Saturday, January 4
East Lansing, Mich.
4 PM
Michigan State University
196.850
vs
194.675
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Western Michigan
Photo by: Becca Gawenda
No. 11 Gymnastics Opens Season with Victory Over Western Michigan
1/4/2025 7:47:00 PM | Women's Gymnastics
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The No. 11 Michigan State gymnastics team opened the season with a dominating 196.850-194.675 win over Western Michigan on Saturday evening at Jenison Field House. For the third time in four seasons, the Spartans topped their highest season-opening score.
With the victory, the Spartans improved to 1-0 overall this season, while the Broncos fall to 0-1. MSU's 196.850 ranks third behind No. 1 Oklahoma (197.550) and No. 2 LSU (197.300) in NCAA season openers so far in 2025.
"We're really proud of how the team worked off each other tonight, especially with a few new faces in the mix," said head coach Mike Rowe. "It was a great early opportunity to give some of our depth the realness of the "in-meet" nuances or stressors that sometimes need to be flushed out. We took advantage of two exhibitions on each event which proved to be good for us as well. I think overall, it was not only a program record for highest opening team score, but set us a pretty decent place to build from moving forward."
Michigan State went 1-2-3 in the all-around with junior Nikki Smith taking first with a 39.475, while junior Olivia Zsarmani was second with a score of 39.200 in her first collegiate all-around competition. Senior Gabrielle Stephen was third.
Michigan State started with a 49.400 on vault, tying the 10th best vault team score in school history. MSU was led by Smith, who led all performers with a 9.950 to capture the event title. Fellow junior Sage Kellerman earned a 9.925 to take second and senior Gabrielle Stephen finished third with a score of 9.875 to round out the podium. Zsarmani added a 9.850 while freshman Cady Duplissis added a 9.800 in her debut in the Green and White. For the second season opener in a row, all six of the Spartans' vaults were 10.000 start value vaults.
MSU continued its domination on bars with a score of 49.150. The Spartans took the top three spots on the event led by a 9.875 from Smith for her third title of the day. Kellerman continued her strong night finishing second with a 9.850. Fifth-year senior Delanie Harkness was third with a 9.825, while Stephen and Zsarmani added 9.800s. In the second Spartan debut of the day, freshman Amy Doyle scored a 9.775.
The Spartans scored a 49.100 on beam in the third rotation. Western Michigan's Emily Krzciok won the event title with a 9.900 ahead of a four-way tie for second with Smith, sophomore Emma Misenheimer, Duplissis and fifth-year senior Giana Kalefe. The quartet all captured scores of 9.850. Misenheimer's routine was her first as a Spartan.
MSU concluded the night on floor with a 49.200. Stephen won her first event title of the season with a 9.875. There was a three-way tie for second place between Zsarmani, Harkness and Western Michigan's Cassie St. Clair, who all recorded scores of 9.850. It was Zarmani's first time competing on floor exercise for the Spartans.
Sophomore MaKayla Tucker scored a 9.825 in the leadoff spot and Kalefe and Smith earned matching 9.800s on floor to round out the meet for the Spartans.
The Spartans will now hit the road to take on No. 3 Florida, No. 23 Nebraska and Northern Illinois in Gainesville, Florida on Friday, Jan. 10 at 6:45 p.m. The meet will stream on SECN+.
With the victory, the Spartans improved to 1-0 overall this season, while the Broncos fall to 0-1. MSU's 196.850 ranks third behind No. 1 Oklahoma (197.550) and No. 2 LSU (197.300) in NCAA season openers so far in 2025.
"We're really proud of how the team worked off each other tonight, especially with a few new faces in the mix," said head coach Mike Rowe. "It was a great early opportunity to give some of our depth the realness of the "in-meet" nuances or stressors that sometimes need to be flushed out. We took advantage of two exhibitions on each event which proved to be good for us as well. I think overall, it was not only a program record for highest opening team score, but set us a pretty decent place to build from moving forward."
Michigan State went 1-2-3 in the all-around with junior Nikki Smith taking first with a 39.475, while junior Olivia Zsarmani was second with a score of 39.200 in her first collegiate all-around competition. Senior Gabrielle Stephen was third.
Michigan State started with a 49.400 on vault, tying the 10th best vault team score in school history. MSU was led by Smith, who led all performers with a 9.950 to capture the event title. Fellow junior Sage Kellerman earned a 9.925 to take second and senior Gabrielle Stephen finished third with a score of 9.875 to round out the podium. Zsarmani added a 9.850 while freshman Cady Duplissis added a 9.800 in her debut in the Green and White. For the second season opener in a row, all six of the Spartans' vaults were 10.000 start value vaults.
MSU continued its domination on bars with a score of 49.150. The Spartans took the top three spots on the event led by a 9.875 from Smith for her third title of the day. Kellerman continued her strong night finishing second with a 9.850. Fifth-year senior Delanie Harkness was third with a 9.825, while Stephen and Zsarmani added 9.800s. In the second Spartan debut of the day, freshman Amy Doyle scored a 9.775.
The Spartans scored a 49.100 on beam in the third rotation. Western Michigan's Emily Krzciok won the event title with a 9.900 ahead of a four-way tie for second with Smith, sophomore Emma Misenheimer, Duplissis and fifth-year senior Giana Kalefe. The quartet all captured scores of 9.850. Misenheimer's routine was her first as a Spartan.
MSU concluded the night on floor with a 49.200. Stephen won her first event title of the season with a 9.875. There was a three-way tie for second place between Zsarmani, Harkness and Western Michigan's Cassie St. Clair, who all recorded scores of 9.850. It was Zarmani's first time competing on floor exercise for the Spartans.
Sophomore MaKayla Tucker scored a 9.825 in the leadoff spot and Kalefe and Smith earned matching 9.800s on floor to round out the meet for the Spartans.
The Spartans will now hit the road to take on No. 3 Florida, No. 23 Nebraska and Northern Illinois in Gainesville, Florida on Friday, Jan. 10 at 6:45 p.m. The meet will stream on SECN+.
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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