Nicole Artz - A Maize and Blue Legacy

As she steps onto the floor for the first time in her senior year, a rush of adrenaline rushes through her. 4 years has gone by like 1 day, and in the blink of an eye, it will all be over. But in a way, it's just the start. The start of a new season. And on the smaller span of things, the start of a new routine. And that's the way you have to look at it, one step at a time. One breath at a time. The green flag is raised and a deep breath in is all it takes. Nicole Artz is now the captain of the Michigan Gymnastics team.

Full in, stick. Front layout front full, stick. Double pike stick. Perfect. But what's new? The floor exercise has always come easy to Nicole Artz. The floor is in a way, her home. She steps on to the blue carpeted springs, and a new chapter begins. She's not just going through the motions, she's putting on a Cirque De Soulei performance. Nicole even says that when she is on floor, she gets to relax a bit. But the work behind her floor routine has to be done before anything good can happen on the competition floor, let me take you behind the scene's and we will discover what make's Nicole Artz so good on floor.

Years and years of training and still, she uses the same choreographer she used when she was 8. Years and years of training and still, she performs to her music the same way she did 10 years ago. Years and years of training and still, she tumbles with the ease she always has. That's what makes her so good. After all these years of training and consistency, she's able to relax more now. She loves to see her team on the sidelines dancing along and it helps her perform here tumbling with ease and land cleanly. Catch Nicole Artz easing her way through her floor routine this Saturday @ 2 at Michigan State.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more! :)

Photo via The Michigan Daily.

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Feature of the Week: Nicole Artz, Perfect 10!

After a stunning performance in her final first home meet of the year, Nicole Artz proved to us that she's up to some good when she pulled off a perfect 10.0 in yesterday's meet against Illinois. The first meet this year for the big UM in the Crisler Center, and they sure proved to us what they're really worth. Take a look at our standout routine from the meet, obviously, Nicole Artz's floor:

Stunning. Nicole is now tied for the 2nd place ranking on her best event and we can't wait to see what she has in store for next week's meet against Nebraska which is once again, a home meet. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more!! :)

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Happy Holidays!! :)

Happy Holidays everyone! I hope you enjoy a nice holiday with family and friends! Don't forget to stay warm!! Thank you for your support this holiday season!! My gift to you is another throwback article, so here is an article I wrote over a year ago. Enjoy the cringe...

In Glasgow the representatives for team USA will be:

Simone Biles 
Gabby Douglas
Brenna Dowell
Madison Kocian
Maggie Nichols
Aly Raisman
MyKayla Skinner

Six of these athletes will be competing, one will be a traveling reserve. Non-traveling alternates are Bailie Key and Alyssa Baumann.


I am pretty happy with the representatives chosen. They are all very talented gymnasts, and I'm expecting to see very high scores from these girls.


- fan #1




I'm happy with the men's team. I hope they can medal even without Sam. Paul should help on high bar.

- fan #2


YAY! Brenna finally made the team!!!!! 😃 I've been waiting for this....

- fan #3



I wish Alyssa could be on the team with Madison. However, I'm sure the US can still do great even without Alyssa's beam work. Mykayla Skinner should also help on vault and floor. This is a great team that I'm sure will do great. I hope all of them can make some sort of individual finals. Good luck to them all!


- fan #4


All the athletes (men and women) work hard and are fantastic athletes.!

-fan #5





Thanks to all the fans who commented their ideas! :). 


If you would like to have your thoughts featured in the next "Fan's Thoughts" please comment below your ideas on the announcement of the worlds team. :)


Thank you all for reading and enjoy a nice rest of the holiday season with your family!! :)

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Cottbus World Cup Results

To follow up with my article from last week, I will be bringing to you another results article. Don't worry though, next week I will be writing more variety articles again! So, I present to you the results from the 2016 Cottbus World Cup held in Germany each year:

*via thegymter.net

Women’s Vault Final Results

Rank	Athlete	Nation	D	E	ND	Total	Average
1	Emily Little	Australia	5.8	8.966		14.766	14.299
			5.2	8.733	-0.1	13.833
2	Dorina Böczögö	Hungary	5.0	9.066		14.066	13.899
			4.6	9.133		13.733
3	Zsofia Kovacs	Hungary	5.0	9.233		14.233	13.866
			4.6	8.900		13.500
4	Pauline Tratz	Germany	5.0	9.133		14.133	13.783
			4.4	9.033		13.433
5	Angelina Kysla	Ukraine	5.0	8.833		13.833	13.716
			4.6	9.000		13.600
6	Valerija Grisane	Latvia	4.6	9.133		13.733	13.683
			4.6	9.033		13.633
7	Irina Sazonova	Iceland	5.0	8.866		13.866	13.049
			4.6	7.633		12.233
8	Sigridur Bergthorsdottir	Iceland	5.0	8.533	-0.3	13.233	12.916
			4.2	8.500	-0.1	12.600

Women’s Bars Final Results

Rank	Athlete	Nation	D	E	ND	Total
1	Zsofia Kovacs	Hungary	6.1	8.033		14.133
2	Dorina Böczögö	Hungary	5.0	8.233		13.233
3	Angelina Kysla	Ukraine	5.7	7.266		12.966
4	Leah Griesser	Germany	5.8	7.066		12.866
5	Ivana Kamnikar	Slovenia	4.9	6.733		11.633
6	Irina Sazonova	Iceland	5.1	5.500		10.600
7	Agnes Suto	Iceland	3.4	6.266		9.666

Men’s Floor Final Results

Rank	Athlete	Nation	D	E	ND	Total
1	Naoto Hayasaka	Japan	6.8	8.633		15.433
2	Rayderley Zapata	Spain	6.6	8.566		15.166
3	Rok Klavora	Slovenia	6.1	8.800		14.900
4	Ziga Silc	Slovenia	5.9	8.533		14.433
5	Igor Radivilov	Ukraine	6.1	8.300		14.400
6	Botond Kardos	Hungary	5.9	8.433		14.333
7	Lukasz Borkowski	Poland	5.6	8.366		13.966
	Andrej Korosteljev	Croatia	6.0	8.266	-0.3	13.966

Men’s Pommels Final Results

Rank	Athlete	Nation	D	E	ND	Total
1	Krisztian Berki	Hungary	6.7	9.066		15.766
2	Naoto Hayasaka	Japan	6.0	9.000		15.000
3	Robert Seligman	Croatia	6.0	8.833		14.833
4	Saso Bertoncelj	Slovenia	6.3	8.500		14.800
5	Dmitrijs Trefilovs	Latvia	6.0	8.433		14.433
6	Zoltan Kallai	Hungary	6.1	8.166		14.266
7	Juho Kanerva	Finland	5.9	7.866		13.766
8	Yusuke Saito	Japan	6.2	7.200		13.400

Men’s Rings Final Results

Rank	Athlete	Nation	D	E	ND	Total
1	Igor Radivilov	Ukraine	6.5	8.933		15.433
2	Yuya Kamoto	Japan	6.8	8.266		15.066
3	Nick Klessing	Germany	6.1	8.433		14.533
4	Rokas Guscinas	Lithuania	6.1	8.333		14.433
5	Nestor Abad	Spain	5.8	8.533		14.333
6	Yusuke Saito	Japan	5.8	8.300		14.100
7	Tomi Tuuha	Finland	5.7	7.833		13.533
8	Nils Dunkel	Germany	5.9	6.400		12.300

Women’s Vault Qualification Results

Rank	Athlete	Nation	D	E	ND	Total	Average
1	Emily Little	Australia	5.8	9.066		14.866	14.433 Q
			5.2	8.800		14.000
2	Dorina Boczogo	Hungary	5.0	8.966		13.966	13.766 Q
			4.6	8.966		13.566
3	Zsofia Kovacs	Hungary	5.0	9.000		14.000	13.750 Q
			4.6	8.900		13.500
4	Pauline Tratz	Germany	5.0	8.866		13.866	13.583 Q
			4.4	8.900		13.300
5	Irina Sazonova	Iceland	5.0	8.700		13.700	13.516 Q
			4.6	8.733		13.333
6	Sigridur Bergthorsdottir	Iceland	5.0	8.633		13.633	13.183 Q
			4.2	8.533		12.733
7	Valerija Grisane	Latvia	4.6	8.933		13.533	13.166 Q
			4.2	8.600		12.800
8	Angelina Kysla	Ukraine	5.0	8.833		13.833	12.999 Q
			4.6	7.566		12.166

Women’s Bars Qualification Results

Rank	Athlete	Nation	D	E	ND	Total
1	Zsofia Kovacs	Hungary	6.1	8.233		14.333 Q
2	Kim Janas	Germany	5.4	8.600		14.000 Q
3	Leah Griesser	Germany	5.8	7.866		13.666 Q
4	Dorina Boczogo	Hungary	5.0	7.766		12.766 Q
5	Ivana Kamnikar	Slovenia	4.9	7.733		12.633 Q
6	Irina Sazonova	Iceland	5.1	7.500		12.600 Q
7	Agnes Suto	Iceland	4.2	7.433		11.633 Q
8	Angelina Kysla	Ukraine	5.7	5.500		11.200 Q

Women’s Beam Qualification Results

Rank	Athlete	Nation	D	E	ND	Total
1	Zsofia Kovacs	Hungary	5.7	8.500		14.200 Q
2	Dorina Boczogo	Hungary	5.2	8.466		13.666 Q
3	Carina Kröll	Germany	5.1	8.100		13.200 Q
4	Leah Griesser	Germany	5.5	7.000		12.500 Q
5	Emily Little	Australia	5.3	6.500		11.800 Q
6	Angelina Kysla	Ukraine	5.4	6.300	-0.1	11.600 Q
7	Sigridur Bergthorsdottir	Iceland	4.8	6.533		11.333 Q
8	Valerija Grisane	Latvia	4.7	6.433		11.133 Q
9	Tinna Odinsdottir	Iceland	4.7	4.833		9.533

Women’s Floor Qualification Results

Rank	Athlete	Nation	D	E	ND	Total
1	Leah Griesser	Germany	5.3	8.300		13.600 Q
2	Carina Kröll	Germany	5.3	8.133		13.433 Q
3	Zsofia Kovacs	Hungary	5.5	7.933		13.433 Q
4	Angelina Kysla	Ukraine	5.2	7.866		13.066 Q
5	Dorina Boczogo	Hungary	5.5	7.833	-0.3	13.033 Q
6	Emily Little	Australia	5.5	7.066	-0.3	12.266 Q
7	Tinna Odinsdottir	Iceland	3.7	7.466		11.166 Q
8	Agnes Suto	Iceland	3.8	7.266	-0.1	10.966 Q

Men’s Floor Qualification Results

Rank	Athlete	Nation	D	E	ND	Total
1	Rayderley Zapata	Spain	6.6	8.800		15.400 Q
2	Naoto Hayasaka	Japan	6.8	8.466		15.266 Q
3	Rok Klavora	Slovenia	6.1	8.666		14.766 Q
4	Ziga Silc	Slovenia	5.9	8.766		14.666 Q
5	Andrej Korosteljev	Croatia	6.0	8.533		14.533 Q
6	Botond Kardos	Hungary	5.9	8.233	-0.1	14.033 Q
7	Igor Radivilov	Ukraine	5.9	8.366	-0.3	13.966 Q
8	Lukasz Borkowski	Poland	5.6	8.300		13.900 Q
9	Alberto Tallon	Spain	6.0	7.533		13.533
10	Nick Klessing	Germany	6.0	7.266		13.266
11	Sebastian Gawronski	Poland	5.5	6.466	-0.1	11.866
12	Bank Selmeczi	Hungary	5.5	6.366		11.866
13	Sakari Vekki	Finland	2.5	1.600	-0.1	4.000

Men’s Pommels Qualification Results

Rank	Athlete	Nation	D	E	ND	Total
1	Robert Seligman	Croatia	5.9	9.166		15.066 Q
2	Krisztian Berki	Hungary	6.6	8.466		15.066 Q
3	Saso Bertoncelj	Slovenia	5.8	8.833		14.633 Q
4	Yusuke Saito	Japan	6.2	8.433		14.633 Q
5	Naoto Hayasaka	Japan	6.0	8.533		14.533 Q
6	Dmitrijs Trefilovs	Latvia	5.8	8.366		14.166 Q
7	Zoltan Kallai	Hungary	5.9	8.100		14.000 Q
8	Juho Kanerva	Finland	5.9	7.966		13.866 Q
9	Joel Plata	Spain	5.5	7.766		13.266
10	Leonardo Kusan	Croatia	5.7	7.200		12.900
11	Nils Dunkel	Germany	6.0	6.800		12.800
12	Rokas Guscinas	Lithuania	5.2	7.533		12.733
13	Andres Martin	Spain	5.9	6.066		11.966
14	Patryk Rabstajn	Poland	5.5	5.900		11.400
15	Piotr Wieczorek	Poland	4.7	5.566		10.266

Men’s Rings Qualification Results

Rank	Athlete	Nation	D	E	ND	Total
1	Igor Radivilov	Ukraine	6.5	9.000		15.500 Q
2	Nick Klessing	Germany	6.1	8.600		14.700 Q
3	Yuya Kamoto	Japan	6.1	8.566		14.666 Q
4	Nestor Abad	Spain	5.8	8.800		14.600 Q
5	Yusuke Saito	Japan	5.8	8.700		14.500 Q
6	Rokas Guscinas	Lithuania	5.9	8.400		14.300 Q
7	Tomi Tuuha	Finland	5.7	8.100		13.800 Q
8	Nils Dunkel	Germany	5.7	8.000		13.700 Q
9	Alberto Tallon	Spain	5.8	7.866		13.666
10	Adam Babos	Hungary	5.4	8.166		13.566

Men’s Vault Qualification Results

Rank	Athlete	Nation	D	E	ND	Total	Average
1	Igor Radivilov	Ukraine	6.0	9.166		15.166	15.183 Q
			6.0	9.200		15.200
2	Yusuke Saito	Japan	6.0	9.100		15.100	14.666 Q
			5.2	9.033		14.233
3	Adria Vera	Spain	5.6	9.233		14.833	14.549 Q
			5.2	9.066		14.266
4	Vitalijs Kardasovs	Latvia	5.6	8.766		14.366	14.266 Q
			5.2	8.966		14.166
5	Rayderley Zapata	Spain	6.0	7.900	-0.1	13.800	14.016 Q
			5.2	9.033		14.233
6	Tomi Tuuha	Finland	5.6	8.266	-0.3	13.566	13.799 Q
			5.2	9.133	-0.3	14.033
7	Sebastian Gawronski	Poland	5.6	8.066		13.666	13.783 Q
			5.2	8.700		13.900
8	Botond Kardos	Hungary	5.2	8.900		14.100	13.133 Q
			3.6	8.666	-0.1	12.166

Men’s P-Bars Qualification Results

Rank	Athlete	Nation	D	E	ND	Total
1	Yuya Kamoto	Japan	6.4	8.733		15.133 Q
2	Lukas Dauser	Germany	6.3	8.166		14.466 Q
3	Alen Dimic	Slovenia	5.9	8.500		14.400 Q
4	Naoto Hayasaka	Japan	6.1	8.133		14.233 Q
5	Adam Babos	Hungary	5.4	8.466		13.866 Q
6	Botond Kardos	Hungary	5.4	8.400		13.800 Q
7	Andres Martin	Spain	5.6	8.033		13.633 Q
8	Joel Plata	Spain	5.7	7.566		13.266 Q
9	Patryk Rabstajn	Poland	5.3	7.566		12.866
10	Piotr Wieczorek	Poland	5.2	7.100		12.300

Men’s High Bar Qualification Results

Rank	Athlete	Nation	D	E	ND	Total
1	Andreas Bretschneider	Germany	6.6	8.400		15.000 Q
2	Yusuke Saito	Japan	6.8	8.100		14.900 Q
3	Christopher Jursch	Germany	6.4	8.166		14.566 Q
4	Alen Dimic	Slovenia	6.3	8.233		14.533 Q
5	David Vecsernyes	Hungary	6.6	7.933		14.533 Q
6	Nestor Abad	Spain	5.9	8.333		14.233 Q
7	Yuya Kamoto	Japan	6.2	7.700		13.900 Q
8	Adria Vera	Spain	5.7	8.100		13.800 Q
9	Rokas Guscinas	Lithuania	5.2	7.433		12.633
10	Bank Selmeczi	Hungary	4.8	7.733		12.533
11	Sebastian Gawronski	Poland	5.1	6.566		11.666

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