Michigan State University teams delivered key results across the country this past week — highlighted by ranked tennis upsets, milestone wins in baseball and softball, and standout performances in track and golf.
As the semester enters its final stretch, Spartan athletes are making statements. Men’s and women’s tennis earned ranked wins ahead of rivalry weekend. Baseball rallied to claim its second Big Ten series of the season. Both golf teams maintained strong form with top-four finishes.
Meanwhile, track and field athletes recorded personal bests in multi-event competitions, showing promising signs ahead of the postseason. Whether at home or on the road, MSU’s spring teams are rounding into form when it matters most.
"We can feel when things are going in the right direction, and they certainly are right now," assistant AD for business development and NIL strategist Darien Harris said. "When you kind of feel that tide moving and the feeling around campus, around the office, among student-athletes, you kind of know when you’ve caught this pocket of really strong performances across the board."
Gymnastics
Following a strong performance in the NCAA Regional Final on April 5, Michigan State gymnastics earned major recognition this past week from the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA).
Gabrielle Stephen made program history as the first Spartan named WCGA Region One Gymnast of the Year. Head coach Mike Rowe earned Regional Coach of the Year for the third time, while associate head coach Nicole Jones and assistant coach Devin Wright were named Regional Assistant Coaches of the Year.
"That team is full of passion and energy" Harris said. "It’s great, you know, because as you’re talking to people in different sectors of athletics across the country, they’re taking notice."
The Spartans will compete in the NCAA Championship on April 17 in Fort Worth, Texas, facing LSU, UCLA and Utah in the semifinal round at 9 p.m.
Men’s tennis splits ranked West Coast battles
Michigan State men’s tennis earned a thrilling 4-3 upset over No. 26 USC on Friday, sealed by senior Max Sheldon’s clutch performance in a match that ended in his opponent’s retirement due to injury. It was MSU’s fourth-ranked upset of the season.
"We used to have a saying in football when I was here, that seniors have to have their best year in order for a team to be successful," Harris said. "So, I think across the board you’re going to see that."
The Spartans couldn’t complete the West Coast sweep, falling 4-1 to No. 30 UCLA on Sunday. Despite winning the doubles point, MSU lost four straight singles matches, ending its three-match win streak.
MSU now sits at 14-8 overall and 9-3 in Big Ten play, heading into its Senior Day match against in-state rival No. 21 Michigan on April 19.
Women’s tennis splits weekend matches against ranked opponents
Michigan State women’s tennis suffered a tough loss against No. 17 Washington, falling 4-0 on Saturday. The Spartans struggled early, dropping the doubles point and three consecutive singles matches to the highly ranked Huskies.
However, MSU rebounded on Sunday with a 4-3 victory over Oregon. In her final home match, senior Liisa Vehviläinen clinched the win in a thrilling three-set showdown at No. 1 singles.
With the split, MSU improved to 13-10 overall and 5-7 in Big Ten play, closing out its home season before facing rival Michigan next Saturday in Ann Arbor.
Baseball rallies to take series over Northwestern
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Michigan State baseball bounced back from a dramatic 11-10 extra-inning loss on Friday to win its weekend series over Northwestern, with dominant performances Saturday and Sunday in East Lansing.
On Saturday, the Spartans shut out the Wildcats 10-0 in a run-rule win behind Joseph Dzierwa’s seven scoreless innings and Parker Picot’s grand slam.
MSU followed up with a 3-1 victory on Sunday, clinching the series behind strong pitching from Nolan Higgins and Garrett Brewer, and clutch RBIs from Sam Busch and Ryan McKay.
With the series win, the Spartans improve to 19-15 overall and 6-9 in Big Ten play. They continue their homestand Tuesday against Western Michigan.
Women’s golf secures runner-up finish at Buckeye Invitational
Michigan State women’s golf capped its regular season with a strong second-place finish at the Buckeye Invitational, highlighted by a 3-under final round on Sunday — the best team score of the weekend.
Senior Brooke Biermann led the Spartans with a third-place finish at 2-under par, while juniors Taylor Kehoe and Paula Balanzategui also placed in the top 10. MSU climbed from third to second on the final day, finishing 13-over as a team, just behind host Ohio State.
MSU now shifts its focus to the Big Ten Championships, beginning April 18 in Maryland.
Men’s golf takes fourth at Tar Heel Intercollegiate
Michigan State men’s golf placed fourth out of 14 teams at the Tar Heel Intercollegiate, posting their best round of the weekend — a 2-over 282 — on Sunday. The Spartans finished 14-over-par 854, just one stroke behind third-place Kennesaw State.
Sophomore Lorenzo Pinili led the Spartans with a 10th-place finish at 1-over par. Junior Caleb Bond tied for 13th, and freshman Drew Miller shot back-to-back even-par rounds to tie for 29th.
MSU will wrap up regular-season play next weekend at the Boilermaker Intercollegiate.
Track and field sets new personal bests at Duke Invitational
Michigan State track and field athletes posted standout performances at the Duke Invitational on Thursday and Friday, highlighted by multiple personal bests in the decathlon and heptathlon.
Senior Dylan Terryberry set a career-high with a fifth-place finish, totaling 6,673 points. He excelled in the javelin (53.58m, first place), shot put (12.88m, fourth) and 1,500m (4:57.85, fourth).
Freshman Sean Mullen, in his first collegiate decathlon, finished eighth overall with 5,923 points and won the pole vault with a personal best of 4.65m.
Freshman Leila Barmore and graduate student Avery Budz both posted personal bests, placing 10th and 11th, respectively.
Barmore won the long jump (5.87m) and set a personal record in the high jump (1.63m). Budz placed third in the high jump (1.69m) and closed with a fourth-place finish in the 800m (2:22.50).
The Spartans return to action April 18–19 at the Virginia Invite in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Softball battles, drops series at Illinois
Michigan State softball dropped a tough series at Illinois, taking one of three games over the weekend. After falling 12-4 on Friday, the Spartans bounced back with a 7-5 win Saturday, highlighted by junior Sydney Doloszycki’s two home runs and five RBIs — a career-best performance. It was MSU’s first win at Illinois since 2008.
In Sunday’s rubber match, MSU led 4-2 entering the seventh inning before Illinois rallied with two late home runs to earn a 5-4 walk-off win.
MSU now sits at 13-22 overall and 3-10 in Big Ten play. The Spartans return home to host Notre Dame on Tuesday, April 15.
With Big Ten tournaments and postseason meets approaching, MSU’s spring teams appear to be peaking at the right time. From rising stars to veteran leadership, the Spartans continue to shine across the board.
"It’s not just about the sports that are deemed prominent by the masses," Harris said. "Every sport, to us, is prominent and important, and we want to make sure we continue to set that example, especially for the student-athletes because we want them to have a phenomenal experience."
Stay tuned as MSU enters a pivotal stretch, with championships looming and rivalries heating up.
