EAST LANSING— The No. 5 Michigan State gymnastics team is poised to make history in the highly anticipated showdown against No. 6 UCLA at the iconic Pauley Pavilion to mark the first-ever gymnastics event broadcast live on Fox.
The Spartans will begin their West Coast road trip with a 5-1 overall record and an impressive team average of 196.950. MSU extended its undefeated conference streak (2-0) with a decisive victory over No. 14 Ohio State last Friday. However, the meet this weekend will be crucial, as MSU and UCLA are the two teams atop the Big Ten standings.
During their trip to Columbus, the Spartans posted a season-high 49.50 on vault, tying for the second-highest vault score in the NCAA this season.
In its most recent outing, MSU captured at least a share of every event title for the first time in 2023. Junior Nikki Smith, (who finished second in the all-around,) soared to victory on vault, matching her season-best with a dazzling 9.950, while also co-championing the bars title with teammate Sage Kellerman. Both gymnasts earned 9.850 to share the top spot.
Senior Gabrielle Stephen earned her first all-around title of the season, finishing with a score of 39.375 after securing a 9.900 on both beam and floor. She claimed the beam title outright while sharing the floor title with senior teammate Skyla Schulte for Schulte’s second consecutive victory in the event.
Kellerman and Smith are both among the top ten gymnasts in the nation on vault, with Smith ranking No. 2 (9.919 average) and Kellerman sitting at No. 8 (9.888). Additionally, Kellerman is 15th on bars (9.881), while Schulte ranks eighth on floor (9.912).
In the all-around, two additional Spartans are ranked among the NCAA’s Top 25. Smith currently holds the No. 20 spot with an average score of 39.387, while junior Olivia Zsarmani follows closely at No. 25 with a 39.313 average.
As it prepares for Saturday’s high-stakes match-up, MSU ranks No. 4 nationally on vault, No. 6 on bars, No. 8 on beam, and No. 12 on floor, with performances across all events consistently surpassing the 49-point threshold.
However, MSU will face a formidable challenge from the Bruins, who rank second on floor, fifth on beam, 12th on vault, and 18th on bars nationally. UCLA has also notched victories in five straight matches after an 0-2 start.
Olympic gold medalist and junior Jordan Chiles, who had been absent at the start of the season to train for Paris, rejoined UCLA on Dec. 14. Since her return, Chiles has shined, ranking in the top 20 in four events. She currently sits No. 8 in both the all-around and floor events and No. 16 on vault and bars.
Senior Emma Malabuyo holds the No. 3 spot on beam for the Bruins, while graduate student and 2020 Canadian Olympian Brooklyn Moors ranks fourth on floor. Graduate student Frida Esparza sits at No. 11 on bars, and like Chiles, graduate student Chae Campbell is also ranked in the all-around, coming in at No. 17.
Saturday will mark the Spartans’ first visit to Westwood in nearly 15 years—since March 2010—and their first meeting with UCLA since their last encounter in 2019, before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. MSU is 0-6 against UCLA all-time, with an 0-3 record in Westwood.
Saturday’s clash between these two powerhouse programs promises to be a thrilling spectacle. With both teams eager to prove their strength, it’s shaping up to be a must-watch contest that will highlight the elite of collegiate gymnastics.
MSU and UCLA will face off at 5:30 p.m. and the meet will be broadcast on Fox.