Brown, Zaziski Share Team MVP Honors
4/29/2018 4:35:00 PM | Women's Gymnastics
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's gymnastics team held its annual banquet on Sunday (April 29) at Weber's Inn in Ann Arbor, with seniors Brianna Brown and Paige Zaziski receiving Co-Most Valuable Performer Awards.
The team gathered together to celebrate a season that featured a fifth straight Big Ten Championship and fourth regular-season title in six years.
Brown, a general studies major, had a fantastic senior season to earn the team's Co-Most Valuable Performer award. The senior finished off her career with an 11th-place finish in the all-around at the first NCAA Semifinal session. She won her second Big Ten title on the uneven bars with a 9.950, and also won bars at the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional with the same score. Her 9.875 scoring average on bars is tied for the 10th best in school history and helped her become a finalist for the prestigious American Athletic, In. Award.
Also earning Most Valuable Performer was Zaziski, who led the team in scoring average on both vault and balance beam on her way to being named Big Ten Gymnast of the Year and National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches/Women Northeast Region Gymnast of the Year. A first team All-Big Ten selection, Zaziski ranked tied for 20th nationally in the all-around.
A senior team captain, Zaziski also earned the Scholar Athlete Award. Her work in the classroom helped her earn Academic All-Big Ten honors and a U-M Academic Achievement Award. She is working towards a degree in general studies.
Sophomore Lexi Funk had a tremendous season to earn two team awards. She received the Coaches Award for her hard work and positive attitude and was named Most Improved after earning first team All-Big Ten honors her second season. She ranked 42nd nationally in the all-around, scoring higher than a 39.000 in eight meets.
The Specialist Award goes to the individual who excels for the team, but does not compete on all four events. Junior Emma McLean and freshman Lauren Farley shared the honor in 2018. McLean was a second team NACGC/W Regular Season All-American on floor, posting the third highest scoring average in school history with a 9.918. Farley made her presence felt on beam, scoring a 9.900 or better on two occasions to pick up second team All-Big Ten honors.
Senior Lauren Marinez was given the Unsung Hero Award. She spent most of her career at Michigan competing on beam and won a Big Ten title her final season with a 9.900. Marinez also put in a lot of hard work during the offseason and contributed throughout the year on both bars and floor to garner second team All-Big Ten honors.
The Newcomer Award went to freshman Syd Townsend. Townsend competed on three events for U-M and won two event titles. She was a second team All-Big Ten choice after earning Freshman of the Week on Jan. 18. She scored a 9.900 or better on seven routines during the season.
The team's Chip Hills Spirit Award was awarded to junior Olivia Karas. After a great start to the season, Karas suffered a season-ending injury in the Maryland meet on Feb. 4. She maintained a positive attitude and became the team's biggest supporter for the remainder of the season.
2017-18 AWARD RECIPIENTS
Most Valuable Performer: Brianna Brown, Paige Zaziski
Newcomer of the Year: Syd Townsend
Coaches Award: Lexi Funk
Unsung Hero: Lauren Marinez
Most Improved: Lexi Funk
Specialist Award: Lauren Farley, Emma McLean
Scholar-Athlete Award: Paige Zaziski
Albert "Chip" Freeman Hills Spirit Award: Olivia Karas
Players Mentioned
