One Night, Two Championships: Gymnastics, Hockey Win Big Ten Titles at Home in Front of Sold-Out Crowds
3/25/2024 6:34:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey, Women's Gymnastics
The day began with promise, a unique opportunity for Michigan State: hosting two Big Ten Championship events by the regular-season champion of both sports – gymnastics and hockey – across the street from each other at Jenison Field House and then Munn Ice Arena.
And after more than five consecutive hours of competition at the historic sold-out venues on a chilly Saturday evening that stretched into the night, Michigan State came out victorious on the last second in back-to-back fashion – first on a 9.875 off the beam by junior anchor Gabrielle Stephen at 7:10 p.m. that clinched the gymnastics title, followed by a game-winning goal in overtime from freshman Patrick Geary at 10:51 p.m. – sending Spartan fans into a frenzy.
Two sports making history winning Big Ten Championships on the same night, side by side.
Winners of back-to-back regular-season titles, the gymnastics team was eager to claim its first-ever postseason Big Ten Championship in front of the Green and White fans. Lines wrapped around Jenison Field House before the meet and music blasted from numerous speakers throughout the facility, creating a boisterous, festive mood as the stands filled up to capacity.
But disaster nearly struck before the meet even started – Stephen, one of just three gymnasts in program history to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors three times, sliced her toe open on the steps of the beam during warmups, and it bled the entire evening.
"I was just trying to calm myself after that," said Stephen afterwards, basking in the glow of her team's performance wearing a Big Ten Championship t-shirt and clutching the team trophy. "It was a fluke thing that I hit my foot and it was bleeding everywhere. I just had to collect myself and it didn't matter in the moment. I had done all this training, and so I wasn't going to let one little thing stop me from going after all these things that we've been working for…I just got it glued up and taped up, and set off."
Easier said than done, to be sure.
It was a total team effort for the Spartans. Junior Skyla Schulte got things started, earning a share of the floor title with a 9.950 as MSU compiled a team score of 49.575 to take an early lead.
Paced by sophomore Sage Kellerman's 9.900 on vault, Michigan State continued to maintain its advantage after two rotations. Three Spartans proceeded to score 9.900 on bars – Schulte, sophomores Nikki Smith and Olivia Zsarmani – ensuring the Green and White would head to the final rotation on beam still in first place, 148.325-148.275, over Minnesota.
With the late sun shining through the windows at Jenison Field House, the beam was in the spotlight, the final stage to secure the championship.
Going third, Schulte rose to the occasion with a 9.900, followed by senior Baleigh Garcia, who tied for first place with a 9.925 to become MSU's first champion on beam since 1996.
Which all led to Stephen, anchoring the Spartans on beam, needing at least a 9.8 in the final event of the entire meet.
"I mean, my heart is totally racing right now," remarked BTN commenter Olivia Karas. "I can tell you that at Jenison Field House, all eyes are on Gabi Stephen."
Stephen met the moment and delivered.
After sticking the landing, she knew it. She immediately looked to the cheering Spartan section, hugging her coaches and teammates, and after the score of 9.875 flashed on the screen to give MSU a 197.600-197.500 victory over Minnesota, the team jumped in jubilation amidst a bath of Green and White confetti.
And there was Stephen, right in the middle of her teammates, holding the Big Ten Championship trophy while screaming in happiness only champions can feel in that euphoria after a securing a title.
"I knew I was going to be the last person going," said Stephen. "It was a lot of added pressure, and that was something that I was ready to take on. This was one of the many team goals that we've been working toward, and so we're just checking another box, and we're going to keep going because this is just the start for us. It's a record-breaking year, a record-breaking run; we're doing lots of things, so just excited to keep that going."
When head coach Mike Rowe was asked if he could recall a more clutch performance than Stephen, he said: "I don't think so, not that I can remember."
Rowe, the three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, was able to share the moment with his family, and he wiped tears away from his face as he prepared to talk with Big Ten Network for a post-match interview.
"It's amazing, even though it hasn't sunk in," he said with a huge smile on his face. "I'm still wondering what happened. It's crazy."
The team then took the stage for the awards presentation, as seven Spartans made the All-Championships Team.
Schulte, like Stephen a three-time first-team All-Big Ten honoree, posted the highest score for MSU with a 39.600 to become the first Spartan gymnast to win the all-around title at the Big Ten Championships.
"It means everything, honestly, it's always been my dream to come here," said Schulte. "Being able to be a part of a history-making program is insane. I talked a lot before that the pressure we have coming into this is a privilege. Just being out here, I'm grateful to be here…I always knew that Michigan State felt like home. I've never seen Jenison like this ever, so it's very, very cool."
"We like to keep it interesting, so that's why we did it like we did," Rowe told the media afterwards.
The flair for the dramatic would be the theme of the night for Michigan State.
With the sun setting over East Lansing, the second act shifted through the pine trees across from Jenison Field House and into raucous Munn Ice Arena.
Just one thing stood in the way for fifth-ranked Michigan State to win its first-ever Big Ten Tournament title – archrival Michigan.
But with the ice still as fresh as the Spartans' gymnastics championship, the Wolverines scored in the first minute to take a quick 1-0 lead.
Junior forward Tanner Kelly changed that 10 minutes later, tying it at 1 just past the midway point of first period, and the back-and-forth battle continued all game long.
The second period saw a flurry of goals and lead changes. Sophomore forward Daniel Russell gave MSU its first advantage at the 10:48 mark, but Michigan tied it right back up at 2 on a power-play goal just two minutes later, and again regained the lead at 3-2 on a goal by Marshall Warren with under five minutes left in the period.
The scoring wasn't over in the second period quite yet, however. Thanks to a review, the Spartans were awarded their third goal of the night as senior forward Jeremy Davidson slid the puck past Michigan goaltender Jake Barczewski, where it just crossed the line before the whistle. Once the goal was officially awarded, the fans at Munn roared, but they were just getting started.
With time winding down in the period, sophomore defenseman Matt Basgall fired a shot from the right side, and Kelly tipped it in just before the horn sounded – officially at the 19.59.3 mark – a call that was confirmed by replay. Michigan State had all the momentum heading into the final 20 minutes.
Unfortunately, the lead didn't last long. The Wolverines quickly responded in the third period with a goal less than three minutes in, tying it once again at 4. The tension built throughout the period as time melted away and overtime appeared imminent.
Maybe it had to end like this. Sudden-death overtime was just adding another layer of drama to a classic chapter in the most-played rivalry in the history of college hockey as episode No. 347 unfolded.
Overtime, much like the game itself, went back and forth, with teams trading shots and the goalies trading saves.
With around 6:25 left in the extra session, an opening appeared for MSU. As the Spartans brought the puck up the ice, graduate forward Reed Lebster found fifth-year forward Nicolas Müller near the left circle, who then passed it to Geary just in front of the blue line on the left point, and Geary blasted a shot right through the Michigan defense and into Spartan hockey history.
It was then pure pandemonium at Munn.
Geary took his helmet off, flipped it in the air, and skated to fellow freshman goaltender Trey Augustine, and soon the whole team celebrated in front of the boards by the "Munnsters" student section.
The ice was dotted with helmets, sticks, and gloves – and hugging Spartans all around.
Before long, the championship hats were distributed and the Spartans lifted the Big Ten Tournament trophy at center ice, then skated around the rink with the hardware, sharing the moment with the passionate Green and White hockey fans that created an electric atmosphere all season long, culminating with a Big Ten Tournament Championship.
After the victory lap, the trophy was passed around at center ice, and there was Big Ten Coach of the Year Adam Nightingale, who has led the Spartan hockey program to championship status in just two short seasons, hoisting the trophy high in the air with both hands. Eventually, the trophy made its way to Athletic Director Alan Haller, who earlier in the day hugged gymnastics coach Mike Rowe and was in a team championship picture at Jenison Field House, and was now holding up the Big Ten trophy for another sport, all within a span of a few hours.
The celebration culminated with the entire staff and team posing in front of the Munnsters student section with the corner scoreboard hanging above like a perfect portrait: Spartans 5, Michigan 4.
"I was excited, especially to do it at home," said Nightingale. "You could argue that might have been the biggest game at Munn…I mean, that crowd was awesome. It was awesome last week, and it's been awesome all year. For them to stick with us and believe in us, we had to earn it. I think that's what makes it even more special."
Following all of the postgame celebrations, it was a pair of freshmen – Geary and Augustine – who took the media interview stage after helping the Spartans to not only the Big Ten Tournament title, but their fourth straight win over Michigan.
"I kind of just got the puck, and our third goalie (Jon Mor) told me to shoot it, and I just put my head down and ripped it, and looked up at the last second just to see it go in," explained Geary on his game-winner. "And I turned around to Trey, because obviously he's a big reason we won the game."
Yes, indeed he was: Augustine finished with 33 saves and was named the Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
"For me, I grew up here (in Michigan), and to be able to see this rivalry develop, especially with how we played this year, it's getting back to being super competitive, it's great to see," said an incredibly composed Augustine, who also won a gold medal with Team USA at the World Junior Championships earlier this year. "And to do it in front of our fans, they have been phenomenal all year, so I was very grateful of the opportunity to win it for them."
Of course, the seasons aren't done for either the gymnastics or hockey programs. Far from it.
Both teams have since learned of their postseason destination and are determined to make the most of the opportunity.
Hockey is first up, taking on Western Michigan in the first round of the NCAA Regionals on Friday at 5 p.m. in Maryland Heights, Missouri.
"Dress rehearsal is done, and now it's win or go home," said Nightingale, as the top-seeded Spartans will be making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2012.
Gymnastics earned an NCAA Regional bid for the third year in a row and will be headed to the Gainesville Regional as the No. 3 regional seed and No. 12 overall seed on April 5.
"We're not done yet," said Schulte. "We're just going to keep going. We're going to get back in the gym and work on little details."
The dreams of even bigger championships are still ahead in the NCAA postseason. But for one Saturday night in March, two 2024 Big Ten trophies found a permanent residence in East Lansing.
Written by Ben Phlegar, MSU Athletic Communications. Photos by Matt Mitchell and Rey Del Rio. Video produced by Spartan Vision.
And after more than five consecutive hours of competition at the historic sold-out venues on a chilly Saturday evening that stretched into the night, Michigan State came out victorious on the last second in back-to-back fashion – first on a 9.875 off the beam by junior anchor Gabrielle Stephen at 7:10 p.m. that clinched the gymnastics title, followed by a game-winning goal in overtime from freshman Patrick Geary at 10:51 p.m. – sending Spartan fans into a frenzy.
Two sports making history winning Big Ten Championships on the same night, side by side.
Winners of back-to-back regular-season titles, the gymnastics team was eager to claim its first-ever postseason Big Ten Championship in front of the Green and White fans. Lines wrapped around Jenison Field House before the meet and music blasted from numerous speakers throughout the facility, creating a boisterous, festive mood as the stands filled up to capacity.
But disaster nearly struck before the meet even started – Stephen, one of just three gymnasts in program history to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors three times, sliced her toe open on the steps of the beam during warmups, and it bled the entire evening.
"I was just trying to calm myself after that," said Stephen afterwards, basking in the glow of her team's performance wearing a Big Ten Championship t-shirt and clutching the team trophy. "It was a fluke thing that I hit my foot and it was bleeding everywhere. I just had to collect myself and it didn't matter in the moment. I had done all this training, and so I wasn't going to let one little thing stop me from going after all these things that we've been working for…I just got it glued up and taped up, and set off."
Easier said than done, to be sure.
It was a total team effort for the Spartans. Junior Skyla Schulte got things started, earning a share of the floor title with a 9.950 as MSU compiled a team score of 49.575 to take an early lead.
OUR FLOOR ANCHOR 🔥🔥
— MSU Gymnastics (@MSU_Gymnastics) March 23, 2024
9.95 for Skyla to close a big first rotation!#NDY | #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/eglBxfFos3
Paced by sophomore Sage Kellerman's 9.900 on vault, Michigan State continued to maintain its advantage after two rotations. Three Spartans proceeded to score 9.900 on bars – Schulte, sophomores Nikki Smith and Olivia Zsarmani – ensuring the Green and White would head to the final rotation on beam still in first place, 148.325-148.275, over Minnesota.
With the late sun shining through the windows at Jenison Field House, the beam was in the spotlight, the final stage to secure the championship.
Going third, Schulte rose to the occasion with a 9.900, followed by senior Baleigh Garcia, who tied for first place with a 9.925 to become MSU's first champion on beam since 1996.
Which all led to Stephen, anchoring the Spartans on beam, needing at least a 9.8 in the final event of the entire meet.
GABI STEPHEN. CLUTCH.
— MSU Gymnastics (@MSU_Gymnastics) March 23, 2024
9.875 FOR THE WIN 🤩🤩🤩#NDY | #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/DU7ytnBBdO
"I mean, my heart is totally racing right now," remarked BTN commenter Olivia Karas. "I can tell you that at Jenison Field House, all eyes are on Gabi Stephen."
Stephen met the moment and delivered.
After sticking the landing, she knew it. She immediately looked to the cheering Spartan section, hugging her coaches and teammates, and after the score of 9.875 flashed on the screen to give MSU a 197.600-197.500 victory over Minnesota, the team jumped in jubilation amidst a bath of Green and White confetti.
And there was Stephen, right in the middle of her teammates, holding the Big Ten Championship trophy while screaming in happiness only champions can feel in that euphoria after a securing a title.
This moment. They own it. 🥹@MSU_Gymnastics is your 2024 #B1GymChamps! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/rnnPdChuGb
— Big Ten Gymnastics (@B1GGymnastics) March 24, 2024
"I knew I was going to be the last person going," said Stephen. "It was a lot of added pressure, and that was something that I was ready to take on. This was one of the many team goals that we've been working toward, and so we're just checking another box, and we're going to keep going because this is just the start for us. It's a record-breaking year, a record-breaking run; we're doing lots of things, so just excited to keep that going."
When head coach Mike Rowe was asked if he could recall a more clutch performance than Stephen, he said: "I don't think so, not that I can remember."
Rowe, the three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, was able to share the moment with his family, and he wiped tears away from his face as he prepared to talk with Big Ten Network for a post-match interview.
"It's amazing, even though it hasn't sunk in," he said with a huge smile on his face. "I'm still wondering what happened. It's crazy."
The team then took the stage for the awards presentation, as seven Spartans made the All-Championships Team.
Schulte, like Stephen a three-time first-team All-Big Ten honoree, posted the highest score for MSU with a 39.600 to become the first Spartan gymnast to win the all-around title at the Big Ten Championships.
"It means everything, honestly, it's always been my dream to come here," said Schulte. "Being able to be a part of a history-making program is insane. I talked a lot before that the pressure we have coming into this is a privilege. Just being out here, I'm grateful to be here…I always knew that Michigan State felt like home. I've never seen Jenison like this ever, so it's very, very cool."
"We like to keep it interesting, so that's why we did it like we did," Rowe told the media afterwards.
The flair for the dramatic would be the theme of the night for Michigan State.
With the sun setting over East Lansing, the second act shifted through the pine trees across from Jenison Field House and into raucous Munn Ice Arena.
Just one thing stood in the way for fifth-ranked Michigan State to win its first-ever Big Ten Tournament title – archrival Michigan.
But with the ice still as fresh as the Spartans' gymnastics championship, the Wolverines scored in the first minute to take a quick 1-0 lead.
Junior forward Tanner Kelly changed that 10 minutes later, tying it at 1 just past the midway point of first period, and the back-and-forth battle continued all game long.
A B1G ATMOSPHERE AT MUNN pic.twitter.com/EXzOi09XcH
— Michigan State Athletics (@MSU_Athletics) March 24, 2024
The second period saw a flurry of goals and lead changes. Sophomore forward Daniel Russell gave MSU its first advantage at the 10:48 mark, but Michigan tied it right back up at 2 on a power-play goal just two minutes later, and again regained the lead at 3-2 on a goal by Marshall Warren with under five minutes left in the period.
The scoring wasn't over in the second period quite yet, however. Thanks to a review, the Spartans were awarded their third goal of the night as senior forward Jeremy Davidson slid the puck past Michigan goaltender Jake Barczewski, where it just crossed the line before the whistle. Once the goal was officially awarded, the fans at Munn roared, but they were just getting started.
With time winding down in the period, sophomore defenseman Matt Basgall fired a shot from the right side, and Kelly tipped it in just before the horn sounded – officially at the 19.59.3 mark – a call that was confirmed by replay. Michigan State had all the momentum heading into the final 20 minutes.
Unfortunately, the lead didn't last long. The Wolverines quickly responded in the third period with a goal less than three minutes in, tying it once again at 4. The tension built throughout the period as time melted away and overtime appeared imminent.
Maybe it had to end like this. Sudden-death overtime was just adding another layer of drama to a classic chapter in the most-played rivalry in the history of college hockey as episode No. 347 unfolded.
Overtime, much like the game itself, went back and forth, with teams trading shots and the goalies trading saves.
With around 6:25 left in the extra session, an opening appeared for MSU. As the Spartans brought the puck up the ice, graduate forward Reed Lebster found fifth-year forward Nicolas Müller near the left circle, who then passed it to Geary just in front of the blue line on the left point, and Geary blasted a shot right through the Michigan defense and into Spartan hockey history.
It was then pure pandemonium at Munn.
Hang it in the Louvre.
— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) March 24, 2024
Patrick Geary cements his spot in Spartan hockey lore.
His OT game-winner makes MSU just the third regular-season and tournament champion in the same season in B1G history. #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/8x39jzNNpd
Geary took his helmet off, flipped it in the air, and skated to fellow freshman goaltender Trey Augustine, and soon the whole team celebrated in front of the boards by the "Munnsters" student section.
The ice was dotted with helmets, sticks, and gloves – and hugging Spartans all around.
Before long, the championship hats were distributed and the Spartans lifted the Big Ten Tournament trophy at center ice, then skated around the rink with the hardware, sharing the moment with the passionate Green and White hockey fans that created an electric atmosphere all season long, culminating with a Big Ten Tournament Championship.
After the victory lap, the trophy was passed around at center ice, and there was Big Ten Coach of the Year Adam Nightingale, who has led the Spartan hockey program to championship status in just two short seasons, hoisting the trophy high in the air with both hands. Eventually, the trophy made its way to Athletic Director Alan Haller, who earlier in the day hugged gymnastics coach Mike Rowe and was in a team championship picture at Jenison Field House, and was now holding up the Big Ten trophy for another sport, all within a span of a few hours.
The celebration culminated with the entire staff and team posing in front of the Munnsters student section with the corner scoreboard hanging above like a perfect portrait: Spartans 5, Michigan 4.
"I was excited, especially to do it at home," said Nightingale. "You could argue that might have been the biggest game at Munn…I mean, that crowd was awesome. It was awesome last week, and it's been awesome all year. For them to stick with us and believe in us, we had to earn it. I think that's what makes it even more special."
Following all of the postgame celebrations, it was a pair of freshmen – Geary and Augustine – who took the media interview stage after helping the Spartans to not only the Big Ten Tournament title, but their fourth straight win over Michigan.
"I kind of just got the puck, and our third goalie (Jon Mor) told me to shoot it, and I just put my head down and ripped it, and looked up at the last second just to see it go in," explained Geary on his game-winner. "And I turned around to Trey, because obviously he's a big reason we won the game."
Yes, indeed he was: Augustine finished with 33 saves and was named the Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
"For me, I grew up here (in Michigan), and to be able to see this rivalry develop, especially with how we played this year, it's getting back to being super competitive, it's great to see," said an incredibly composed Augustine, who also won a gold medal with Team USA at the World Junior Championships earlier this year. "And to do it in front of our fans, they have been phenomenal all year, so I was very grateful of the opportunity to win it for them."
Of course, the seasons aren't done for either the gymnastics or hockey programs. Far from it.
Both teams have since learned of their postseason destination and are determined to make the most of the opportunity.
Hockey is first up, taking on Western Michigan in the first round of the NCAA Regionals on Friday at 5 p.m. in Maryland Heights, Missouri.
"Dress rehearsal is done, and now it's win or go home," said Nightingale, as the top-seeded Spartans will be making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2012.
Gymnastics earned an NCAA Regional bid for the third year in a row and will be headed to the Gainesville Regional as the No. 3 regional seed and No. 12 overall seed on April 5.
"We're not done yet," said Schulte. "We're just going to keep going. We're going to get back in the gym and work on little details."
The dreams of even bigger championships are still ahead in the NCAA postseason. But for one Saturday night in March, two 2024 Big Ten trophies found a permanent residence in East Lansing.
Written by Ben Phlegar, MSU Athletic Communications. Photos by Matt Mitchell and Rey Del Rio. Video produced by Spartan Vision.
Proud to be Michigan State Spartans 🏆🏆#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/NQAFPJYyhu
— Michigan State Athletics (@MSU_Athletics) March 24, 2024
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Ice Hockey
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/ Men's Ice Hockey
All-Around
/ Women's Gymnastics
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/ Men's Ice Hockey
All-Around
/ Women's Gymnastics
F
/ Men's Ice Hockey
F
/ Men's Ice Hockey
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/ Men's Ice Hockey
F
/ Men's Ice Hockey
All-Around
/ Women's Gymnastics
All-Around
/ Women's Gymnastics
All-Around
/ Women's Gymnastics
All-Around
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