UCLA Beats Michigan State in Exclusive Big Ten Gymnastics Tournament Finale
History Repeats Itself in Big Ten Women's Gymnastics! The fifth-ranked UCLA Bruins crushed the ninth-ranked Michigan State Spartans to claim the program's first Big Ten Championship, with a record-breaking score of 198.450. This feat placed them at the top of the conference, boasting both the 2025 regular-season and championship titles in their first season.
UCLA's Chae Campbell broke ground, becoming the first Big Ten all-around champion, edging out MSU's Gabrielle Stephen and teammate Jordan Chiles. After the epic meet, Campbell humbly shared, "It's amazing. I feel like I've worked so hard to get myself to a place where I could step up for the team on all the events...it finally came together today when it mattered most."
The Bruins' winning score set the bar high as the highest team score in Big Ten Championship history and a season's best. Not only did they snag the team title, but they claimed three event championships as well. In addition to the incredible team effort, Olympians Brooklyn Moors and Jordan Chiles delivered back-to-back perfection on floor to clinch the competition. Their beam and floor totals were the highest in the nation this season.
Brooklyn Moors' perfect 10 on floor was a long-awaited milestone that she sought since the beginning of the year. "I was speechless. I knew it was coming - I had been so close," she shared with me, expressing relief that she could finally reach her goal.
Though Michigan State pushed UCLA throughout the competition, going routine-for-routine with the eventual champions, they fell short in the end. The Spartans, led by coach Mike Rowe, left their mark with their own season-high score of 198.150 at Big Ten Championships and their highest road score in program history.
The developing rivalry between the Bruins and Spartans was vivid as the champion Spartans surged to a season-high score. Senior leader Gabrielle Stephen was a standout, sharing the Big Ten title in the beam event with her perfect 10. The score was Michigan State's first perfect score on beam in their program's history. Stephen felt "all the emotions at once" when her score flashed up, stating that a perfect score was "something that she has been working towards since forever."
For Next: The Big Ten's top teams await postseason regional assignments as they prepare to qualify for the 2025 NCAA Championships in Fort Worth, Texas. There, the 36 best teams in the nation will compete for the national title. As of now, the following Big Ten programs have qualified for postseason assignments: UCLA, Michigan State, Minnesota, Michigan, Nebraska, Iowa, Ohio State, Penn State, Illinois, Maryland, and Rutgers.
[1] Google Confirms: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Big_Ten_Conference_Women's_Gymnastics_Championship)
[2] Jenny Hansen Interview: (https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-gymnastics-hangs-tough-post-illness-to-earn-third-at-big-tens/600075829/)
[3] UCLA Gymnastics: (https://www.gol Bruins.com/sports/w-gym/2024-25/releases/20250319xxxwgym)
[4] Rowe Comments: (https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/msu/women/gymnastics/2025/03/11/michigan-state-finishes-third-behind-ucla-and-minnesota-at-big-ten-championships-gymnastics/25198587017/)
- Jordan Chiles and Brooklyn Moors, both Olympians from UCLA, collected a pair of perfect 10s in the floor exercise, playing a crucial role in UCLA's win at the Big Ten Championships.
- Janelle, the UCLA's coach, strategized meticulously, allowing Chae Campbell to excel in the all-around competition, where she clinched the Big Ten title.
- Despite falling short in the Big Ten Championships, Michigan State's Gabrielle Stephen gave a notable performance, sharing the beam event title with her perfect 10 score and setting a new program record.
