Photo by: Maya Kolton
Bednar and Howard Set for First Season as Spartans
1/5/2026 10:33:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
By: Satvik Shubham
When sophomore Abby Bednar and senior Naya Howard arrived on campus this fall, Michigan State gymnastics welcomed not just two new gymnasts, but two students whose journeys fit naturally into the momentum of a program continuing to rise.
Their paths to East Lansing are different, their personalities distinct, yet from their earliest days in the gym, both transfers brought the kind of presence that strengthens a team on and off the apparatus.
Bednar joins MSU as a kinesiology major from Charlotte, North Carolina, after beginning her collegiate career at Kentucky. Howard arrives from Chesapeake, Virginia, majoring in communication and competing her first three seasons at Georgia.
Together, they make a unique addition.
For Bednar, the connection happened almost immediately. MSU reached out while she was on vacation, and the conversation set everything in motion. She spoke with the staff for nearly an hour, scheduled a visit two weeks later and committed during her time on campus. The speed of the process surprised her, but the fit felt right.
"The biggest reason that I chose MSU was the family culture here," Bednar said. "These coaches care for you as a person, not just athletically. That stood out to me right away."
Prior to beginning her collegiate career at Kentucky, Bednar built one of the strongest junior careers in Region 8 while training at Everest Gymnastics under coach Yiwen Chen.
She spent six years competing at level 10, the highest tier of the USA Gymnastics Development Program, and consistently ranked among the top athletes in the Southeast. Her resume includes five qualifications to the DP National Championships, a level of consistency achieved by only a small group of athletes each year. Bednar also earned a spot in the 2021 Nastia Liukin Cup, an invitational meet that selects many of the top level 10 gymnasts in the country, where she placed fourth.Â
Throughout her time in Region 8, one of the deepest competitive areas in the country, Bednar collected multiple podium finishes. She won the 2023 North Carolina state title on beam, placed third in the all-around at the 2023 Region 8 Championships and posted top-eight finishes across vault, bars, beam and floor at several national and regional events.
Howard's decision unfolded differently, shaped by relationships formed long before she ever considered transferring. Through her club teammates, she already knew MSU Associate Head Coach Nicole (Curler) Jones. That familiarity provided reassurance when she received a call shortly after entering the transfer portal.
"There was already a connection between her and my gym, and I trusted her as a coach," Howard said. "I knew she would take me in with warm arms."
The recruiting process also provided something Howard felt she missed the first time around. She wanted the chance to visit schools, meet teams and experience environments firsthand.
Howard trained at Ocean Tumblers before college, winning the 2018 national title on bars and earning national team appointments in both 2018 and 2021. She then made an immediate impact at Georgia, becoming the first GymDog in six years to compete all-around in every meet as a freshman in 2023. That season, she posted eight scores of 9.900 or better and earned SEC All-Freshman honors.
Coming off an offseason injury in 2024, she returned to compete across all four events and recorded season highs of 9.900 on vault, bars and beam before closing her year at regionals.
"As soon as I hit the portal, coaches reached out. Curler was one of the first," Howard said. "But it really depended on how many credits would transfer. And the relationship I had here just matched perfectly."
Both gymnasts brought more than routines to East Lansing, they brought perspectives built through years in the sport.
Bednar began competing at six years old, rising through the level 10 ranks and drawing interest from major programs during her recruitment. MSU was actually one of her first recruiting calls in high school, making her eventual arrival feel like a long-awaited match.
Howard started her journey in Mommy and Me classes, then level four at age six. Her mom enrolled her in multiple sports, but gymnastics quickly stood out.
Howard progressed fast and began to realize how serious the sport could become as she advanced through the levels. Through it all, her parents supported her without pressure.
"I can contact anyone on this team or staff and they will be there for me," Bednar said. "No matter what."
Their smooth transition reflects the culture head coach Mike Rowe and his staff have built.
Since 2021, the program has operated under a philosophy rooted in accountability and unity. It's a culture that helped elevate MSU from the bottom of the Big Ten to the Elite Eight and Nationals, and it's one that Rowe believes is essential to sustaining long-term success.
"When they walk in the door, they see how much this team cares about each other," Rowe said. "Even though gymnastics is an individual sport, your individual contribution is what makes the team."
Rowe places significant value on intangible traits during recruiting;Â how athletes carry themselves, how they interact with coaches and families, their character and their willingness to buy into the process.
For him, those factors matter as much as their skill level.
"It's all based on the intangible qualities each one of these kids brings into the program," Rowe said. "Not just their talent, but their personalities and their character."
He sees those qualities in both Bednar and Howard. Different stages of their collegiate careers, different backgrounds, yet both have blended into MSU's atmosphere.
"They've evolved to fit in their own way," Rowe said. "They are hungry to do more, and it's a pleasure coaching both of them."
Both Bednar and Howard have begun carving out their own roles within the program. Bednar hopes to finish the year feeling fulfilled, whether she is competing or supporting. Howard is focused on contributing wherever she is needed while she prepares to graduate next fall.
"I'm here to compete, I'm here to win, and I'm here to help my team," Howard said. "We want to show how tight our team culture is."
When sophomore Abby Bednar and senior Naya Howard arrived on campus this fall, Michigan State gymnastics welcomed not just two new gymnasts, but two students whose journeys fit naturally into the momentum of a program continuing to rise.
Their paths to East Lansing are different, their personalities distinct, yet from their earliest days in the gym, both transfers brought the kind of presence that strengthens a team on and off the apparatus.
Bednar joins MSU as a kinesiology major from Charlotte, North Carolina, after beginning her collegiate career at Kentucky. Howard arrives from Chesapeake, Virginia, majoring in communication and competing her first three seasons at Georgia.
Together, they make a unique addition.
For Bednar, the connection happened almost immediately. MSU reached out while she was on vacation, and the conversation set everything in motion. She spoke with the staff for nearly an hour, scheduled a visit two weeks later and committed during her time on campus. The speed of the process surprised her, but the fit felt right.
"The biggest reason that I chose MSU was the family culture here," Bednar said. "These coaches care for you as a person, not just athletically. That stood out to me right away."
Prior to beginning her collegiate career at Kentucky, Bednar built one of the strongest junior careers in Region 8 while training at Everest Gymnastics under coach Yiwen Chen.
She spent six years competing at level 10, the highest tier of the USA Gymnastics Development Program, and consistently ranked among the top athletes in the Southeast. Her resume includes five qualifications to the DP National Championships, a level of consistency achieved by only a small group of athletes each year. Bednar also earned a spot in the 2021 Nastia Liukin Cup, an invitational meet that selects many of the top level 10 gymnasts in the country, where she placed fourth.Â
Throughout her time in Region 8, one of the deepest competitive areas in the country, Bednar collected multiple podium finishes. She won the 2023 North Carolina state title on beam, placed third in the all-around at the 2023 Region 8 Championships and posted top-eight finishes across vault, bars, beam and floor at several national and regional events.
Howard's decision unfolded differently, shaped by relationships formed long before she ever considered transferring. Through her club teammates, she already knew MSU Associate Head Coach Nicole (Curler) Jones. That familiarity provided reassurance when she received a call shortly after entering the transfer portal.
"There was already a connection between her and my gym, and I trusted her as a coach," Howard said. "I knew she would take me in with warm arms."
The recruiting process also provided something Howard felt she missed the first time around. She wanted the chance to visit schools, meet teams and experience environments firsthand.
Howard trained at Ocean Tumblers before college, winning the 2018 national title on bars and earning national team appointments in both 2018 and 2021. She then made an immediate impact at Georgia, becoming the first GymDog in six years to compete all-around in every meet as a freshman in 2023. That season, she posted eight scores of 9.900 or better and earned SEC All-Freshman honors.
Coming off an offseason injury in 2024, she returned to compete across all four events and recorded season highs of 9.900 on vault, bars and beam before closing her year at regionals.
"As soon as I hit the portal, coaches reached out. Curler was one of the first," Howard said. "But it really depended on how many credits would transfer. And the relationship I had here just matched perfectly."
Both gymnasts brought more than routines to East Lansing, they brought perspectives built through years in the sport.
Bednar began competing at six years old, rising through the level 10 ranks and drawing interest from major programs during her recruitment. MSU was actually one of her first recruiting calls in high school, making her eventual arrival feel like a long-awaited match.
Howard started her journey in Mommy and Me classes, then level four at age six. Her mom enrolled her in multiple sports, but gymnastics quickly stood out.
Howard progressed fast and began to realize how serious the sport could become as she advanced through the levels. Through it all, her parents supported her without pressure.
"I can contact anyone on this team or staff and they will be there for me," Bednar said. "No matter what."
Their smooth transition reflects the culture head coach Mike Rowe and his staff have built.
Since 2021, the program has operated under a philosophy rooted in accountability and unity. It's a culture that helped elevate MSU from the bottom of the Big Ten to the Elite Eight and Nationals, and it's one that Rowe believes is essential to sustaining long-term success.
"When they walk in the door, they see how much this team cares about each other," Rowe said. "Even though gymnastics is an individual sport, your individual contribution is what makes the team."
Rowe places significant value on intangible traits during recruiting;Â how athletes carry themselves, how they interact with coaches and families, their character and their willingness to buy into the process.
For him, those factors matter as much as their skill level.
"It's all based on the intangible qualities each one of these kids brings into the program," Rowe said. "Not just their talent, but their personalities and their character."
He sees those qualities in both Bednar and Howard. Different stages of their collegiate careers, different backgrounds, yet both have blended into MSU's atmosphere.
"They've evolved to fit in their own way," Rowe said. "They are hungry to do more, and it's a pleasure coaching both of them."
Both Bednar and Howard have begun carving out their own roles within the program. Bednar hopes to finish the year feeling fulfilled, whether she is competing or supporting. Howard is focused on contributing wherever she is needed while she prepares to graduate next fall.
"I'm here to compete, I'm here to win, and I'm here to help my team," Howard said. "We want to show how tight our team culture is."
Players Mentioned
All-Around
/ Women's Gymnastics
UB, BB
/ Women's GymnasticsNot Done Yet | Spartans All-Access
Tuesday, April 08
Competing Together | Spartans All-Access
Thursday, March 13
Breslin Debut | Michigan State Gymnastics
Wednesday, January 22
Spartans All-Access: Back to Back B1G Titles
Friday, March 15