Four Sign NLIs to Join Michigan
11/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Nov. 12, 2015
From left: Maggie O'Hara, Lexi Funk, Maddy Osman, Polina Shchennikova
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan women's gymnastics head coach Bev Plocki announced on Thursday (Nov. 11) that four student-athletes have signed a National Letter of Intent to attend U-M.
The Class of 2020 includes Lexi Funk (Aurora, Ill./Oswego East H.S.), Maggie O'Hara (Lexington, S.C./River Bluff H.S.), Maddy Osman (Winter Park, Fla./Winter Park) and Polina Shchennikova (Evergreen, Colo./Colorado Connections Academy).
"We are super excited about this year's class," said Plocki. "They have had significant time to bond, and their chemistry coming in is fantastic. The four are all amazing in their own right, but they all complement each other very well. We proudly announced that these four ladies will be coming to Michigan next year."
ATHLETE INFORMATION
Lexi Funk
• Plans to enroll in the college of Literature, Science, and the Arts
• Competes for the Illinois Gymnastics Institute
• Five-time national qualifier, placing ninth in the all-around in 2015
• 2015 state champion in bars, beam, floor and all-around
• Region 5 All-Star in 2014
• National champion on the bars in 2014
• Won the state and regional championship on the beam in 2013 and 2014
Plocki on Funk
"Lexi is going to be a little dynamo. Here strengths are beam and bars. She is very solid on the other two events as well, but that is where her strengths lie."
Maggie O'Hara
• Recorded a 4.6 GPA in high school and was a junior marshal for top 20 in the class
• Will graduate high school in three years
• Competed for Southeastern Gymnastics from 2012-15
• Second place on bars and seventh in the all-around at the 2015 Junior Olympic Nationals
• Placed sixth in the all-around at the 2015 Nastia Liukin Cup
• Fifth-place finish on beam and 15th in the all-around at the 2014 Junior Olympic Nationals
• Three top-10 finishes at the 2013 Junior Olympic Nationals
• 2015 Region 8 all-around champion
• North Carolina all-around champion in 2014 and 2015
• Won the South Carolina all-around title in 2010 and 2012 while with Columbia Gymnastics Academy
Plocki on O'Hara
"All four in this class can do the all-around, but Maggie is probably the most balanced. She went to the Nastia meet last year and did very well there."
Maddy Osman
• Competed with Orlando Metro Gymnastics from 2012-15
• 2015 Nastia Liukin Cup qualifier
• Three years on the Region 8 Junior Olympics national team
• Four titles at the 2015 Florid State Championships
• Won the 2015 regional championship on bars, floor and the all-around
• Swept the 2014 Florida State Championships with five titles
• Won on vault, bars, floor and the all-around at the 2013 State Championships
• 2013 regional champion in the all-around
Plocki on Osman
"Maddy's best events are opposite of Lexi in that she is very good on vault and floor. She is very powerful, quick twitch and has a super-high energy. I think she is going to be very fun to watch and a fantastic collegiate athlete."
Polina Shchennikova
• Competed with TIGAR Gymnastics from 2011-15
• Two-time national team member
• Second place at the 2012 Nastia Liukin Cup in the all-around
• Competed at national competitions since 2010
• Parents, Alex and Katia Shchennikova, were gymnasts on the Soviet National Team
Plocki on Shchennikova
"Polina is absolutely a world-class athlete on uneven bars. She has been in the elite program most of her career. She is artistically beautiful and graceful as an athlete.
