Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Ohio State
No. 11 Spartans Take Down No. 21 Ohio State, 197.300-196.850, in Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Meet
2/21/2026 9:06:00 PM | Women's Gymnastics
EAST LANSING, Mich. - No. 11 Michigan State gymnastics earned its fourth-straight Big Ten victory with a 197.300-196.850 win over No. 21 Ohio State Saturday night inside Jenison Field House.
MSU moves to 6-4 overall and 4-2 in the B1G with the win, while Ohio State drops to 3-4 and 3-3 in conference action.
The Spartans' 197.300 is their second-highest score of the season and fourth score over the 197.000 mark in as many weeks. For the second-straight week, MSU posted team season highs on both bars (49.400) and floor (49.600). MSU also earned at least a share of three out of four possible individual event titles.
Just start to finish, we're really happy with starting strong on vault, said head coach Mike Rowe. And then going to bars, having a season high, and improving just a little bit, even with some new people coming back. Increasing our depth, our depth is getting more consistent. We're happy that we're getting healthier. And then to come to the floor and just blow it out of the park. Once you start seeing their consistency and what they're scoring, the strategies are working. Everyone is working really hard.
The Spartans posted their second-highest vault score of the season to take a 49.375-48.950 lead over the Buckeyes after the opening rotation. Making her return to the vault lineup for the first time since Feb. 1, senior Olivia Zsarmani stuck her Yurchenko 1.5 in the No. 5 spot for a season-high 9.950 to lead MSU on the event and win the title outright for her first vault title of 2026. Junior MaKayla Tucker finished second with a season-high 9.900. Senior Sage Kellerman anchored with a 9.875 to finish third complete the podium sweep for the Spartans, while sophomore Cady Duplissis and freshman Korynne Marquart earned matching 9.825s in the leadoff and No. 2 spot, respectively.
Back like she never left!
9.950 for Liv!!! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/vdOoZPAa6A— Michigan State Gymnastics (@MSU_Gymnastics) February 21, 2026
MSU posted a season high on bars for the second-straight week with a 49.400 to take a 98.775-98.100 lead at the halfway point. Five Spartans either set or tied a season or career high, while MSU took the top five spots on the event. MSU was led by Tucker and Smith, who each scored 9.900s, to share the event title. The bars title was the first of Tucker's career, who earned her first-ever 9.900 on the event, and first bars title of the season for Smith. Senior Naya Howard and junior Kendall Abney scored 9.875s, with Abney earning a career high and Howard tying a season high, to share third place. Freshman Lilia Cosman earned a career-high-tying 9.850 for fifth place and Kellerman anchored with a 9.825.
Ohio State inched within two tenths after a strong floor rotation, but a 48.925 on beam from MSU kept the Spartans in the lead after three rotations. Duplissis led the Spartans in the No. 3 spot with a season-high-tying 9.850 to finish fourth. Smith and junior Isabella Trostel scored 9.800s, Cosman anchored with a 9.750 and Abney led off with a 9.725.
The Spartans closed the meet with a 49.600 on floor, the fifth-highest team floor score in program history, to seal the victory. Smith earned her fourth floor title of the season with a season-high 9.975, earning a 10.000 from one judge. Tucker finished second with a career-high 9.950. Duplissis and junior Gabi Ortiz posted matching 9.900s, each matching their career highs for the second-consecutive week on the event, and senior Stephanie Lebster and Marquart scored 9.875s in the first and second spots. MSU's 49.600 was its highest event score on any event this season, becoming one of six schools in the NCAA this season to score a 49.600 or better on the event.
Nikki Smith scores a season-high 9.975 on floor 🙌 pic.twitter.com/OU0qYxIZxc
— Big Ten Gymnastics (@B1GGymnastics) February 22, 2026
Smith scored a 39.450 in the all-around to finish second behind Ohio State's Tory Vetter. Tucker finished in third with a 39.100.
Up next, MSU heads to Minneapolis to take on Illinois, Rutgers and host Minnesota for the Big Four Meet on Sunday, March 1 at 4 p.m. ET. The meet will air on the Big Ten Network. Final Big Ten standings will be determined at the conclusion of all three Big Four meets.
Players Mentioned
