A Big Ten matchup takes center stage tonight as two teams with relatively quiet starts to the season look to make a statement. Michigan State enters as the favorite on paper, but Iowa has a legitimate opportunity to challenge on its home floor.
The Spartans opened their season at the Sprouts Collegiate Quad, where uncharacteristic struggles left them in third place with a 196.225. Early-season jitters showed from veterans such as Nikki Smith and Sage Kellerman, issues that should be smoothed out by tonight. Michigan State’s highlight—and best storyline—came from junior Isabella Trostel, who posted a 9.925 on beam in her collegiate debut after missing her first two seasons due to injury. Trostel is a dark horse to watch as the season unfolds.
Iowa built momentum last weekend at the Border Battle quad, improving on its shaky week one showing with a 196.000 victory. Confident all-around performances from JerQuavia Henderson, Sydney Turner, and Aurélie Tran led the charge. Bars, historically a trouble spot for the Hawkeyes, turned into their highest-scoring event of the meet, totaling a 49.275 behind a 9.90 from freshman Daisy Bowles. If that trend continues, Iowa could be poised to surprise once again tonight.
The meet will be streamed on B1G+ and scores can be found on StatBroadcast. Not a B1G+ subscriber? Sign up today for the monthly pass with the code COLLEGEGYM3 for just $10.99/month (regularly $12.99/month).
Rotation 1: Iowa VT, Michigan State UB
Chambers (Iowa): Starts things off with a Yurchenko full, off center with a small step. 9.775
Howard (MSU): Church to overshoot with some leg form. Blind full to sky-high double tuck, chest down but stuck. 9.775
Castillo (Iowa): Yurchenko full, could use more distance, lands with a hop back but nice chest position. 9.800
Tucker (MSU): Toe on, Maloney, bail – very clean. Toe on front pike half dismount is high and stuck! 9.800
Tran (Iowa): Great flare out of her Yurchenko full, chest down but sticks it. Lots of sticky feet from both teams so far tonight! 9.875
Cosman (MSU): Toe on, Maloney, Pak with really nice toepoint throughout. Blind full is a touch late, double tuck dismount is stuck. 9.775
Scoring is broken on StatBroadcast, in the arena, and for the commentators. Amazing.
Turner (Iowa): Yurchenko 1/5 with some bent knees and a small hop forward. Nice to see some 10.0 start value vaults for the Hawkeyes. 9.850
Smith (MSU): Toe on, Maloney, Pak – hits her feet on the mat and has to let go. Gets back on after chalking up to finish with a perfectly stuck double layout. 9.225
Schriever (Iowa): Yurchenko full on pike off, nice in the air and lands with a hop in place. 9.825
Zsarmani (MSU): She’s been absent from lineups so far, so it’s a relief to see her back in lineups – albeit with a back wrap/brace. Toe on, Maloney, Pak – clean and dynamic. I didn’t realise how many MSU routines were the same. Goes over on her high bar cast and falls – the Spartans will have to count a fall. Finishes with a stuck double layout – landings are definitely not a problem for this team. 9.325
Henderson (Iowa): High Yurchenko 1.5 with a small hop forward. Really nice anchor to a solid vault lineup. 9.850 – I definitely thought that would go higher than Turner.
Kellerman (MSU): Blind change to nice Jaeger. Clean Pak. High double layout with yet another stick. That’ll soften the blow of the falls, but it’ll still be a rotation to forget. 9.850
Ex – DePaola (Iowa): YFull with a step back. 9.700
Ex – Abney (MSU): I saw her dismount, a double tuck with a hop forward.
Ex – Karenbauer (Iowa): Nice YFull with a little hop and a big celebration.
AFTER ONE: Iowa 49.200, Michigan State 48.975
Iowa started things off with a really solid vault rotation. Those three 10.0 SV vaults help, but Tran’s Yurchenko full was the real showstopper. It was a rougher start to the meet for Michigan State, with two falls on what is typically a strong event. The Spartans head to vault, which is also a strong event for them, and where they’ll try to make up some ground early on.
Rotation 2: Michigan State VT, Iowa UB
Zsarmani (MSU): Just a Yurchenko full from her but it’s high, clean, and just a hop back on landing. 9.825
Henderson (Iowa): Toe on, Maloney, Bail with some leg separation. Gets great distance on her full in dismount and sticks. 9.800
Tucker (MSU): Yurchenko 1.5, looked a little underrotated and took a step forward/across. 9.825
Masella (Iowa): Blind change, Jaegar, overshoot – some bent legs and arms on the catches. Really nice handstand on the high bar, and a double layout with a step back. 9.800
Marquart (MSU): Yurchenko 1.5, doesn’t get much height off the table and underrotates, steps backwards and outside the lines. Michigan State seems a bit tight or nervous tonight. 9.550
Bowles (Iowa): Sky-high Ray to a nice bail. Perfect handstand on the high bar. Blind full is late, connected to a full in dismount with a very college “stick”. 9.800
Duplissis (MSU): Y1.5 is basically identical to Marquart’s, very little height and underrotated with a step back. 9.700 – maybe it was cleaner than Marquart’s in the air?
Schriever (Iowa): Maloney to Pak, really dynamic with excellent toe point. Nice van Leeuwen. Toe on front pike half gets great distance and is stuck. 9.800
Smith (MSU): Good height on her 1.5, does the opposite of her teammates and takes a step forward – which is definitely better. 9.825
Turner (Iowa): Toe on, Maloney, Pak – gets too close on the Pak and gets stuck, has to re cast. Lets go too early on the double layout dismount and gets very little height, falls forward to her knees. They’ll want to drop that score. 8.850
Kellerman (MSU): She fell here last week, but no problems today – handspring front pike half with excellent height, lands with good chest position and a hop back. A great way to finish a not-great rotation. 9.850
Tran (Iowa): Maloney to Pak with excellent form. Really nice handstand before a clean van Leeuwen. Nails the double layout. Going up after a fall didn’t faze her one bit. 9.925
Trostel did a vault exhibition for Michigan State but it wasn’t shown for a 9.725
Ex – Misenheimer (MSU): Yfull with a hop back, nice chest up on the landing. 9.750
Ex – DePaola (Iowa): Pak with some foot form. High van Leeuwen with some leg separation. Clean, stuck full in to finish. 9.850
AFTER TWO: Iowa 98.325, Michigan State 97.550
Just where everybody predicted this meet would be at the halfway point…right? Michigan State got off to a rough start and just hasn’t been able to bounce back. 49.025 isn’t a bad score, but it’s not what the Spartans are capable of on vault. They seem very tight, and those underrotated vaults had me a little worried. Hopefully they can work through it and put together a confidence-building floor rotation. Iowa, on the other hand, looks great. 49.125 is a very respectable bars total for this team. Let’s see if they can keep building on this as they head to beam.
Rotation 3: Iowa BB, Michigan State FX
Volpe (Iowa): BHS LOSO with soft knees and a little lean. Switch leap to straddle 1/4, splits look a little shy of 180. Cat leap to front aerial, solid. Round off to tuck 1.5 dismount, nicely done with a stick. A nice confident start. 9.800
Lebster (MSU): Rudi to LOSO, good height, foot adjustment on landing. Does a side aerial to straddle jump as part of her choreography which I adore. Front double full is really solid. Switch straddle 1/4 to straddle half, rotations are a bit off. 9.800
Henderson (Iowa): BHS LOSO, some soft knees but super solid. Switch leap definitely short of 180, straddle 1/4 looked good. Round off double twist dismount with great height, just a shuffle in place. 9.825
Cosman (MSU): 2.5 to punch front with very bent legs, stumbles forward on the front tuck. Switch leap through to split full is such an elite gymnast dance series – but she does it well. 1.5 to front full with leg separation but a stuck landing. 9.775
Ball (Iowa): BHS LOSO with very nice form and a solid landing. Split jump with a wobble, split jump half with a wobble – she’ll lose her dance series and she didn’t do a replacement. BHS gainer full dismount with a stuck. 9.775 because who needs a dance series anyway.
Duplissis (MSU): Full in pike, good in the air but chest looks low on landing. Switch straddle 1/4 to straddle half, I have some questions about these jump rotations. 1.5 to front layout shown with the strangest overhead camera angle I have ever seen. It looked pretty alright from a bird’s eye view. 9.825
Tran (Iowa): Front aerial to BHS, connection is a touch slow but very pretty. Switch split to switch half to beat jump – there’s no questioning those split positions. Balance check on her full turn, ouch. Gainer pike with good distance and a stick. She is on fire tonight! 9.750
Ortiz (MSU): Opens with a high full in and a nicely controlled landing. Front tuck through to double tuck, really solid. Switch straddle 1/4 to straddle full, nicely done. Her tumbling looks great this season, so much height and control. 9.825
Turner (Iowa): Gainer BHS BHS LOSO with great toe point. Switch leap to split jump, great form and solid landings. BHS 1.5 dismount with a hop forward. Really nice form throughout that set. 9.825
Tucker (MSU): Rudi to LOSO with good height and distance. Switch half to straddle full with accurate split positions and great height. Front double full is underrotated and she has to step backwards. 9.750
Schriever (Iowa): BHS LOSO, solid. Front toss with a little wobble. Switch leap to switch leap with a little wobble, tries to connect to a split jump. BHS gainer full dismount, stuck. 9.800
Smith (MSU): Fantastic full in to start. It’s brilliant every time. Switch straddle quarter to straddle half, overrotated. Front tuck through to double tuck is stuck cold – wow! She’s put any early-meet jitters far behind her. 9.925 – the Spartans will be happy with that!
Ex – DePaola (Iowa): The beginning wasn’t shown. Switch leap to beat jump, nice form. Round off double twist dismount with some leg form, stuck. 9.825
Ex – Marquart (MSU): Sticks a full in cold to start. That’s a way to make a statement! Rudi to LOSO, not enough punch for the LOSO and is very low. Switch ring to split full is not totally convincing.
Cassie Lee did a beam exhibition for Iowa which wasn’t shown, but it’s good to know she’s healthy and doing full routines as we haven’t seen her compete yet this season. 9.850, which would have won the beam title tonight!
Ex – Chism (MSU): Front double full is pretty overcooked and steps OOB, but it looked good in the air. 1.5 to front layout, great height on the second salto.
AFTER THREE: Iowa 147.350, Michigan State 146.700
It could be a close one tonight – which I certainly didn’t expect coming into this meet, but it makes for a great show. Both teams had great third rotations, and Michigan State seems to be more in the zone now. A knockout beam rotation from the Spartans could hand them the win, but Iowa is a strong floor team that will be looking to show off in front of a home crowd.
Rotation 4: Michigan State BB, Iowa FX
Duplissis (MSU): BHS BHS LOSO, big wobble but holds on. Beat jump to split jump 3/4, underrotated with a wobble. Round off 1.5 dismount with a small step forward. 9.625 – not an ideal start to the final rotation.
Tran (Iowa): Rudi to LOSO with some soft knees. Switch ring half, nice split position. Front layout to front full, misses the punch and falls. Switch ring to split full is very clean. A rough start for both teams here – hits will be all the more important from here. 9.100
Abney (MSU): Opens with a slow and steady wolf turn. BHS LOSO with a slight adjustment. She’s taking her time and being careful. Switch leap to split leap with a lean. Side aerial to tuck 1.5 dismount, stuck with an arm wave. Not perfect, but should be a better score than Duplissis. 9.750
Turner (Iowa): Clean double wolf turn to start. Double pike with a stumble back – maybe this Iowa upset isn’t as iminent as I thought it was. Great height through her leap series. 1.5 to front layout is much better, very well controlled. 9.675, which will have to count.
Tucker (MSU): Cat leap to front aerial to BHS, very controlled and secure. Cat leap to side aerial with a leg up wobble. Sticks the gainer full dismount. 9.800
Schriever (Iowa): High double pike with a secure landing. Whip half to Rudi, nicely controlled. Switch half to wolf full to wolf full, excellent height. I really like this event from her, she’s been a great addition to this lineup this season. 9.825
Smith (MSU): Clean and solid BHS LOSO. Beat jump to straddle jump half looks good. Round off double tuck dismount, sky-high as always with a step back. 9.800
Castillo (Iowa): Double wolf turn, rolls out of it a little. Front tuck through to double pike, big lunge. Double tuck, front foot comes up on the landing. Switch straddle half to straddle jump to Shushunova, good height. I feel like the Hawkeyes are letting some details slip here and there and opening the door for Michigan State. 9.800
Trostel (MSU): She had a big moment in her debut last week. Balance check on her full turn. Switch leap to straddle jump is good. Onodi with a lean. BHS LOSO is solid with good form. BHS gainer full dismount with a stick. The Spartans are really coming back strong on beam, I think they might take the win. 9.800
Erb (Iowa): High double pike with a hop in place. Switch straddle half to straddle jump. 1.5 to front full, soft knees but good control. 9.850
Cosman (MSU): An important routine for her in the anchor position. Side aerial to BHS with some soft knees and a lean. Switch leap to Korbut, solid. Round off to 1.5 dismount with bent knees, but stuck. 9.825
Henderson (Iowa): She can produce a huge score here. Huge full in with a great landing to start. Switch straddle 1/4 to straddle full to straddle jump. Front tuck through to double tuck stuck COLD. What a way to cap off the meet! That was fantastic. Her comeback has been just phenomenal so far this season.
It’s going to come down to Henderson – MSU has the lead by .075 after Cosman’s beam.
It’s a 9.900 for Henderson and a win for Iowa!
FINAL: Iowa 196.400, Michigan State 195.675
What an exciting upset for the Hawkeyes, to beat a higher-ranked team in front of a home crowd. It wasn’t a perfect night, but there were lots of bright moments, and their scores have climbed every meet so far this season – 2026 looks promising for this team. Henderson’s comeback is going so well; I’m impressed by how quickly she’s become competition ready after two years away. Michigan State will not be so thrilled tonight, this being its lowest score since 2021. This was Zsarmani’s first meet back from injury, so we can expect her to look better and stronger as the season goes on. Cosman is a promising freshman, but needs some polish before bringing in higher scores. Smith came back wanting revenge after that bars fall and was the highlight of the Spartans’ roster in this meet.
VT: Tran (Iowa) – 9.875
UB: Tran (Iowa) – 9.925
BB: Henderson, Turner (Iowa), Cosman (MSU) – 9.825
FX: Smith (MSU) – 9.925
AA: Henderson (Iowa) – 39.375
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Live blog by Sophie Poirier
