2016 Season Preview: Women's Gymnastics
12/16/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Dec. 16, 2015
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2016 OUTLOOK
The University of Michigan women's gymnastics team is coming off three straight seasons when they have won the Big Ten Championships or the Big Ten regular season. The Wolverines have held a conference title in eight of the last nine years and 21 of the past 24 seasons. In 2016, the coaches in the Big Ten picked Michigan No. 1 again. Three All-Americans return, including juniors Nicole Artz and Talia Chiarelli and sophomore Brianna Brown. Artz was a first team All-American in the all-around and balance beam last year, while Chiarelli also made the first team on beam as well as the floor exercise. Brown was a second team All-American in the all-around. Add in the return of sophomores India McPeak and Lauren Marinez, who missed last season due to injury, and two talented freshmen, Olivia Karas and Emma McLean, and Michigan has the pieces to make another run in the postseason.
STUDENT-ATHLETES TO WATCH
Nicole Artz -- This junior elementary education and language arts major has accomplished a lot in her first two seasons at U-M. A five-time NCAA All-American, NCAA Northeast Region Gymnast of the Year, Big Ten Freshman of the Year, three-time Big Ten champion, two-time NCAA Regional champion and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, Artz has added junior team captain to her list already this year. She has emerged as a leader both in the gym and amongst the team in all facets of campus life.
Talia Chiarelli -- Chiarelli had her breakout year in 2015, exploding as a sophomore to earn first team All-American honors on beam and floor. She tied for the Big Ten title on floor and earned first team All-Big Ten honors. She also earned the U-M Athletic Academic Achievement honor while studying towards her degree in sport management. Her performances across the board earned her teammate's respect and led to her being selected a junior team captain this season.
Brianna Brown -- In her second season at U-M, Brown looks to build on a very successful freshman campaign. She was Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Year as well as a second team All-American in the all-around. She lived up to the preseason Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch hype with the fifth-best scoring average on bars (9.894) in school history. She is enrolled in the school of kinesiology with thoughts of majoring in health and fitness.
Olivia Karas -- A freshman from Chicago, Karas put together a solid all-around performance to lead all competitors at an exhibition meet earlier this month. The performance further opened people's eyes on her potential as she was named to the Big Ten Preseason Gymnast to Watch list shortly thereafter. A three-time Junior Olympics National Championships qualifier, she adds a solid routine in all four events for the Wolverines.
Left: Nicole Artz // Right: Talia Chiarelli
KEY COMPETITION
Friday, March 4, vs. Utah
The final regular-season home meet against Utah on Friday, March 4, should be a high-level gymnastics meet. Michigan will honor its three seniors, Briley Casanova, Austin Sheppard and Lindsay Williams. The three seniors will try to lead the Wolverines against a talented Utah team that made the NCAA Super Six last year and returns five All-Americans. The meet will also be televised tape delay on BTN.
QUOTABLE
Head Coach Bev Plocki
On outlook for the team in 2016 ... "We are really excited to get the season underway. Opening the season in Cancun will be very exciting after a long fall of training. A lot of hard work has gone in to our preparation, and we feel good about where we are and what this season is going to bring."
2015 RECAP
The 2015 team finished just shy of the NCAA Super Six with a fourth-place finish in the NCAA Semifinals. The squad won the Big Ten Championships in Crisler Center for the 21st time with a score of 197.825. During the regular season, the team went 12-2 with the only two losses coming against teams that made the Super Six. Four individuals earned All-America honors. Along with the three returning All-Americans listed above, 2015 senior Sachi Sugiyama was a first team All-American on floor exercise. Brown became the 11th Wolverine to earn Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and head coach Bev Plocki earned her 11th Big Ten Coach of the Year award.
Players Mentioned
