***NOTE: The meeting start time has been changed to 1:00 PM due to bad weather in the forecast. ***
YPSILANTI, Mich. – Michigan State Gymnastics travels to Ypsilanti, Michigan on Friday, March 3 for a three-way meet with Eastern Michigan and Long Island University. The action begins at 1:00 p.m. at the George Gervin GameAbove Center.
Live scores will be available on MSUSpartans.com. A live stream will not be available.
THE MATCHUP
MSU goes 9-2 (8-1 B1G) on Saturday after beating No. 24 Illinois 197,450-196,425 earlier this week on Monday, Feb. 27. With Monday’s win, MSU earned a share of the Big Ten regular-season title with Michigan, the Spartans’ first regular-season title in program history. The Spartans are ranked 13th in the Week 8 Road to Nationals rankings with a national qualifying score of 197,120.
Eastern Michigan (0-13, 0-5 MAC) has a 194,370 NQS and is suffering a 195,750-195,450 loss on Feb. 26 at Kent State. The Eagles’ 195,450 marked their highest team scoring of the season. EMU’s top all-around, junior Raisa Boris won the all-around and floor titles with 39,200 and 9,900 in the Eagles’ loss to Kent State. Boris records season highs of 9.825 (vault), 9.900 (bar), 9.825 (bar) and 9.000 (bottom).
Friday is the first of two matchups with LIU for the Spartans this weekend, who host Bowling Green and LIU in a tri-meet at Jenison Field House on Saturday. The Sharks (8-8-1, 0-5-1 EAGL) post an NQS of 195,140 and most recently finished second in a tri-meet with NC State and Temple on Feb. 26 with a score of 195,650. After starting the season with two scores in the 194,000s and a 192,875, LIU has over 195,000 scores in their last five games. Freshman Syd Morris is a two-time EAGL Rookie of the Week and broke the program’s all-around record with 39,300 in the Shark’s Tri-Meet with NC State and Temple.
MSU and EMU last met on March 7, 2020, with the Spartans claiming a 195.875-194.200 victory at Jenison Field House. Friday marks the first meeting between MSU and LIU as the Sharks are in their third year as an NCAA program.
LAST TIME-OUT
MSU’s 197,450 in Illinois tied their second-best team total this season. The Spartans won the Illinois team titles on vault (49,100), beam (49,350) and floor (49,550) and set a season-high 49,450 on beam.
Individual, second year Gabrielle Stephen and newbie Nicki Smith tied for the all-around title at 39.525 seconds. Stephen’s win marked her fourth straight all-around title. MSU has also won three individual event titles with Junior Delanie Harkness winning beam (9,925), Stephen winning vault (9,850), and Smith winning floor with 9,975. Smith’s floor score was the best score at the event in MSU history and was given a 10.0 by a judge.
Stephen and Smith were recognized for their accomplishments with Big Ten Weekly Awards on Wednesday, when Stephen received her first Big Ten Gymnast of the Week award and Smith her fourth Freshman of the Week award.
FRIDAY REUNIONS
Eastern Michigan head coach Katie Minasola and LIU head coach Randy Lane are both former Michigan State assistant coaches. Minasola (née Teft) served as an assistant from 2004 to 2011 while Lane was an assistant head coach from 2007 to 2011. Both Minasola and Lane coached current MSU head coach Nicole (Curler) Jones, who was a gymnast at MSU from 2007-2010.
NEXT
MSU will host Bowling Green and LIU on Sunday, March 5 at 1:00 p.m. at the Jenison Field House for the Breast Cancer Awareness Team’s annual Pink Meet. Fans wearing pink get free entry. Live scores will be available on MSUSpartans.com with streaming on B1G+.