Jan. 7, 2010

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Nicole Curler | Emily Lopatofsky

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State gymnastics squad will open up its 2010 season on Friday, Jan. 8, at 6 p.m. at Jenison Field House. The Spartans will host Penn State, West Virginia and Western Michigan in its lone quad meet of the season. MSU, tabbed as the fifth-ranked team in the Big Ten by the coaches early this winter, returns 12 members from a season ago and welcome three newcomers. The meet will also the mark the first of five home meets for the Green and White this coming season.

"We are really excited to get started with our season," said head coach Kathie Klages. "The girls are anxious to get on the competition floor and show what we have been working so hard all off-season for. "

The Spartans enter the 2010 campaign as the 24th-ranked team in the GymInfo preseason national poll as announced in November.

Leading the Spartans this season will be seniors Nicole Curler, Emily Lopatofsky, Kelly Moffitt and Rochelle Robinson.

MSU will rely on the leadership of Moffitt, as a three-year member of the team, as it propels forward this upcoming season.

Curler returns in 2010 after placing seventh in the all-around competition at the NCAA Central Regional Championships last season. She ended the year ranked 29th nationally and 10th in the region on the balance beam, while becoming a three-time All-Big Ten honoree.

Robinson, the first Spartan in program history to achieve a 10.0 mark, returns as MSU's other three-time All-Big Ten honoree. A year ago she tallied 10 top-three finishes, including six first place marks, and ended the 2009 campaign ranked 21st nationally and fifth in the region on the uneven bars.

Lopatofsky rounds out the senior class for MSU in 2010. She returns to action after rupturing her achilles towards the end of last season. She ranked 50th last season in the nation and 11th in the region on the floor exercise.

MSU's top returner on the balance beam is junior Kelsey Morley who finished the 2009 campaign ranked third in the nation and first in the region and the conference. She also earned her first career All-Big Ten honor, becoming the 29th different Spartan to be recognized by the conference. Morley also enters the season as one of the 2010 Big Ten Gymnasts To Watch, joining Curler on that list. Last year, she set a program record on balance beam with a 9.975 vs. Florida.

Penn State enters the season as the favorite to win the conference championship, as selected by the conference coaches. The Nittany Lions enter the season ranked 11th in the preseason nationalpoll. West Virginia comes in at 21st while Western Michigan is receiving votes outside the top-25.

During the match, the Spartans will honor Marcus Brown and his wife Chitra Pulliam as its Hometown Heroes for their work in the local community. Brown and Pulliam recently opened a neighborhood resource center, the Village Summit, for children in Lansing.

The Spartans will return to action for their second competition of the season they travel to Iowa City, Iowa on Friday, Jan. 15, for an 8 p.m. ET meet with the Hawkeyes.