Michigan
Big Ten Championships
Michigan Claims 22nd Big Ten Championship
3/19/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
» Michigan won its 22nd Big Ten championship, coming from behind in the final rotation to pass the host school Nebraska for the title.
» Brianna Brown (bars) and Nicole Artz (beam and floor) won individual Big Ten titles.
» Artz, Brown and Olivia Karas were named to the All-Big Ten Championships team.
Site: Lincoln, Neb. (Devaney Center)
Event: Big Ten Championships
U-M Team Standing: 1st Place of 10 Teams (197.125)
Records: U-M (20-6)
Next U-M Event: Monday, March 21 -- NCAA Selection Show (NCAA.com), 4 p.m.
LINCOLN, Neb. -- The No. 7-ranked University of Michigan women's gymnastics team claimed its 22nd Big Ten championship on Saturday (March 19), coming from behind in the final rotation to pass host school Nebraska for the title inside the Devaney Center.
The 22 titles are the most in Big Ten history, 17 more than any other school. Head coach Bev Plocki has led Michigan to 21 of those 22 championships.
"There is no feeling to describe this," said junior Nicole Artz. "We've been through a lot this year so we are very excited to win the Big Ten."
U-M knew exactly what it needed to do as Nebraska had finished its four rotations with a score of 196.900 and had a 49.225 lead on the Wolverines heading into the sixth and final rotation.
Michigan headed to floor, the event that has been the best for U-M all season long. The Wolverines had only scored less than a 49.225 once all season long. The confidence the Wolverines had built on floor paid dividends.
Competing for just the fourth time on floor, sophomore Nichelle Christopherson stepped on to the floor, head held high, and nailed her routine for a career-high 9.875. Senior Lindsay Williams, sophomore Brianna Brown and freshman Olivia Karas each followed with a 9.850. Then junior Talia Chiarelli clinched with a 9.900. As Chiarelli's score was posted the team knew it was enough to overtake Nebraska, and hugging, high fives and screams ensued from the team corral.
With the title in hand, Artz went out to have fun and matched her career high with a 9.975 to win the individual Big Ten floor title.
"I had no pressure and went out there to have fun for my team," said Artz.
Michigan started the meet off with a team score of 49.200 after the first rotation. Karas made a stunning Big Ten Championships debut with a stuck dismount off her eye-popping Yurchenko 1 1/2. Karas leaped into the arms of student assistant coach Cailee Hills as her teammates jumped up and down with joy in the team corral. Karas received a 9.925 score after her performance to finish in second place on vault.
Brown gave the Wolverines a big jolt in bars to help keep the squad in first place. Brown matched her career high with a 9.950, nailing her double layout dismount. Brown showed her emotion on the way back to the corral, stopping in front of her teammates and doing "the Dab." Her 9.950 tied for the Big Ten title, the first Big Ten title of her career.
Karas followed up her terrific vault with a 9.850 on bars to keep her great meet going as the Wolverines notched a 49.275 on the rotation.
Artz closed out beam in style. Her beam series and front toss beat jump was on point, and she stuck her dismount to nail down a 9.925 and tie for the Big Ten title. Artz has now won five individual titles in her career.
The score by Artz was big as Nebraska had just put together a bars score of 49.475 to take the overall lead. Michigan handled beam extremely well. Three gymnasts all had extended wait times while the judges conversed on scores. Williams had the longest wait but stayed calm and scored a very strong 9.875. Sophomore Lauren Marinez followed with a 9.725, and Chiarelli looked amazing during her 9.850.
After the meet was over Artz, Brown and Karas were all named to the Big Ten All-Championships team, while Karas was recognized as the Big Ten Rookie of the Year.
Michigan will await the NCAA Championships selection show this Monday (March 21) at 4 p.m. on NCAA.com to learn its postseason schedule.
Players Mentioned
