Two Individual Champions Crowned in Spartans’ Runner-Up Finish at Big Ten Championships

Saturday, March 18

Coralville, Iowa / Xtream Arena

5:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. CT

Michigan State University

Big Ten Championships

Photo by: Amir Prellberg

Two Individual Champions Crowned in Spartans’ Runner-Up Finish at Big Ten Championships

3/18/2023 10:25:00 PM | Women's Gymnastics

Results

CORALVILLE, Iowa – No. 9 Michigan State scored a 197.550, the sixth-best score in program history, to finish second at the Big Ten Championships Saturday evening at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa. The Spartans collected two individual titles, marking the first two individual titles for MSU since 2017, while four Spartans were named to the All-Championship Team.

No. 2 Michigan won the meet with a 198.000 to earn its 26th conference title. No. 20 Minnesota finished third overall after winning the afternoon session with a 197.250. MSU moves to 22-3 overall this season.

Freshman Sage Kellerman won the vault title with a career-high 9.925, earning a share of the title with Minnesota's Mya Hooten and Michigan's Gabby Wilson. Junior Delanie Harkness collected the bars title in a six-way tie with a 9.950. Kellerman's vault title was the first for a Spartan since Chayla Hill in 2006, while Harkness' bars title marked MSU's first bars title since Wendy Minch in 1996. MSU's last event titles came in a three-way tie between Nicola Deans, Kira Frederick and Elena Lagoski in 2017 on floor.

Both Kellerman and Harkness were named to the All-Championship Team following the meet. Sophomore Skyla Schulte and junior Baleigh Garcia were also named to the team for their performances on Saturday.

FLOOR
MSU kicked off the meet on floor with a 49.425, led by Schulte who finished in a tie for third overall on the event with a 9.925. Freshman Nikki Smith scored a 9.900 for the Spartans, while sophomore Gabi Stephen and Harkness scored 9.875s and senior Nyah Smith and freshman Elle Beaufait scored 9.850s.

VAULT
The Spartans scored a 49.250 in the second rotation on vault. Behind Kellerman's career-high, Schulte scored a 9.875, Stephen scored a 9.850 and Nyah Smith, Nikki Smith and Garcia scored 9.800s.

BARS
Harkness' title led the Spartans to a 49.350 on bars in the third rotation. Senior Jori Jackard and Schulte scored 9.875s and Kellerman, Stephen and Nikki Smith scored 9.825s.

BEAM
MSU's top event score of the night came in the final rotation on beam with a 49.525. Garcia and Schulte scored 9.950s to finish in a five-way tie for runner-up honors. Junior Giana Kalefe scored a 9.900, Harkness scored a 9.875 and Stephen and Nikki Smith scored 9.850s. MSU's 49.525 tied for the second-best team score on beam in program history.

Schulte finished second in the all-around with a season-high 39.625 behind winner Abby Heiskell (39.700) of Michigan. Stephen scored a 39.400 and Nikki Smith scored a 39.375.

The conference also awarded its individual awards following the meet Saturday. MSU head coach Mike Rowe earned his second-straight and second overall Big Ten Coach of the Year award. Nikki Smith was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, marking the second-straight year a gymnast from MSU has earned the award after Schulte earned the honor in 2022. Smith is the fourth gymnast overall from MSU to be named Freshman of the Year.

Up next, MSU will await its 2023 NCAA Regional placement, set to be announced on the NCAA Gymnastics Selection Show at noon on Monday, March 20. UCLA, Oklahoma, Pittsburgh and Denver are this year's four host sites. The NCAA Regionals will run from March 29 to April 1.