For the first time ever, Michigan State's gymnastics team has been named the preseason Big Ten favorite. The Spartans are coming off of a season where it won both the Big Ten Championship and advanced to the NCAA Regional Final.
Full statement from the athletic department:
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State gymnastics claimed the top spot in the 2025 Big Ten Preseason Coaches' Poll, as announced by the league Tuesday. Senior Skyla Schulte and junior Nikki Smith were named Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch.
MSU earns its first-ever No. 1 ranking in the preseason poll, which began in the 2010 season. It tops the Spartans' previous high of No. 2 from 2023 and 2024. Conference newcomer UCLA was picked to finish second, while Michigan was selected third and Ohio State and Minnesota were selected fourth and fifth, respectively.
The Spartans, who won their second-straight regular season championship and first Big Ten Championship title in 2024, return all but one routine from last season's team that advanced to the NCAA Gainesville Regional Final and eclipsed the 198.000 team score mark on two occasions. A program-record seven Spartans were named All-Big Ten.
Schulte enters her senior season as the reigning Big Ten all-around champion. Last season, she advanced to the NCAA Championships on floor and became MSU's first two-time NCAA All-American. The Bolingbrook, Illinois, native holds career-high scores of 9.925 (vault), 9.950 (bars), 9.950 (beam), 9.975 (floor) and 39.675 in the all-around and is a three-time First Team All-Big Ten selection.
Smith, MSU's all-around record holder (39.775), is a two-time First Team All-Big Ten honoree and 2024 WCGA Regular Season All-American on vault. She qualified for the NCAA Championships on beam last season and earned a share of the NCAA Gainesville Regional all-around title. The West Bloomfield, Michigan native has scored a 10.000 on both vault and floor during her career and holds career highs of 9.975 on bars and 9.950 on beam.
MSU opens the season on Saturday, Jan. 4 in a dual meet at 4 p.m. against Western Michigan at Jenison Field House.
Full statement from the athletic department:
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State gymnastics claimed the top spot in the 2025 Big Ten Preseason Coaches' Poll, as announced by the league Tuesday. Senior Skyla Schulte and junior Nikki Smith were named Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch.
MSU earns its first-ever No. 1 ranking in the preseason poll, which began in the 2010 season. It tops the Spartans' previous high of No. 2 from 2023 and 2024. Conference newcomer UCLA was picked to finish second, while Michigan was selected third and Ohio State and Minnesota were selected fourth and fifth, respectively.
The Spartans, who won their second-straight regular season championship and first Big Ten Championship title in 2024, return all but one routine from last season's team that advanced to the NCAA Gainesville Regional Final and eclipsed the 198.000 team score mark on two occasions. A program-record seven Spartans were named All-Big Ten.
Schulte enters her senior season as the reigning Big Ten all-around champion. Last season, she advanced to the NCAA Championships on floor and became MSU's first two-time NCAA All-American. The Bolingbrook, Illinois, native holds career-high scores of 9.925 (vault), 9.950 (bars), 9.950 (beam), 9.975 (floor) and 39.675 in the all-around and is a three-time First Team All-Big Ten selection.
Smith, MSU's all-around record holder (39.775), is a two-time First Team All-Big Ten honoree and 2024 WCGA Regular Season All-American on vault. She qualified for the NCAA Championships on beam last season and earned a share of the NCAA Gainesville Regional all-around title. The West Bloomfield, Michigan native has scored a 10.000 on both vault and floor during her career and holds career highs of 9.975 on bars and 9.950 on beam.
MSU opens the season on Saturday, Jan. 4 in a dual meet at 4 p.m. against Western Michigan at Jenison Field House.
