Artz, Karas Share Team Most Valuable Performer Award
4/29/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
April 29, 2016
Award winners (from left) Olivia Karas, Emma McLean, Cailee Hills, Nichelle Christopherson, Nicole Artz, Talia Chiarelli
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's gymnastics team held its annual banquet Friday (April 29) at Weber's Inn with junior Nicole Artz and freshman Olivia Karas receiving co-Most Valuable Performer awards.
Artz, an elementary education and language arts major, had a fantastic junior season to share the team's Most Valuable Performer award. She finished the year as a second team All-American on floor exercise and won two Big Ten Conference titles. She ranked nationally in the top 10 in the all-around (T-10th), balance beam (T-7th) and floor (3rd) to earn regular-season All-America honors as well.
A junior team captain, Artz also earned the team's Leadership Award after showing toughness all year long battling through several leg injuries and stepping up to organize the Flip for Chip campaign throughout the year. The Scholar-Athlete Award also went to Artz, who led the team in the classroom as well, earning Academic All-Big Ten honors and the Bates/Deskins Award given to the top junior student-athlete at Michigan.
Karas shared the Most Valuable Performer award with Artz and was named the team's Newcomer of the Year. The rookie sensation from Chicago burst on to the scene as one of the top gymnasts in the country. She ended the year ranked among the top 10 nationally in the all-around (T-10th), vault (T-2nd) and floor (T-7th) to earn regular-season All-America honors. She was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and a record nine-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week honoree.
The Coaches Award went to freshman Emma McLean from Clarkston, Michigan. McLean was a hard worker and displayed a positive attitude for the Wolverines. She competed on vault and floor during the season.
For the second straight year, junior Talia Chiarelli was given the Unsung Hero Award. Chiarelli often does not get recognized because she does not compete in the all-around, but she was among the top gymnasts on vault, beam and floor, ranking in the top 40 on all three events. She won the NCAA Regional title on floor and was first team All-Big Ten.
The team's Most Improved award went to sophomore Nichelle Christopherson. After competing in just four meets as a freshman, Christopherson stepped into the uneven bars lineup all season and was a strong replacement on floor in the last five meets. She helped Michigan set a school record on bars with a 9.875 at the NCAA Regional and scored a 9.875 to kick-start a come-from-behind victory to win the Big Ten championship.
The team's spirit award was newly named the Albert "Chip" Freeman Hills Spirit Award in honor of the late Chip Hills, who passed away in November. The 2016 recipient is his daughter, Cailee Hills, a student assistant coach on the team who was a terrific classmate, hard worker and one of the team's biggest supporters throughout the 2016 season.
2015-16 Award Recipients
Most Valuable Performer: Nicole Artz, Olivia Karas
Newcomer of the Year: Olivia Karas
Coaches Award: Emma McLean
Unsung Hero: Talia Chiarelli
Most Improved: Nichelle Christopherson
Leadership Award: Nicole Artz
Scholar-Athlete Award: Nicole Artz
Albert "Chip" Freeman Hills Spirit Award: Cailee Hills
Communications Contact: Ben Blevins
Players Mentioned
