Michigan State gymnastics wins its first ever Big Ten Championship (2024)

MSU finished with a 197.600

Published: Mar. 24, 2024 at 1:58 AM EDT|Updated: Mar. 25, 2024 at 12:28 AM EDT

EAST LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Top-seeded Michigan State gymnastics captured its first Big Ten Championship in a tension-filled session that came down to the final routine Saturday at a sold-out Jenison Field House. The Spartans won with a score of 197.600, with Minnesota taking second (197.500), Michigan (197.225) and Ohio State (197.050) being third and fourth, respectively. The Spartans fourth-highest score of the season was 197.600.

Junior Skyla Schulte became the first MSU gymnast to win the all-around title at the B1G Championships with a score of 39.600. Schulte also earned a share of the floor title, the first for MSU since 2017. MSU head coach Mike Rowe collected the Big Ten Coach of the Year award for the third straight year, adding to his history as the first Spartan head coach to earn consecutive conference Coach of the Year awards and now the first to earn three in a row.

“We like to keep it interesting, so that’s why we did it like we did,” said MSU head coach Mike Rowe with a laugh. “I don’t care how it came out, if it was another W or if we’d never won before; it’s for everything they’ve done and for how hard they’ve fought. We’ve still got things to do; we’re not done.”

With the victory, the Spartans improved to 27-3 overall this season, completing the regular-season and championship crown combo. Along with Schulte’s all-around title, senior Baleigh Garcia shared the B1G crown on beam with a 9.925, joining Minnesota’s Sarah Moraw and Ohio State’s Tory Vetter atop the podium. Garcia became MSU’s first Big Ten champion on the balance beam since 1996. MSU started on the floor, getting its best score of the night with a 49.575 for its second-best floor score of the season. Sophom*ore Elle Beaufait got the electric night started with a 9.900 that was matched by freshman MaKayla Tucker and junior Gabrielle Stephen.

After a 9.875 by senior Delanie Harkness, sophom*ore Nikki Smith scored 9.925 before Schulte rounded out the rotation with her co-title clinching 9.950. Moving to vault for the second rotation, MSU scored a 49.375. Schulte led off with a 9.850. Tucker followed with a 9.875, preceding a 9.800 from sophom*ore Olivia Zsarmani. Stephen and Smith each logged a 9.875. Kellerman logged a 9.900 in the anchor, good for a bronze medal. Michigan State had another solid showing on bars with a score of 49.375.

Schulte, Zsarmani and Smith were the top Spartans, finishing tied for third with matching scores of 9.900 to each earn Michigan’s Sierra Brooks and Minnesota’s Mya Hooten took gold, scoring 9.925. The Spartans ended the tightly-contested meet on beam, earning a score of 49.275. After a slower start, the back half of the MSU rotation helped secure the MSU victory. Garcia earned a share of the event title with a stellar 9.925, tying her season high. Shulte came through with a 9.900, but it was Stephen in the anchor position who secured the win with a 9.875 to tie for fourth in the final routine of the night.

“I don’t know if I could’ve done any more, because I don’t ever like to be a stressor on them,” Rowe said about heading into the final rotation. “I’m always trying to pull back and say, ‘Push play and do what you do’, you guys have heard me say it before. (Associate coach) Nicole (Jones) has her own little pattern with them and what’s going on and how the lineup is organized, situated, or whatever. You just don’t expect that. What happens when your first couple routines go up or whatever, and then it’s like a jump into action mode? You have each other’s backs, and you do what you do and practice every day. And they did it.”

MSU earned seven All-Championship Team selections: Kellerman, Garcia, Schulte, Zsarmani, Smith, Tucker, and Stephen.

The Spartans now await the NCAA Selection Show on Monday, March 25 at 12 p.m. for their regional location. Arkansas, Florida, Michigan, and California will host this year’s regional meets from April 4–7.

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