Michigan
Big Ten Championships
Seniors Lead Michigan to Fifth Straight Big Ten Championship
3/24/2018 11:30:00 PM | Women's Gymnastics
» Michigan won its fifth straight Big Ten Championship and 24th in school history.
» Head coach Bev Plocki tied former Indiana men's swimming head coach Doc Counsilman for most titles in any sport in Big Ten history with 23.
» Seniors Brianna Brown (bars) and Lauren Marinez (beam) won Big Ten titles.
Site: Champaign, Ill. (State Farm Center)
Event: Big Ten Championship
Score: #7 Michigan 197.200 (1st of 10)
Records: Michigan (24-2-1, 8-1 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Monday, March 26 -- NCAA Selection Show (NCAA.com), 4 p.m.
• Zaziski Named Michigan's 12th Big Ten Gymnast of the Year
• Photo Gallery | Complete Results
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Michigan captured its fifth consecutive Big Ten Championship with a score of 197.200 on Saturday night (March 24) at the State Farm Center.
Big Ten Champions!!!!! 5 times in a row!!!! #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/S5jWbKG7KR
— Michigan Women's Gymnastics (@UMichWGym) March 25, 2018
The Big Ten Championship is the 24th in program history and 23rd under head coach Bev Plocki. With her 23rd title, Plocki moves into a tie with former Indiana men's swimming & diving head coach James "Doc" Counsilman (1957-90) for the most championships by any head coach in Big Ten history. Plocki has done it in 29 seasons, while Counsilman did it in 33 years.
The Wolverines have now won five straight championships for the fourth time in school history, matching streaks from 1992-97 (six), 1999-2005 (seven) and 2007-11 (five).
Michigan was led by its three seniors, Brianna Brown, Lauren Marinez and Paige Zaziski, who all were named to the All-Big Ten Championships Team. Brown captured a share of the uneven bars title, Marinez shared the title on balance beam and Zaziski finished second in the all-around as the senior class finished its career with four championships in four seasons.
The two individual championships give Michigan 93 in its program history. That is 55 more than the second most in the conference, 38, by Minnesota.
Entering the evening session, U-M knew it would at least need to beat a solid 196.950 put up by Nebraska to win the early session. Michigan could not have asked for a better start to the meet as they matched its season high with a 49.400 on uneven bars coming off a bye rotation.
Freshman Syd Townsend showed no nerves in her first championship event, leading off with an incredible 9.900 to set the tone. Zaziski matched Townsend's 9.900 for her fifth straight 9.900 or better on bars.
Then came Brown, the 2016 Big Ten champ on the event. Celebrating her 22nd birthday, Brown lit up the building like a birthday cake with a 9.950 to match her career high, the same score that gave her the title two years ago. It was good enough for her second title as she shared the win with two others in the meet.
What a Birthday for senior Brianna Brown, the 2018 Big Ten bars champion. #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/FqoXWHTbBO
— Michigan Women's Gymnastics (@UMichWGym) March 25, 2018
The Wolverines did not slow down any when they headed to balance beam, scoring a 49.325 as a team. Marinez followed a group of excellent routines from her teammates to end the rotation with an outstanding 9.900 and a tie for the win. It was her fourth 9.900 or better on the season. Freshman Lauren Farley guaranteed the Wolverines' five hit routines right before Marinez with a 9.875.
Senior Lauren Marinez helped her class go 4-for-4 winning Big Ten's with her beam title. #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/bYmx1M39Kv
— Michigan Women's Gymnastics (@UMichWGym) March 25, 2018
Floor was another impressive event for U-M as all six gymnasts scored 9.850 or better. The final two, Zaziski and junior Emma McLean, each scored a 9.900 to put Michigan in excellent position to take the crown. They would head to vault needing just a 48.85 to tie Nebraska.
U-M did just what they needed to do as their fifth vaulter, Zaziski, scored a 9.850 to seal the victory.
Zaziski finished with an all-around score of 39.500, her third 39.500 or better this season, to finish second in the all-around by .025. Brown was third overall in the all-around with a season-high 39.450.
After the meet Zaziski was named Co-Big Ten Gymnast of the Year along with Penn State's Briannah Tsang. Zaziski becomes Michigan's 12th Big Ten Gymnast of the Year recipient.
Michigan will receive news about which NCAA Regional it will be sent to during the NCAA Selection Show on Monday (March 26) at 4 p.m. on NCAA.com.
Players Mentioned
