The 2015 Michigan Wolverines are off to a very consistent and strong start in 2015.  The Wolverines are currently ranked No. 5 in the nation.  This group of talented young ladies is on their way to great success on their hunt for their first national championship.  Let’s take a closer look at this year’s Michigan Gymnastics Team.


Image Via- Gregory Long
 

Seniors

Brooke Parker

Brooke Parker joined the Michigan team as a junior in 2013 as she was a transfer from Alabama.  Since joining the Wolverines Parker hasn’t looked back and has been an energetic and powerful addition.  Parker has been a consistent competitor in the floor and vault lineups along with seeing time in the lineup on bars and beam.  Parker is currently a team captain for the 2015 Wolverines.  Watch Brooke on floor here. 

Sachi Sugiyama

Sachi Sugiyama is having her strongest season yet as a senior.  Sugiyama is continuing to set new career highs this season as she is back in the all-around.  She is a very consistent and powerful gymnast that shines on all four events for Michigan.  Sugiyama set a new career high this season in the all-around with a 39.55.  Sugiyama is the vault anchor as she competes a powerful yurchenko 1 1/2 with a career high of 9.95.  Sugiyama has really stepped up this season to be a vocal leader as well as a strong leader in the gym.  Watch Sachi on vault here. 

Annette Miele

Annette Miele is unfortunately sidelined again this season for the Wolverines with a back injury.  Miele was only able to compete two times last year due to her back injury as well.  Miele was a big contributor for the team as a sophomore and freshman.  She set career highs of 9.80 on vault, 9.85 on bars, 9.875 on beam, 9.80 on floor and 39.175 all-around.  Although sidelined for the past few seasons, Miele has been a big part of the Wolverines success.  She is a great cheerleader and motivation to the rest of the team.  Miele is currently a team captain for the 2015 Wolverines.  

Juniors

Briley Casanova

Briley Casanova has seen action in the beam lineup in all three seasons for the Wolverines.  This season Casanova has been placed in the lead off role on beam, where she has shown great consistency.   Casanova has also seen more action on the other events competing on vault and bars.  Casanova has a career high of 9.95 on beam coming in her sophomore season.  Casanova is a looking to continue improving to help the Wolverines to their first national championship.  Watch Briley’s impressive beam routine. 

Lindsay Williams

Lindsay Williams is one of the most improved gymnasts on this 2015 Michigan team.  Williams has received high praise from all coaches this year.  This season Williams has made a great impact in the bars, beam and floor lineups.  Williams has set a new career best this season on bars, beam and floor.  Watch Williams much improved bar routine. 

Austin Sheppard

Austin Sheppard is a dynamic performer that has been a spark for the Wolverines.  Sheppard was sidelined for the first few weeks this season, but is back and ready to make an impact on vault and bars.  Sheppard has provided this team with huge score as well as anchoring the lineups for the past two seasons.  Sheppard has a career high of 9.975 on vault and 9.925 on bars.  Look for Sheppard to really turn up the heat and help this team on the way to their first national championship.  Watch Sheppard's first routine back this season. 

Sophomores

Nicole Artz

Although only a sophomore Nicole Artz has had a huge impact on this team in her time at Michigan.  As a freshman Artz was a key contributor on three events, bars, beam and floor.  As a sophomore she has stepped up and been a consistent and impressive all-around competitor for the Wolverines.  Artz has spent time ranked No.1 on the floor with a career high 9.975.  Artz has taken on the role of an all-around this season very well, working hard to add vault.  She set a career high of 39.60 earlier this season.  Artz provides this Michigan team with consistency, power and high scores that will be needed on their hunt for their first title.  Watch Nicole’s impressive 9.975 floor routine. 

Talia Chiarelli

Talia Chiarelli is the other impressive sophomore for the Wolverines, who also has made a huge impact for this team.  Chiarelli has been a consistent and key contributor on vault, beam and floor.  Chiarelli is leading this team as the beam anchor and has a career high of 9.90.  In her time at Michigan Chiarelli has hit 24-25 beam routines.  She has been working very hard and seen great improvements on vault becoming a consistent performer in the lineup this year.  Look for Chiarelli’s consistency to lead this team to great success.  Watch Talia on beam this season.

Freshman

Brianna Brown

Brianna Brown is young but already a great impact gymnast for the 2015 Michigan Wolverines.  Brown has competed all-around in every meet this season for Michigan.  Brown has transitioned very nicely to college gymnasts and it is showing through her solid performances every week.  Brown has been named Big Ten Freshman of the Week three times already.  Brown has scored a 9.9 or higher on bars, beam and floor this season.  She has set on early career high of 39.45 all-around.  Look for this young gymnast to continue to improve and blossom to help the Wolverines success.  Watch her beautiful bar routine. 

Nichelle Christopherson

Nichelle Christopherson joined the team in December and has already fit in nicely.  Christopherson has competed in the bar lineup four times this season, which a high score of 9.825. Christopherson is from Lee’s Summit, MO where she trained at Fuzion Gymnastics (2014) and GAGE (2012-14).  Watch Nichelle on bars this season. 

Cailee Hills

Cailee Hills is another freshman this season for Michigan. Hills was a Level 10 gymnast who trained at Southeastern Gymnastics in Weddington, N.C. She was a three-time J.O. national qualifier and holds 20 event and all-around titles at the state, regional and national levels, including five North Carolina state championships and two Region 8 championships.

Ilana Gordon

Ilana Gordon was a Level 10 gymnast who trained at Airbourne Gymnastics in Santa Clara, Calif. In July 2009, she competed at the 18th Maccabi Games in Israel as part of the Junior National Team, winning a silver medal on vault and helping the team win a silver medal, as well. 

Lauren Marinez

Freshman Lauren Marinez unfortunately has suffered a leg injury that has kept her out of training and competition this season.  Look for Marinez to make a big impact for this team when she is healthy.  Marinez is a former international elite and current Level 10 gymnast who trained at Orlando Metro Gymnastics in Orlando, Fla. She was a two-time J.O. national qualifier and has also competed twice at both the VISA Championships (2010-11) and Nastia Liukin Cup (2011-12). She has two top-10 finishes on balance beam at the VISA Championships, taking fourth in 2011 and eighth in 2010. 

India McPeak

Freshman India McPeak has seen exhibition routines this season on floor.  McPeak is from Bangor, Northern Ireland where she was a member of Ireland and Northern Ireland National Teams. McPeak resented Northern Ireland at 2014 Commonwealth Games. She represented Ireland at the World Championships (2013) and 2014 European Championships. McPeak has had a lot of success in 2014 winning gold on balance beam and floor exercise at 2014 Irish National Championship, gold on balance beam and silver team medal at 2014 Commonwealth Invitational.

Michigan's Season Highs 

Vault- 49.325 

Bars- 49.475

Beam- 49.30

Floor- 49.525

Total- 197.30

 

Fun Facts – gymnastike recently talked to the team for their responses 

Who is the funniest girl on the team?  Talia Chiarelli

Who is the most organized on the team?  Nicole Artz

Who is the least organized on the team?  Ilana Gordon

Who is the clumsiest on the team? Brooke Parker and Scott Sherman

Who is the most outspoken on the team?  Nicole Artz and Annette Miele

Who is the biggest cheerleader on the team?  Brooke Parker

 

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