We’re five weeks into the season, and it’s time for teams to start accelerating. Sitting comfortably inside the top 10, Michigan has opened 2026 far stronger than it did a year ago and will be chasing another 197-plus performance after posting a 197.225 at the Sprouts Quad. Graduate student Carly Bauman and sophomore Sophia Diaz have been the model of consistency, while Kayli Boozer’s 9.933 beam average remains a major scoring weapon. A Week 2 loss to Minnesota briefly slowed the momentum, but the Wolverines look increasingly polished and poised to challenge Michigan State.
The Spartans, meanwhile, are moving at a slightly slower clip following their breakthrough semifinal run in 2025. Michigan State has yet to crack 197, with minor errors and lingering injuries keeping scores below expectations. All-arounders Nikki Smith and MaKayla Tucker have both eclipsed 39.000, backed by reliable returners Sage Kellerman and Olivia Zsarmani. The pieces are there—the Spartans just need a full meet where everything clicks.
If both teams hit to their potential, this rivalry could come down to stuck landings and fine execution details, setting the stage for a tight, high-stakes showdown.
Tune in to the Big Ten Network at 4 p.m. ET, and live scores can be found on Virtius.
Rotation 1: Michigan VT, Michigan State UB
Davis (UMich): Yurchenko full, steady form throughout and a small hop back. 9.825
Howard (MSU): Church to bail, nice. Blind full to a high double tuck, slightly underrotated and hops forward. 9.775
Jordan (UMich): Yurchenko full, misses her hand but completes the twist. Lands on her hands and knees safely. 9.125
Tucker (MSU): Fluid Maloney to bail handstand, Toe on pike half, some leg form and a little movement backwards. 9.825
Guggino (UMich): Yurchenko 1.5, some knee form in the air, hop to the side. 9.900
Smith (MSU): Maloney to Pak, done well. Hitting all handstands, dynamic double layout dismount, pikes at the hips and an arm circle but holds her feet in place for a stick. 9.850
Boozer (UMich): Yurchenko full with good form, a little hop. 9.875
Cosman (MSU): Maloney Pak, switch kip, blind full to double tuck with a little bent arms, hops forward. 9.775
Diaz (UMich): Powerful Yurchenko 1.5, good distance and steps forward. 9.875
Zsarmani (MSU): Maloney to Pak, patient handstands, nice DLO with a little chest lean. 9.900
Ranger (UMich): Good Yurchenko 1.5, slightly forward on the table and a big of leg form. Steps forward similar to Diaz. 9.850
Kellerman (MSU): Holds first handstand, pretty Jaeger, bail handstand, really aggressive handstand on high bar, big DLO to an impeccable stick. 9.925
Ex- Sanger (UMich): Yurchenko full, done well.
Ex- Abney (MSU): Big Ray to bail, blind full ends in handstand to double tuck, good landing.
AFTER ONE: Michigan 49.325, Michigan State 49.275
A great start for both teams. Michigan State puts up their highest bars total so far this season, even with some imperfect landings. Both Zsarmani and Kellerman starting with 9.9+ routines sets the Spartans up for the momentum they need to excel in this meet. Meanwhile, the Wolverines also put up a season high vault score. While they had a few issues with landing details, the Wolverines form and power set them apart to lead after the first rotation.
Rotation 2: Michigan State VT, Michigan UB
Duplissis (MSU): Yurchenko 1.5, close to the table, underrotates and sits it down. 9.275
Jordan (UMich): Huge Jaeger, bail handstand, very aggresive handstands, blind full to double tuck, stuck! 9.925
Marquart (MSU): A pressure position for the freshman after a fall. Yurchenko 1.5, slightly low height, tiny controlled step forward to land. 9.850
Clapper (UMich): Piked Jaeger, I think she hit her heels? Continues with no break, bail, flighty DLO, a little shuffle of the feet. 9.650
Tucker (MSU): Yurchenko 1.5, feet are glued, big step forward. 9.850
Diaz (UMich): Maloney to bail handstand, some leg separation throughout, pretty DLO with a small hop. 9.800
Smith (MSU): Powerful Yurchenko 1.5, opens well but takes a small step back. 9.825
Lew (UMich): Piked Jaeger, Pak, pretty toe point, DLO dismount with a small movement. 9.850
Zsarmani (MSU): Big Yurchenko 1.5, excellent form, brings her feet together to mask a small hop back. 9.925
Parenti (UMich): Big Ray but catches a bit close, Pak, tight form in her giants, DLO and steps back. 9.750
Kellerman (MSU): Front handspring pike half, lands with nice chest height and sticks! 9.975
Bauman (UMich): Another big Jaeger, bail handstand, smooth swings to a high double front dismount with a shuffle-hop forward. 9.800
Ex- Misenheimer (MSU): Yurchenko full, a little soft on the table, steps forward.
Ex- Sanger (UMich): Piked Jaeger, leg sep, Pak to switch kip, good handstand, DLO, step back.
AFTER TWO: Michigan State 98.700 (49.425), Michigan 98.450 (49.125)
Michigan State moves in to the lead after posting another season high event score. Despite a fall at the front of the lineup, the Spartans were able to lock in and recover, highlighted by Sage Kellerman’s massive 9.975 to anchor. The Wolverines kept in step, with the highest score coming from Ava Jordan in the leadoff spot. Landings proved to be a challenge, where the Wolverines gave away precious tenths. Next, the Wolverines will head to beam, where they are currently ranked fifth in the nation.
Rotation 3: Michigan BB, Michigan State FX
Parenti (UMich): Full turn, BHS LOSO, a little hip check, nice 180 leaps, front aerial split jump, fluid connection, round-off 1.5 dismount to a stick! A great way to start off for the Wolverines. 9.825
Lebster (MSU): Expressive rock-and-roll-themed dance, FHS Rudi LOSO, good. Front double twist, excellent form and lunges forward. Precise switch side 1/2 to straddle jump. Looks like she went OOB on her first pass. 9.725
Walters (UMich): Isolated straddle jump, front toss to BHS series, no connectivity issues, leap to switch half maybe a slight break between, punch front full and another stick! 9.875
Cosman (MSU): RO 2.5 to punch front, good. Switch leap to switch full, precise turning. RO 1.5 to front full, double wolf turn to end. 9.800
Jordan (UMich): Side aerial to BHS series, nicely done. Beat jump to straddle half, front toss is solid. gainer pike dismount with the littlest hop backwards. 9.875
Duplissis (MSU): Full-in piked, controlled lunge out. Switch straddle to straddle 1/2, good positions, RO 1.5 to front lay, lots of forward momentum but stays in. 9.900
Bauman (UMich): BHS LOSO very solid, intentional movement in her dance, split to straddle half to sissone, side somi with amazingly straight legs, gainer piked dismount, a little shuffle in her feet. 9.900
Ortiz (MSU): FTDT, lots of power and an uncontrolled lunge, front through to double tuck, good height and landing position, switch side to straddle full, great leap positions. 9.900
Ranger (UMich): BHS LOSO LOSO, really well done. Swtich leap to pike jump, a solid front toss, RO double tuck dismount, steps backward. I love to see Ranger going for the difficult dismount! 9.750
Tucker (MSU): FHS Rudi to LOSO, tight twisting and floaty, FHS to double twist, incredibly controlled landing. Switch 1/2 to straddle full. 9.925
Boozer (UMich): Switch to switch split to straddle, all over 180, front aerial, steps forward out of it, smooth BHS LOSO, BHS gainer full to dismount, rises well and she sticks! (See cover photo) 9.900
Smith (MSU): Massive FTDT to open, controls the landing well. Switch side to straddle 1/2 nicely done, front through to double tuck, another good landing! 9.950
Ex- Davis (UMich): Solid BHS LOSO, side aerial, leap could extend more, BHS gainer full, step on the landing.
Ex- Misenheimer (MSU): FTDT, steps forward. RO 1.5 to front layout is good.
AFTER THREE: Michigan State 148.175 (49.475), Michigan 147.875 (49.425)
It seems like both teams have reached a flow state tonight. Counting only one score under a 9.900 on floor and posting another season-high event score, the Spartans find themselves on the right track to put up a massive score total. The Wolverines also put on a show for beam seeing matching 9.900’s from Bauman and Boozer. It’s a close one in Ann Arbor right now, and will come right down to the last rotation.
Rotation 4: Michigan State BB, Michigan FX
Abney (MSU): Steady double wolf turn, BHS LOSO, good landing. Switch leap to leap, small check there. Side aerial tucked 1.5 and sticks! Not giving away any tenths there. 9.850
Sanger (UMich): Double pike, powerful but lunges out well, switch half to two wolf jump fulls, slightly imprecise rotations on the jumps, RO to a fast 1.5 to front layout. 9.875
Tucker (MSU): Cat leap front aerial to BHS, steps back. Beat jump to split 3/4, cat leap to side aerial, controlled. Standing gainer full dismount, good height and stuck! 9.900
Walters (UMich): Front double twist absolutely stuck, steps on the line in the lunge. Switch half to straddle full, shows good flexibility there, RO 1.5 to front full, legs glued and another very controlled landing! 9.950
Zsarmani (MSU): Front toss to BHS, a big arm swing into the BHS, cat leap to switch side. RO floaty 1.5, chest goes forward but her feet stick. She continues the stick train for the Spartans! 9.900
Parenti (UMich): Double pike to open, lunges out. RO 1.5 to front full with good form, steps OOB. 9.775
Smith (MSU): BHS LOSO, hip break but holds on. Beat jump to straddle half, dismounts with a RO double tuck and holds on to the stick, wow. Another one! 9.850
Diaz (UMich): FHS double full, well done and dances out of it. Wolf turn, FHS Rudi, misses the punch but keeps her leg form and pulls the LOSO around. 9.825
Trostel (MSU): I love a causal ring kick. Switch leap, straddle jump. Onodi beat jump, a little slow connection but good. Aggressive BHS LOSO, lands well. BHS gainer full, technically sticks but her chest is down and toes are on releve. 9.850
Bauman (UMich): FHS double full, landing controlled well and dances out. Switch half to wolf jump x2, precise rotations. RO 1.5 to pretty front layout. 9.975
Cosman (MSU): Double wolf turn, side aerial BHS, some leg form, Switch leap under 180 connected to a swing down (Korbut), RO 1.5 to a stick! A death drop in celebration!! 9.850
Ranger (UMich): Huge double layout, lunges out well. Switch half to straddle full, good positioning, front layout through to double tuck, stuck COLD. So much energy from her teammates! 9.925
Ex- Misenheimer (MSU): Her third exhibition of the night. Front aerial, keeps a soft landing going to split jump, BHS LOSO very solid, split to straddle 1/4 is good. BHS gainer full, step back to land.
Ex- Davis (UMich): Front layout to Rudi. Switch half to wolf jump x2 (so many wolf jumps for the Wolverines!), a double pike to end, nicely controlled.
FINAL: Michigan State 197.525 (49.475), Michigan 197.425 (49.550)
VT: Sage Kellerman (MSU) – 9.975
UB: Ava Jordan (UMich), Sage Kellerman (MSU) – 9.925
BB: Kayli Boozer, Carly Bauman (UMich), MaKayla Tucker, Olivia Zsarmami (MSU) – 9.900
FX: Carly Bauman (UMich) – 9.975
AA: MaKayla Tucker (MSU) – 39.500
A four-way tie on beam is just one way to show how close meet this was. Michigan State was able to put together all the pieces at once to set a season high 197.525, reminding audiences that the Spartans are still the same team they were last season. Though edged out of a win today, the Wolverines also walk away with a season high team score at 197.425. Tonight it truly it came down to the details, and with an excellent performance under their belt, each team will be able to move deeper into the season with confidence.
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Live blog by Frances Leadman
