Before April 17, the last time Michigan State gymnastics entered the NCAA Championships fight, Earvin “Magic” Johnson was still dazzling crowds in a Los Angeles Lakers jersey, carving his path to basketball greatness. That was 1988 — a different era. Over the next 37 years, Magic would go on to redefine what it meant to be a champion. From conquering the NBA to representing the U.S. on the legendary 1992 “Dream Team” to becoming a global symbol of resilience, he showed the world the power of belief and unshakable determination.

But while Magic soared, the Michigan State gymnastics program waited in the wings. They toiled. They grew. They gave Spartan Nation a few flashes of brilliance, moments of hope. And then, in 2025, after nearly four decades, they finally returned to the national stage — not just to show up, but to compete. On April 17, they stepped onto the floor of the NCAA Championships semifinals, ready to write their chapter of history. And Magic Johnson — a proud Lansing native whose collegiate dreams were first nurtured in Spartan green — was watching.

The connection was deep. This wasn’t just any team to him. This was his school. His Spartans. The Lady Spartans lit up the arena as the competition unfolded on Thursday night. After two rounds, they were in the lead. They believed. We believed. But sports can be cruel, and dreams of the championship round slipped out of reach by the final rotation. Michigan State finished with a proud score of 197.363 — but not enough to advance, as Utah and UCLA edged forward. Still, Magic saw what mattered most. 

Late Thursday night, he poured his heart out in a post on X (formerly Twitter): “I enjoyed watching the NCAA Gymnastics Championships! We were leading after two rounds, and I love how competitive my Michigan State Lady Spartans were all the way to the end.” The sting of falling short was in his words, but so was something deeper — respect.

“We didn’t qualify, but they gave it all that they had! I want to thank Head Coach Mike Rowe and every single gymnast that competed today — Amy Doyle, MaKayla Tucker, Gabrielle Stephen, Olivia Zsarmani, Delanie Harkness, and Sage Kellerman.” He made sure to name each one. That’s what legends do. They see the fighters. The dreamers. The ones who show up and leave everything on the floor, even when the world isn’t watching. Because for Magic, this was more than gymnastics.

This was about pride. About home. About a group of young women who brought the Michigan State name back to the NCAA Championships and carried it with fire, grace, and heart.  Speaking about fire, grace, and heart, on Thursday, Sage Kellerman dropped a stunning 9.950 in the vault event. In the bars event, she scored slightly less but a satisfying 9.9125. Amy Doyle scored a 9.825 on the bars event.

MaKayla Tucker dropped a 9.875 in the floor exercise event. In the end, the Spartans had something to cheer for. In Fort Worth, Sage Kellerman claimed 2nd position in the vault event, and Amy Doyle followed her in fourth position. On the other hand, Gabrielle Stephen claimed 3rd rank in the bars event in the national championship. So a day with some gems for the Spartans, right? But someone had predicted this before. 

The gymnastics legend supported the Spartans 

Raisman, a fierce competitor who knows the pressure of the world stage, couldn’t help but highlight just how close the Spartans came to flipping the script in the lead-up to the NCAA semifinal.

“Michigan State was only half a tenth behind LSU,” she emphasized, her voice rising with admiration. “That’s the tiniest margin — it’s literally the difference of a stuck landing or a small step on the beam.” Then came the moment that really hit home. “I actually spoke to their head coach, Mike Rowe, yesterday,” Raisman continued. “And I asked him, ‘What was it like to look up and see yourself only half a tenth behind the reigning national champions?’” 

She paused, smiling. “He didn’t even know! He looked up during the last rotation on the beam and saw just how close they were. That moment — that realization — it was raw, it was real, and it showed just how far this team has come.” In that one exchange, Raisman captured what so many fans were starting to see: Michigan State wasn’t just participating anymore. They were contending. Well, they did. But now, with voices like Magic Johnson congratulating them, the hope to reach a higher peak is only growing stronger.