The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/629217
INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS MAIZE AND BLUE NOTEBOOK AWARDS TUMBLE TO WOMEN'S GYMNASTS Michigan's women's gymnastics team began 2016 by collecting Big Ten hardware for some outstanding individual performances. They at least shared all of the con- ference's weekly awards the first two weeks they were given out. On Jan. 11, the league announced that junior Nicole Artz earned Co-Big Ten Gymnast of the Week with Nebraska's Jennie Laeng. Artz played a key role in the Wolverines knocking off No. 9 Georgia Jan. 9, capturing the all-around title with a score of 39.450. Artz tied for first on bars (9.90), beam (9.875) and floor (9.95) on her way to the all-around distinction. Artz also earned Big Ten Gymnast of the Week one week earlier, the two distinc- tions giving her 10 of them over the course of her Michigan career. Event Specialist of the Week went to U-M junior Talia Chiarelli, her second con- secutive week earning the title. She scored 9.85 or better every time on her six routines this year through the Georgia match. Against the Bulldogs, she tied for first on the beam (9.875) and posted a 9.925 in the floor exercise. Meanwhile, Olivia Karas garnered Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors for the second straight week. She won the vault (9.90) and tied for the victory on floor exercise (9.95) against Georgia. DRAKE JOHNSON TO JOIN TRACK TEAM Redshirt junior running back Drake Johnson isn't slowing down with the end of the football season. He's joining Jerry Clayton's track and field squad as a hurdles specialist, immedi- ately available to compete. Clayton noted: "Drake was an outstanding hurdler in high school, and we are excited to welcome him to the team. We feel he can be a great addition, and we are thankful that Coach [Jim] Harbaugh and his staff are going to let him come out and be part of our program." Johnson didn't run far to reach Michigan Stadium coming out of high school. He's a grad of Pioneer High, which is across the street from The Big House, and anchored a national championship-winning shuttle hurdle team there as a junior. He rose to the No. 1 rank in the state of Michigan for the 55-meter hurdles, the 60-meter hurdles and the 110-meter hurdles through his final two high school seasons. He also became a three-time prep All-American in hurdles-related events. "It's a great opportunity to have an athlete of Drake's caliber, who was a legitimate dual-athlete coming out of high school," assistant coach Steven Rajewsky said. "He's had a great career thus far with the football program, and I think it's awesome that football is giving him the opportunity to explore his talents." JOHNSON