MSU gymnastics' journey to NCAA Championships 'means everything'
EAST LANSING — Inside Michigan State’s gymnastics program, there is a sense that this is still just the beginning. And yet what the Spartans just accomplished was every bit a final frontier. Reaching this week’s NCAA Championships for the first time in 37 years had been in the making for a year or three or […]
EAST LANSING — Inside Michigan State’s gymnastics program, there is a sense that this is still just the beginning. And yet what the Spartans just accomplished was every bit a final frontier.
Reaching this week’s NCAA Championships for the first time in 37 years had been in the making for a year or three or five or several more, depending on how you look at the Spartans’ journey over the last decade.
It’s also a reminder that the rise of a program isn’t always linear or without frustration. Because, a year ago, after coming up just short of advancing beyond the NCAA regional finals for the third straight year, after tightening up for the first time under the weight of expectations, they had to reexamine their approach.
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Couch: Michigan State’s gymnastics program rises from the ashes
‘The elephant in the room’
When the Spartans left the regional final a year ago after a disappointing fourth-pace finish in Gainesville, Florida, MSU’s coaches knew an introspection was needed. For the first time in a big meet, they didn’t perform to their level.
“They didn’t realize how close they were until they got in it,” Rowe said. “They tightened up. They tightened up on every event where they were used to just being relaxed and confident.”
They also had a new behemoth to deal with in the Big Ten in UCLA, which features three-time Olympic medalist Jordan Chiles. The Bruins beat MSU narrowly in Los Angeles and then put up a record-breaking score at the Big Ten Championships, leaving the Spartans second in the conference both times.
Before a late-season meet in Alabama, MSU met as a team — gymnasts and coaches — and let it all out, everything they were feeling as they neared the postseason. They had been winning and performing well enough, but not as well they thought they could, especially on the balance beam, often a “make or break” event, as Jones described it, the event that had been their downfall at the regional a year earlier.
The whole season had been about dealing with “the elephant in the room,” Jones said, reaching the national championships.
“How do you eat an elephant one bite at a time?” Jones said, taking the metaphor in a different direction than even Tom Izzo does — he calls it “The white elephant in the room.” “It’s not focusing every single week, every single day on being at the national championships, but taking it one bite at a time, one person at a time, one day at a time, one routine at a time in here (at practice at Jenison Field House), one skill at a time, to really get to be able to eventually tear that elephant down.”
MSU began to do so at the Big Ten meet, scoring a 198.50, highlighted by perfection from senior Gabi Stephen on the beam — a 10.0. Her 10.0 vault in the NCAA regional semifinals helped to catapult the Spartans into the regional final.
“We know what we’re capable of,” Stephen said. “It’s just about putting it all together. And I think that’s what we’ve been doing as we’ve been getting into postseason, people are noticing it. We’re hitting the 198 marks, and just like being a lot more consistent with our gymnastics and aggressive and having a lot of fun.”
They hit 198 again in the regional final in State College — and performed so decisively that it didn’t come down to a pressure-packed performance on the beam.
“We knew that Arkansas and Kentucky (the other two teams along with LSU) did not have a full lineup of 10.0-start value vaults, and we do,” Jones said. “So we knew that was an event that we could pull away on, but we had to land. That’s the risk versus reward. We’re doing these harder vaults. It could be great, but if any of them are a little short, they could be on their butt. It could be bad. But we are ranked in the top four in the country on vault for a reason — because they continue to deliver in that event, and they did, breaking the vault record, and then going to bars and pulling away.”
“We really have worked on our landings and those little details that make the difference from who goes to nationals and who doesn’t,” MSU senior Skyla Schulte said. “We were just fearless out there, and we told each other, ‘No fear. No risk, no reward.’ That mentality really got us to that next step that maybe we were holding back on in the years past.”
‘Goosebumps’
MSU’s gymnasts weren’t the only ones feeling pressure this season. The coaches — Rowe, Jones and assistant Devin Wright — badly wanted this particular group to be the one that got over the hump at the Sweet 16 level.
They had done everything else — winning four Big Ten titles, three in the regular season and the 2024 championship meet — since 2022, when they first came within a whisker of reaching the eight-team NCAA Championships. They, with the help of several notable gymnasts from recent years — the likes of Lea Mitchell through Baleigh Garcia and others — had done so much to elevate the program. And for Harkness, Stephen, Schulte the other seniors, this was the last chance to take the last step together.
“They were so instrumental. They believed in us,” Jones, MSU’s recruiting coordinator, said of this senior group. “They trusted us. They bought into the vision. They they were all in for what we were selling, because the program hadn’t done anything at that point. It was just a vision. It was what we wanted to do, but we knew that they would have the talent to help us do it.
“Some of them, it was a little easier to get them — Skyla, she wasn’t going anywhere else because her parents bleed green, and you always say, you luck out with that one. There were some of them that fell into place. Those kids committing to us helped other kids follow suit to be able to be where we are now. Then we get like a Nikki Smith, a Sage Kellerman.”
Smith, Kellerman and fellow junior Olivia Zsarmani each earned regular season All-American honors. All three joined Schulte, Stephen and Harkness on All-Big Ten teams. Schulte and Stephen earned first-team all-conference honors for the fourth straight season.
“To see them compete so fearlessly (at the NCAA regional final), you stand back and it just gives you goosebumps,” Jones continued, “just watching them continue to do exactly what you knew that they were capable of.”
While this national championships appearance is a culmination, it also, they hope, is a new standard. They’re excited about the 2025 and 2026 recruited classes. The six freshmen slated to join the program next season are, before they’re done, expecting to compete in the new arena being built on campus to house gymnastics, volleyball and wrestling.
“We had renderings and everything,” Rowe said of the new facility, “but didn’t know what was going on behind the scenes, that was moving at lightning speed.
“Even back in 2018, (an) architectural firm was here, they were talking about renovating (Jenison Field House) and asking what we want. They said, ‘Do you think you can win a Big Ten championship with the facility you have now?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, we definitely can. But that’s not the question. I can’t recruit with this facility.’ ”
The packed house for their meet against Michigan at Breslin Center this January, Rowe believes, helped prove that MSU gymnastics had the community’s backing and deserved a new space for practice and meets on par with the teams they’re trying to beat.
Five-star recruits that wouldn’t return their calls years ago are calling back now. The prospect of a new building helps. But the winning does more.
“I think now going to the national championships, it’ll be different, too,” Jones said. “I think of like Arkansas, who beat us out last year to go to nationals, we lost some kids to them because they had just been at the national championships. And that’s where kids want to go.
“We also have kids that aren’t afraid to work, because they’re not all five-star recruits. They’re not all Skyla Schulte. Gabi Stephen was a three-star recruit, and now she’s here … scoring 10s in her senior year. Just a very overlooked athlete that turned out to be a gem.”
Jones, formerly Curler, knows what it’s like to be at the NCAA Championships — she went as individual in 2010 when she was a gymnast at MSU,
Same for Stephen, Schulte, Smith and Harkness, who’ve all made it as individuals. This is different.
“I’m just excited to have the whole team there,” Stephen said, “the energy, the size of the stadium, the arena, just every single experience, I know it’s going to be super duper special.”
The Spartans believe they have the goods to contend in Fort Worth, too. After all, they just nearly beat the defending champ in LSU and the pressure is now less.
“Getting here is the hard part,” Jones said. “Now whatever we do is kind of the cherry on top. We know that we can compete at the final day of the championships. We know that we could be on four on the floor. We are that talented. It just is going to come to the team that puts it together on that day.”
Contact Graham Couch at gcouch@lsj.com. Follow him on X @Graham_Couch and BlueSky @GrahamCouch.
Volleyball World announces the appointment of Ugo Valensi as CEO
Volleyball World’s new CEO, Ugo Valensi Volleyball World has appointed Ugo Valensi as its new chief executive officer, effective from 4 August 2025. Valensi brings with him a wealth of global experience in sports leadership, media innovation, and commercial strategy. His arrival comes at a pivotal moment as Volleyball World builds on the momentum provided […]
Volleyball World has appointed Ugo Valensi as its new chief executive officer, effective from 4 August 2025. Valensi brings with him a wealth of global experience in sports leadership, media innovation, and commercial strategy.
His arrival comes at a pivotal moment as Volleyball World builds on the momentum provided by the sport’s exposure at last year’s Summer Olympics in Paris. 800 million people worldwide now engage with volleyball in some form, and last year Volleyball World content had a combined 1.8 billion views across television and digital platforms, underscoring the sport’s growing global appeal.
VBTV, Volleyball World’s successful OTT platform, has experienced 55% year-on-year growth in paid subscribers. Over the course of the first three weeks of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League, watch time was 166% higher than in 2024.
Volleyball World’s award-winning social media platforms also continue to grow. Over 20 million people follow Volleyball World’s social channels, a 14% year-on-year growth. With China channels set to be relaunched, 2025 is expected to become the highest growth year for social media reach.
Valensi joins from Grand Slam Tennis, where as CEO he managed the partnership between the Grand Slams, overseeing strategic collaboration across the sport’s most iconic tournaments — the Australian Open, Roland-Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open.
During his tenure, he helped elevate Grand Slam Tennis’s global footprint, enhancing fan-centric storytelling, and unlocking new value for rights holders and partners. This included leading negotiations between the four Grand Slams, ATP and WTA Tours with Netflix for the groundbreaking Break Point documentary series – the first significant commercial project across the Grand Slams, ATP and WTA Tours. He also led the development of a unified governance framework, spearheaded cross-tournament commercial initiatives, and laid the groundwork for a shared digital and media strategy.
Prior to this, Valensi led the Sportfive agency, where he oversaw a successful turnaround and its sale to private equity. His experience managing global sports organisations and driving strategic transformation will be central to Volleyball World’s next phase of growth.
Valensi will start in his role just after the Women’s and Men’s Volleyball Nations League Finals and shortly before the Women’s Volleyball World Championship in Thailand (22 August to 7 September) and Men’s Volleyball World Championship in the Philippines (12 to 28 September) – the first time both championships have been held in Asia. The Beach Volleyball World Championships will take place in Adelaide, Australia, in November.
As Volleyball World looks to elevate the sport’s global appeal up to and beyond the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Valensi’s leadership will play a key role in expanding its reach and deepening fan engagement.
Valensi said: “I’m honoured to join Volleyball World at such an exciting moment in its journey. Since its launch in 2021, the organisation has redefined what’s possible for professional volleyball — blending sporting excellence with global entertainment appeal. With 800 million people engaging with volleyball worldwide, there is immense untapped potential. I look forward to working with Michael Payne, the team at Volleyball World, the FIVB, CVC Capital Partners and all our partners to expand our reach, deepen fan connections, and unlock the next wave of growth for this extraordinary sport.”
Michael Payne, chair of Volleyball World said: “We are very lucky to have secured Ugo as our new CEO. He brings a wealth of expertise in the sports business, from both the rights holder and agency side. Through his time at Grand Slam Tennis and as CEO of Sportfive, he has shown his undoubted commercial acumen. Having listened to him outline his vision for Volleyball World, I look forward to working with him at this exciting time for the organization and the sport of volleyball.”
Fabio Azevedo, president of FIVB said: “We are very excited to welcome Ugo Valensi to Volleyball World and the Global Volleyball Movement. His impressive leadership experience in the international sports industry make him the perfect person to lead Volleyball World in this next chapter. We are confident that Ugo, together with the strong team of professionals at Volleyball World and the FIVB, will help us take volleyball to new heights.”
India gearing up to host Asian Swimming Championships 2025
Indian swimmer Benediction Rohit is a top prospect ahead of the 2025 Asian Swimming Championships | Photo Credit: BISWARANJAN ROUT Entrusted with the responsibility of hosting the revival edition of the Asian championships in Ahmedabad in October after a nine-year gap, the Swimming Federation of India (SFI) is not only looking at showcasing its organisational […]
Indian swimmer Benediction Rohit is a top prospect ahead of the 2025 Asian Swimming Championships
| Photo Credit: BISWARANJAN ROUT
Entrusted with the responsibility of hosting the revival edition of the Asian championships in Ahmedabad in October after a nine-year gap, the Swimming Federation of India (SFI) is not only looking at showcasing its organisational ability but also backing its divers and water polo teams to achieve worthwhile results in the continental event.
Competing against top countries such as China, Japan and Korea at the newly built ‘world-class venue,’ India is pinning its hopes on its divers.
“There’s a reasonable expectation that we may have a medal in diving. We’ve sent our divers for a one-month training programme in Malaysia, where they can get a bit of informal judging. Their scores can be realistically projected. An Australian coach (Shannon Roy) is working with them, particularly in the men’s synchronised diving event, where we are targeting a medal. They were supposed to go to Australia for a competition, but couldn’t get visas. We are looking at other competitions,” SFI secretary Monal Chokshi told The Hindu.
“We are having a water polo camp (for 25 men and 25 women) from January in Bangalore. We will be selecting the best 14 and four reserves. We are planning to send them to an eastern European country for training in the last one month of preparation.
“We will bring back one of the coaches (Babovic Miodrag and Anderic Nemanja) who were working with our teams for the Asian Games preparation, but the teams were not cleared. This Asian Championship is also going to be the Asian Games qualifier, with the top six qualifying. After 1986, we have never played at the Asian Games. So we hope to break that jinx.”
The SFI expects good performances from four swimmers. “In terms of medals, we are very unsure. We have good prospects. Srihari (Nataraj), Benediction Rohit has performed exceptionally well. We have seen some great performances from Shoan Ganguly as well as Aryan Nehra. We’ll be holding the India camp for two months at the same venue,” said Chokshi.
DURHAM, N.C.— Duke women’s soccer is welcoming six newcomers to the pitch in 2025 as Kieran Hall takes over the reigns as the head coach of the Blue Devils. The six-member class is ranked No. 3 nationally by TopDrawerSoccer. The Blue Devils will spotlight each of the six newcomers ahead of preseason practice starting in […]
DURHAM, N.C.— Duke women’s soccer is welcoming six newcomers to the pitch in 2025 as Kieran Hall takes over the reigns as the head coach of the Blue Devils. The six-member class is ranked No. 3 nationally by TopDrawerSoccer.
The Blue Devils will spotlight each of the six newcomers ahead of preseason practice starting in late July.
Our second rookie is Kaylee Kim, a 5-4 forward from Belmont, Calif. Kim is listed as the No. 5 player from the Northern California and Hawaii regions. A 2024 NorCal All-League First Team (2023) and Second Team (2024, 2022) selection, Kim tallied 32 goals and nine assists as a freshman and sophomore at Carlmont High School. She also competes for Bay Area Surf club team.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils women’s soccer, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching “DukeWSOC”.
#GoDuke
GoDuke.com: What made you choose Duke?
Kaylee Kim: I chose Duke because of the strong sense of family and community that surrounded me from the start. The team demonstrated incredible support and loyalty to one another and the school as a whole made every student feel welcomed and valued. The coaches made me feel at home while also showing me that they’re committed to pushing me to reach my full potential.
GD: Tell us about your soccer game and what you hope to bring to Duke?
KK: I’m a hard worker who is always determined to chase after every ball, sacrifice for every tackle and leave everything on the field. I aim to bring that contagious energy to every practice and game!
GD: Favorite Duke player you grew up liking to watch?
KK: Michelle cooper
GD: Most excited for at Duke (soccer and not soccer)?
KK: I am most excited to be supported and guided by our amazing coaching staff and upperclassmen that I know will help me grow so much.
GD: What is a fun fact/skill/talent people may not know about you?
KK: Fun Fact: I don’t like kimchi!
GD: Who are your biggest inspirations on and off the pitch?
KK: My biggest inspiration on the pitch are my Bay Area surf teammates who never fail to support me and always want the best for me. They’ve taught me how a passionate and intense environment can truly feel like home. Off the field, my biggest inspiration is my parents, who have always demonstrated that hard work leads to success and that giving your best effort means living without regrets.
GD: What is your proudest moment on the soccer field so far?
KK: My proudest moment on the soccer field so far came during the final game of the season, which would decide the league champion. It had been a challenging season adjusting to a new team and environment. With the score tied 1-1 late in the second half, I managed to chase down the ball and score the winning goal, securing a 2-1 victory for Bay Area Surf and clinching the league title.
GD: At what age did you start playing soccer?
KK: I started playing at seven years old
GD: Did you play other sports growing up?
KK: Track, tennis, swimming, skiing and snowboarding
GD: I know it is early, but do you have any idea yet what you think you might want to major in?
FIU Beach Volleyball Coach Bids Farewell After two Seasons
Bautista Samperi | Sports Director Terri Del Conte will step down as head coach of the FIU beach volleyball team to focus on her family. After two seasons, the California native informed the team on Wednesday of her decision to leave the program. As reported by the FIU Athletics Department, Del Conte said, “My experience […]
Terri Del Conte will step down as head coach of the FIU beach volleyball team to focus on her family.
After two seasons, the California native informed the team on Wednesday of her decision to leave the program.
As reported by the FIU Athletics Department, Del Conte said, “My experience at FIU made this decision very hard. I loved working with Scott [Carr, Athletics Director], Julie [Berg, Deputy AD], FIU staff and, above all, the team. I have had many goals since graduating college that I put a pin in, and one of those is building a family.”
“That is my main focus over the next couple of years, along with serving my hometown community in every way I can,” Del Conte said. “After the passing of my father, it has put into perspective the importance of family, and it’s time to make that more of a priority. Thank you, Panther family, for all the love expressed over these last two years, they have been memorable!”
During her time at FIU, Del Conte coached five student-athletes to All-Conference USA honors, including 2025 CUSA Freshman of the Year Brianna Luoma.
Two athletes, Giada Bianchi and Reka Orsi Toth, earned AVCA All-American honors during her time at FIU.
“We are very appreciative of Terri’s time here at FIU and her service in not only leading, but growing, our beach volleyball program to be one of the best in the country,” said Director of Athletics Scott Carr. “Although we hoped she would continue as our head coach, we understand and respect her decision and desire to prioritize family and wish her the best.”
A national search for her replacement is now underway, with Del Conte set to assist the program throughout the transition.
Former MP Brendan Horan eyes Whakatāne council role in elections
“Whakatāne has the most qualified mayor in the world with Victor Luca,” he said. He expressed disappointment in not seeing greater support for him on the council, particularly in his advocacy for more affordable rates. “Affordability is vital, and we have to look to the future. There’s no reason Whakatāne District Council cannot create new […]
“Whakatāne has the most qualified mayor in the world with Victor Luca,” he said.
He expressed disappointment in not seeing greater support for him on the council, particularly in his advocacy for more affordable rates.
“Affordability is vital, and we have to look to the future. There’s no reason Whakatāne District Council cannot create new revenue streams. The solar project that Mayor Victor was an advocate for is the perfect example.”
He said he was strongly in support of Luca’s proposal for a second river crossing.
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“It’s critical infrastructure. Again, this is an area where councillors have dragged the chain. It’s a no-brainer, how important a second bridge is to Whakatāne for the safety of the residents.”
Though he had no plans to move home, Horan said it had always been his goal to return to Whakatāne one day.
“Whakatāne is a part of me. Apart from being born in Whakatāne, my children’s whenua is buried in Whakatāne.
“My love and responsibility and connection to Whakatāne is unbreakable.
“I’m there every second weekend anyway, particularly whenever the surf’s great.”
Horan said he had “no designs on being mayor”.
“But I do have strong designs to support our mayor to make Whakatāne a home for present and future generations.”
Horan attended St Joseph’s Catholic School and Whakatāne High School, and represented Whakatāne in sport during his youth, including in swimming, water polo and surf lifesaving.
He also represented New Zealand and Australia in water polo, was a New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Ironman champion and New Zealand outrigger canoe champion.
Horan went on to become a weather presenter for Television New Zealand between 2005 and 2007.
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In 2008, he contested the East Coast electorate as a New Zealand First candidate. He became a New Zealand First list MP in 2011.
After being expelled from New Zealand First, he remained in Parliament as an independent. In 2014 he formed his own party, the NZ Independent Coalition, which failed to win any seats.
He later returned to study and earned a post-graduate degree in dispute resolution from the University of Waikato, and now does a variety of work.
“I help a lot of people if they have problems with different government departments. A lot of it, the work’s altruistic because by the time they get to me they’ve already exhausted every legal avenue.
Horan said he has helped people with immigration problems and also did cultural report writing for the courts.
“But a lot of that work has dried up thanks to this government.
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“I also work with a travel operator taking targeted tours overseas. I’ve just come back from the United States. I get to travel a lot and keep an eye on what’s happening around the world.”
– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
LCU Athletics Partners with FanWord to Elevate Storytelling and Digital Engagement
Story Links
LUBBOCK, Texas (June 26, 2025) – Lubbock Christian University Athletics has announced a new strategic partnership with FanWord, one of the nation’s leading storytelling and technology companies in college athletics. The collaboration, which centers on FanWord’s content creation platform FanWord Assist, aims to strengthen the Chaparrals’ storytelling capabilities and amplify […]
LUBBOCK, Texas (June 26, 2025) – Lubbock Christian University Athletics has announced a new strategic partnership with FanWord, one of the nation’s leading storytelling and technology companies in college athletics. The collaboration, which centers on FanWord’s content creation platform FanWord Assist, aims to strengthen the Chaparrals’ storytelling capabilities and amplify the voices of LCU student-athletes, coaches, and alumni.
With a proud championship tradition and a commitment to academic and athletic excellence, LCU Athletics continues to seek forward-thinking tools to enhance its digital presence. The integration of FanWord Assist into the department’s communication efforts will enable LCU to streamline content production and deliver more consistent, impactful written stories.
“There are countless impactful stories to share at LCU,” said Chris Due, LCU’s Associate Athletic Director for Communications. “We’re excited to partner with FanWord to help us highlight the journeys of our student-athletes and coaches in a creative and forward-thinking way.”
FanWord Assist, already trusted by more than 100 institutions across the country, helps athletic departments produce a wide variety of content including game recaps, athlete bios, feature stories, and news releases. The addition of the platform will increase LCU’s capacity for timely storytelling while enhancing brand engagement and audience connection.
“Partnering with Lubbock Christian University is a major highlight for us,” said Chris Aumueller, CEO of FanWord. “They have an incredible athletic tradition and a clear passion for telling meaningful stories. Our goal is to help them bring those stories to life more easily and effectively, and we couldn’t be more excited to support their journey.”
The partnership underscores LCU’s commitment to innovation in college athletics and aligns with the department’s broader mission to promote and celebrate the achievements of its community—both on and off the field.
To learn more about FanWord and its storytelling tools, visit FanWord.com.
