan, who topped Nebraska Monday night to match the Spartans' 8-1 conference record.
"We knew they could do it and are so proud of how they didn't give up and pulled it all off," head coach Mike Rowe said. "There's still more left in the tank and they're still hungry to take it further. We can't ask for any more than that. What an amazing family we've got, and they grow more and more each day! Spartan Strong they'll continue to be!"
MSU's 197.450 tied its second-best team overall score this season - previously scored in its home dual against Penn State on Feb. 4 - and is the Spartans' fourth score over 197.000 this season.
The Spartans won the vault, bars and floor team titles and set a season-high score of 49.450 on beam, which ties for third-best in program history. Sophomore Gabrielle Stephen and freshman Nikki Smith tied for first in the all-around with 39.525s. Stephen's win marked her fourth-straight win in the all-around. Sophomore Skyla Schulte scored a 39.450 to take third.
BARS
MSU used a 49.350 on bars to take the early lead over Illinois in the first rotation. Junior Delanie Harkness secured her fourth bars title of the season with a season-high 9.925 in the anchor position. Senior Jori Jackard posted a season-high 9.900 for the second 9.900-plus score for the Spartans on the event, her first score over 9.900 this season. Stephen tied her career high with a 9.875, while Nikki Smith, sophomore Skyla Schulte and freshman Olivia Zsarmani scored matching 9.825s to round out the rotation. MSU held a 49.350-48.975 lead over Illinois after the first rotation.
VAULT
The Spartans took a 98.450-97.650 lead at the halfway point with a 49.100 on vault. Stephen picked up her first event title of the night and fourth vault title of the season with a 9.850, earning a share of the title with Illinois' Mia Townes. Schulte and senior Nyah Smith both stuck their vaults for 9.825s. Nikki Smith scored the third 9.825 on the event for the Spartans, while sophomore Lauren Hsu, who made her season debut in the vault lineup, and freshman Sage Kellerman both scored 9.775s.
FLOOR
Illinois cut into MSU's lead in the third rotation with a program-high 49.675 on beam, but MSU's maintained a strong 148.000-147.325 through the third rotation thanks to a 49.550 floor score that tied for the fourth-best in school history. Nikki Smith led the Spartans with a career-high 9.975, earning a perfect 10.0 from one of the judges, to tie for the individual program record and collect the event title. Stephen and Schulte both scored 9.925s, while Nyah Smith scored a 9.875, junior Giana Kalefe earned a 9.850 and Harkness scored a 9.825.
BEAM
MSU secured the victory with its 49.450 beam rotation, led by Kalefe, who scored her second-straight 9.925 on the event to tie her career high. Nikki Smith earned her first 9.900-plus score on the event with a 9.900, while Stephen, Schulte and Harkness scored 9.875s. Harkness tied her career high and set a season high with her 9.875 performance, making only her second appearance in the beam lineup this season. Illinois' Mia Takekawa won the event with a 9.975.
MSU is back in action for a pair of meets this weekend, traveling to Ypsilanti, Michigan for a tri-meet with Eastern Michigan and LIU on Friday, March 3 at 6 p.m. before hosting Bowling Green and LIU at Jenison Field House on Sunday, March 5 at 1 p.m. for the team's annual Pink Meet for breast cancer awareness.
Players Mentioned
All-Around
/ Women's Gymnastics
All-Around
/ Women's Gymnastics
UB, BB, FX
/ Women's Gymnastics
VT, BB, FX
/ Women's Gymnastics
All-Around
/ Women's Gymnastics
All-Around
/ Women's Gymnastics
All-Around
/ Women's Gymnastics
All-Around
/ Women's Gymnastics
All-Around
/ Women's Gymnastics
All-Around
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