Friday, February 23
University Park, Pa.
6 PM
Michigan State University
vs
Minnesota
Photo by: Kelly Branigan
No. 8 Spartans Close B1G Season at Big Five Meet Friday
2/22/2024 10:37:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -Â No. 8 Michigan State gymnastics (8-3, 5-0 B1G) will look to claim back-to-back Big Ten regular season titles at the Big Five Meet on Friday, Feb. 23, at Penn State's Rec Hall. The Spartans face No. 14 Ohio State (5-2, 4-1 B1G), No. 15 Minnesota (8-1, 4-1), #23 Nebraska (5-4, 3-2) and Rutgers (5-9, 0-5) at 6 p.m. on Big Ten Network.
NOTABLES
MSU enters Friday's meet at a program-best No. 8 ranking in the NCAA (197.282 average) after most recently defeating then-No. 25 Maryland, 197.550-195.525, on Feb. 18 in its largest margin of victory this season to remain the only undefeated team in the league. The Spartans' 197.550 was their second-best team score of the season, while MSU also scored a season-high 49.575 on bars.
In the team event rankings, MSU sits in the top 10 on vault (No. 7, 49.321 avg.), bars (No. 6, 49.375) and beam (T-No. 9, 49.214), while ranking 14th on floor (49.371).
Individually, junior Skyla Schulte captured her fourth all-around title in as many all-around appearances this season against Maryland, scoring a season-high 39.600 for the third time this season. Schulte also captured the beam title, tying a career-high 9.950. Freshman MaKayla Tucker won the vault title with a 9.900 against Maryland to earn her first-career event title, while sophomore Sage Kellerman and junior Gabi Stephen tied for the bars title (9.950). Sophomore Nikki Smith earned a share of the floor title (9.900).Â
Kellerman was named Big Ten Event Specialist for the third time this season this week for her performance against Maryland, earning MSU's fourth Specialist of the Week honor of the season and eighth conference weekly award overall in 2024.
CHASING HISTORY
MSU has won its last two Big Five sessions, scoring a 196.975 in Toledo, Ohio, in 2022, before setting a then-program record of 197.675 at last year's edition of the meet.
With a win on Friday, MSU can earn the outright conference regular season title and become the first team to complete an undefeated Big Ten season since Michigan in 2022. Since the conference began awarding regular season titles in 2013, only Michigan (four times), Minnesota (2016) and Iowa (2021) have gone undefeated in conference action to win the regular season. Michigan (2017-21) and Minnesota (2013-14) are the only teams to win consecutive regular season titles. MSU can also clinch at least of the share of the regular season title on Friday with a second-place finish as the only team without a conference loss heading into the meet.
The Spartans won their first regular season title in program history last season, earning a share of the title with Michigan after posting an 8-1 Big Ten record.
UP NEXT
MSU hosts New Hampshire on Friday, March 1 at 7 p.m. in Jenison Field House for its annual Pink Meet.
NOTABLES
MSU enters Friday's meet at a program-best No. 8 ranking in the NCAA (197.282 average) after most recently defeating then-No. 25 Maryland, 197.550-195.525, on Feb. 18 in its largest margin of victory this season to remain the only undefeated team in the league. The Spartans' 197.550 was their second-best team score of the season, while MSU also scored a season-high 49.575 on bars.
In the team event rankings, MSU sits in the top 10 on vault (No. 7, 49.321 avg.), bars (No. 6, 49.375) and beam (T-No. 9, 49.214), while ranking 14th on floor (49.371).
Individually, junior Skyla Schulte captured her fourth all-around title in as many all-around appearances this season against Maryland, scoring a season-high 39.600 for the third time this season. Schulte also captured the beam title, tying a career-high 9.950. Freshman MaKayla Tucker won the vault title with a 9.900 against Maryland to earn her first-career event title, while sophomore Sage Kellerman and junior Gabi Stephen tied for the bars title (9.950). Sophomore Nikki Smith earned a share of the floor title (9.900).Â
Kellerman was named Big Ten Event Specialist for the third time this season this week for her performance against Maryland, earning MSU's fourth Specialist of the Week honor of the season and eighth conference weekly award overall in 2024.
CHASING HISTORY
MSU has won its last two Big Five sessions, scoring a 196.975 in Toledo, Ohio, in 2022, before setting a then-program record of 197.675 at last year's edition of the meet.
With a win on Friday, MSU can earn the outright conference regular season title and become the first team to complete an undefeated Big Ten season since Michigan in 2022. Since the conference began awarding regular season titles in 2013, only Michigan (four times), Minnesota (2016) and Iowa (2021) have gone undefeated in conference action to win the regular season. Michigan (2017-21) and Minnesota (2013-14) are the only teams to win consecutive regular season titles. MSU can also clinch at least of the share of the regular season title on Friday with a second-place finish as the only team without a conference loss heading into the meet.
The Spartans won their first regular season title in program history last season, earning a share of the title with Michigan after posting an 8-1 Big Ten record.
UP NEXT
MSU hosts New Hampshire on Friday, March 1 at 7 p.m. in Jenison Field House for its annual Pink Meet.
Players Mentioned
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