Hartland's Fundich Puts 'Fun' In Finals Championship Run, Ends Career No. 1
By
Brad Emons
Special for MHSAA.com
March 7, 2026
HIGHLAND TOWNSHIP – Hartland’s Alexis Fundich was on a mission during Saturday’s MHSAA Individual Finals at Milford High School.
The senior, who led the Eagles to their second-straight team championship just the night before, captured the Division 1 all-round with a score of 38.625 after placing runner-up a year ago.
Huron Valley United’s Stella Musialowski was second (36.60), with Farmington United’s Mikayla Dicks (37.25), Tecumseh’s Isabella Janiga (35.875) and Northville’s Michelle Walker (35.85) rounding out the top five.
“Mostly I just tried to have fun and not let the nerves take over, which happened, so it went well,” Fundich said. “I definitely was nervous, but I didn’t want to let it control me throughout the meet. I let fun control me instead.”
Fundich, who joined the Hartland team her sophomore year, captured three events including the balance beam (9.725), uneven bars (9.4) and floor exercise, while adding a second in the vault (9.8).
“I was really happy with my floor score,” Fundich said. “I broke the record for floor on my team, so I was really excited about that.”
Fundich hopes to continue her gymnastics career in college, but is undecided about her next destination.
“That’s my goal. I’m still figuring that out,” Fundich said.
Musialowski, competing on her home floor, also turned in a stellar performance to pass Dicks (37.25), who was competing at her first MHSAA Finals.
The Milford gymnast had finished sixth a year ago after taking 15th as a sophomore. This time, she placed runner-up on beam (9.625), tied for third on bars (9.15) and floor (9.425), and fourth on vault (9.4),
“I was just definitely trying to do my best today,” Musialowski said. “I wanted to finish off my last competition well, and I definitely think I did.
“Beam always clicks a little bit more than the others for me. It’s my favorite. I find it really peaceful to do.”
Musialowski, who plans to attend Michigan State and study nursing, also juggled gymnastics during the winter with competitive cheer.
“I helped out our cheer team, but other than that I’ve solely been doing gymnastics my whole life,” said Musialowski, who joined the Huron Valley team her sophomore year. “My freshman year I did cheer, and then I realized I liked gymnastics and came back.”
Musialowski said most likely her competitive gymnastics days are over.
“It’s been a long run – 15 years – I’m definitely starting to get tired of it, but I’m not fully certain on it yet,” she said.
Hartland’s Kate Gostlin was the other D1 individual victor with a 9.8 in the vault.
“They all went out there, they had a mission and took care of business,” Hartland coach Gavin Kress said. “It’s gymnastics, they’re always nervous. Today coming in strong. They came in knowing what they were doing.”
Meanwhile, the Division 2 all-around title went to Haslett United’s Phoebe Elder, who placed first with a total of 36.675.
She was able to hold off challenges by three Rockford competitors including Lillian Green (36.550), Rae DeFrang (36.025) and Reese DeFrang (35.900). Farmington United’s Aubrey Woodman took fifth (35.625).
Elder finished runner-up on bars (9.1), third on floor (9.425), fourth on the beam (9.1) and tied for sixth in the vault (9.05).
“Very surprised and very happy for sure,” said Elder, who will attend Northwestern University and study biology. “I stuck a vault, which I don’t think I have all season.”
Other individual D2 winners included Rockford’s Green in vault (9.625), Rae DeFrang on bars (9.125) and Kenzie Todd on beam (9.275). East Lansing Catholic DeWitt’s Taliyah Andrews won the floor exercise (9.555).
PHOTOS (Top) Hartland’s Alexis Fundich vaults during Saturday’s Individual Finals at Milford. (Middle) Fundich, left, and Huron Valley United’s Stella Musialowski hold hands for their salute from the podium. (Below) Haslett United’s Phoebe Elder, right, receives a hug after her bars routine. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)
Coldwater Meet Provides Decade of Support
February 5, 2020
By Wes Morgan
Special for Second Half
Coldwater High School gymnastics coach Kim Nichols and the many athletes that have been a part of the program over the last decade will probably never fully fathom the impact they’ve had and continue to have on their community.
The scoreboard says it’s been a $79,000 (and counting) contribution to the local fight against cancer. What can’t be calculated are the intangible byproducts of the donations, such as the smiles on patients’ faces as they enjoy more comfortable spaces in which to undergo treatment, or even the social lessons learned by the student-athletes interacting with the business world for the first time.
This Saturday marks 10 years since the Cardinals started the “Stick It For A Cure” charity event, a day full of top-notch competition, fundraising and fun designed to support local folks fighting all types of cancer.
Nichols and her team were honored last year with a regional and national Junior Philanthropic award by Promedica. Nichols was named 2018-19 Coach of the Year by the Michigan High School Coaches Association and was a candidate for a sectional award from the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Coaches Association.
All proceeds from “Stick It For A Cure” raised to date have gone to Coldwater’s local oncology center.
“We really start planning as soon as gymnastics season begins right around October,” Nichols explained. “We start making plans and organizing things. In December we meet once a week with some parent volunteers that want to be on the committee to help. We had a chili supper that we hosted in early December as kind of our kickoff for the event and start (to) the fundraising. The girls served chili and cleaned tables. We did Krispy Kreme donut sales, and the girls delivered them.
“The big push is getting the girls to go out into the community and canvas the local businesses for donations. We parents organize a lot of it, but I want them to be in the front and involved so they learn how to talk to other adults, how to be responsible, respectful and learning about volunteering and giving back. Oftentimes, they see a direct impact that they have on people. It’s a really good experience. They do a lot. I keep them very busy.”
All of that is in concert with growing a successful gymnastics program.
Participants in arguably the toughest Regional in the state, the Cardinals are still working towards their first appearance as a team at the MHSAA Finals. However, most recently, Leah Goodwin placed 13 overall at the 2019 Division 1 Individual Finals. Layla Schoch was 22nd. More than 20 individuals have qualified for the Finals under Nichols. Kylie Dudek was the Division 1 Finals champion on the uneven bars in 2013, when she also finished all-around runner-up.
Coldwater set a school record for team total points (136.675) last season. The Cardinals have qualified as a team for Regional competition this winter, scheduled for March 7 at Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills.
Nichols points to the support of the school district and local businesses that has helped the gymnastics team flourish.
“I can take some pride in building this program,” Nichols said, “but a big part of it is having gym space, gym time. We started from the classic ‘drag your equipment out of the closet, use half of the court for two hours’ and it would take us 30-45 minutes to set up and 30-45 minutes to tear it down. We’ve been able to get some generous donations from folks in the community that have supported us, and the athletic department has kept us going. We have full equipment now. It’s really cool.”
They’ve more than paid it forward, with at least $12,000 in donations expected from this year’s campaign.
“Everybody knows somebody affected by cancer,” Nichols said. Many Cardinals gymnasts over the years have had family members affected by cancer, including sophomore McKenna Hantz, whose mother, Mindy, was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago, is in remission and volunteers for the annual event. Nichols’ grandmother passed away from stomach cancer 10 years ago when they were trying to get the event off the ground.
“I think the community really enjoys it,” McKenna Hantz said. “It’s good to be known as helping the community out and the people who need it. It’s scary, and it’s hard to deal with. These patients get more stuff and money to help them out.”
“I’m amazed that our little team can put that much together from our little community,” Nichols said.
10th Annual Stick It For A Cure
What: Gymnastics Invitational for Cancer Awareness
Where: Coldwater High School"
When: Saturday, Feb. 8; Doors open at 8 a.m.
How it helps: Devoted to cancer awareness, the fundraising event supports the Promedica Coldwater Regional Hospital of Branch County. Activities include a gymnastics meet, donation raffle, silent auction, food and games.
Wes Morgan has reported for the Kalamazoo Gazette, ESPN and ESPNChicago.com, 247Sports and Blue & Gold Illustrated over the last 12 years and is the publisher of JoeInsider.com. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Members of the Coldwater gymnastics team hold up ribbons representing awareness for various forms of cancer. (Middle) The event includes the gymnastics meet, donation raffle, silent auction, food and games. (Photos courtesy of the Coldwater gymnastics program.)