The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1111798
MAY 2019 THE WOLVERINE 17 INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS Student-Athlete Of The Month Women's Gymnastics Junior Maddy Osman Wom e n's g ym n as ti c s j un io r Maddy Osman arrived at Michigan from Orlando, Fla., in the fall of 2016 with hopes of having a suc- cessful freshman season, both ath- letically and academically. Those aspirations went according to plan in the latter, but not in the former. Osman earned Scholastic All- America honors and won the U-M Freshman Academic Achievement Award in 2016-17, but saw her rookie campaign cut short mid- way through due to injury. After rehabbing all offseason, the injury bug bit the Floridian once again when she suffered a knee ailment right before the 2017-18 season kicked off. "I wound up missing my whole sophomore year," she recalled. "It's so hard just sitting there as a gymnast when you're used to being physically active — you feel like a part of you is missing. It was eye opening, though, because I realized this will all be over some- day, and I can't take any of it for granted. "The injuries actually made me stronger — I realized how much of a mental sport gymnastics is. I also learned more about my physical limitations and what my body is able to work through." Osman bounced back from her injuries in a big way this season, earning sec- ond-team All-America honors on the balance beam after scoring a 9.850 in the semifinals of the NCAA Championships April 19. "I rehabbed all summer and worked incredibly hard to get to where I am now," she explained. With only her senior season of gymnastics now left in her athletic career, Os- man noted she is already drawing up plans for her work career after graduation, and revealed she has a few family connections in her hometown of Orlando that could pay dividends. "I actually grew up in Orlando right next to Disney and know people who do event planning for them," she said. "I think my communications major would be really good for that. Because my mom has some connections with Disney, I could potentially start an internship program with their event planning team. "I had originally been a sports management major before I moved on to com- munications, and with so many pro teams in Florida, I think I could potentially put my knowledge in that area to good use. In fact, my dad also has a few con- nections with the Jacksonville Jaguars, so I could do something with them too if I wanted." Though she has her entire senior season to go in Ann Arbor, Osman admitted she can't help but think about how special it'll be once she finally has the Michi- gan degree in her hand. "It'll be indescribable," she exclaimed. "I'm already so proud of everything I've done during my two years here. "It'll prove that every long assignment and every paper I've written will have been worth it, because having a Michigan degree speaks volumes." — Austin Fox Osman posted a second-team All-America finish on the balance beam by tying for eighth with a 9.850 at the NCAA Championships. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY DID YOU KNOW... Your home address will be automatically changed to the mailing address on file with the US Postal Service? ALL addresses are cross-referenced with the USPS National Change of Address database. It can take up to 7 days for the USPS to update your address in their database? To prevent missed issues, please notify the US Postal Service ASAP. Your postal forwarding order expires in 60 days or less? Most forwarding requests expire in 60 days and DO NOT always include periodical mail. Issues are discarded at their discretion. You should call your local post office to verify your delivery address? Don't assume the post office knows your vacation or moving schedule. AVOID COSTLY DELAYS & REPLACEMENTS! Wolverine Customer Service: 1–800–421–7751 We are happy to assist, but due to privacy laws all postal address changes must be completed by you.