MSU women’s gymnastics hosted Big Ten opponent University of Illinois at Jenison Field House Friday. The meet was the team’s senior night and although the Spartans were edged by the Fighting Illini 196.300 to 195.575, the night was still special.
Senior Lisa Burt got a combined score of 38.525 for vault, beam, bars and floor. Senior Brittany Holmes scored a 38.325 overall via all four events, senior Nicola Deans received a combined 18.950 for her vault and her floor routine, graduate student Haley Sedgewick scored 19.375 on vault and beam and Ashley Noll scored an overall 18.725 on the beam and in her exhibition on the floor.
Kathie Klages, the head gymnastics coach at MSU, has been at the helm of the team for 26 seasons. While the night was special for everybody, Klages said keeping the emotion in check was important so the girls could focus on the meet.
“The one thing I keep trying to tell my team is, ‘Yes, this is senior night, but we got a lot of competition ahead of us yet,’” Klages said. “So we’re excited about building up on this competition and making sure we send those seniors out great at the end of this year.”
The seniors were all honored at the end of the meet with a highlight video and roses. Senior team managers and former competitors Kate Filosi and Kelsey Thomas were also honored in the video, as they left the team because of injuries. The video stirred emotion for the team members, families and others in attendance.
Senior Nicola Deans’ father, Gordon Deans, said the team has a family atmosphere extending past the sport itself.
“All the girls have been competing since they were very young,” Gordon Deans said. “A lot of the (parents) have seen them all grow up.”
Burt also spoke about the team being more than just a group of athletes during her four years.
“I know it sounds cliche and a lot of people say that about all their teams, but we really are (family-oriented),” Burt said. “They’re why I come to practice every day, why I get through my bad days and good — they make them better.”
The Spartans won the bars with a score of 49.225 and the floor with a score of 49.325. MSU lost beams and vault with scores of 48.300 and 48.725, respectively.
Burt was the only performer to have all four scores contributed to the final overall score.
“Lisa Burt is our star,” Klages said.
Burt’s season averages are 9.731 on vault, 9.854 on bars, 9.831 on beam and 9.342 on floor.
“I really love competing and being out here with the girls,” Burt said. “They bring out the best in what I can do and I think I bring out the best in what they can do.”
Deans’ season averages are 9.502 on vault, 9.563 on bars and 9.800 on beam. Holmes’ season averages are 9.763 on vault, 9.319 on bars, 9.635 on beam and 9.770 on floor. Noll’s season averages are 9.339 on beam and 9.653 on the floor. Sedgewick’s season average on vault is 9.620.
The Spartans will face the University of Wisconsin-Stout and Western Michigan University at Illinois State University at 3 p.m. on Feb. 28.
Following the ISU meet, the team will then travel to California to face the University of California-Berkeley at 10 p.m. on March 4. The team will then head to Boise State on March 6.
On March 12 the team will compete in the Big Five Meet held in Columbus, Ohio. The Big Ten Championships will follow on March 19 in Lincoln, Neb.
The NCAA regionals will begin on April 2 and NCAA nationals will begin on April 15.
