Artz Named AAI Award Finalist
3/23/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
March 23, 2017
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan women's gymnastics senior Nicole Artz has been named one of seven finalists for the prestigious AAI Award as announced by American Athletic.
The AAI Award is considered to be the Heisman Trophy of gymnastics, given annually to the nation's top senior women's gymnast. Artz joins Chayse Capps of Oklahoma, Madeline Gardiner of Oregon State, Ashleigh Gnat of LSU, Kaytianna McMillan of Oregon State, Christine Peng-Peng Lee of UCLA and Baely Rowe of Utah as finalists.
In the 26-year history of the award, two Michigan gymnasts have received the AAI Award. Kylee Botterman was the most recent in 2011, and Beth Wymer claimed the honor in 1995. Only six schools have two or more winners, including Michigan, Utah, UCLA, Georgia, Oregon State and Nebraska.
In 2017, Artz was named the Big Ten Gymnast of the Year, led U-M to its fourth straight Big Ten championship and third regular-season title, was named first team All-Big Ten, won the all-around title at the Big Ten Championships (39.500) and made the All-Big Ten Championships team. She was a three-time Big Ten Gymnast of the Week and once was Big Ten Event Specialist of the Week.
This year she has won 12 event titles to go with five all-around wins. She ranks eighth nationally on floor, tied for 13th in the all-around and tied for 23rd on bars.
A senior captain, Artz is a model student-athlete. She is majoring in elementary education and language arts and has been student teaching at a third-grade class in Ann Arbor during the season. She was named Academic All-Big Ten for the third straight year.
In her free time, Artz spends her Thursday nights visiting C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. She has also been instrumental in organizing Michigan's Flip for Chip meet to raise awareness for pancreatic cancer research.
The recipient of the AAI Award will be announced during the NCAA Championships reception next month in St. Louis, Missouri.
