On Big Brother 16 (US), Nicole became best known for her showmance with Hayden Voss, and her competition threat status, as she would win 3 Head of Households and 2 Battle of the Blocks. After her ally Jocasta Odom was blindsided during the first half of the first Double Eviction, Nicole was left on the bottom along with Hayden and Donny Thompson. She and Hayden were nominated during the second half of the first Double Eviction, and Hayden was evicted. In Week 7, she managed to win HOH, but she was dethroned and later backstabbed by her friend Christine Brecht, who nominated her against Donny, leading to Nicole's unanimous eviction. However, she managed to return to the game via winning the Re-Entry Competition one week later, and in Week 9, she was once again nominated against her ally Donny, before surviving eviction. In Week 10, she became a pawn against main target Christine, but despite Christine winning the Power of Veto, Derrick Levasseur wanted to keep her, and HOH Caleb Reynolds wished to backdoor Frankie Grande. However, after Nicole told Derrick he reminded her of Dan Gheesling, he decided to turn on her. He convinced Caleb not to backdoor Frankie, and Caleb nominated Nicole's last remaining ally, Victoria Rafaeli alongside her, leading to her second unanimous eviction. She ultimately was evicted for the second time by a 4-0 vote, placing 7th and becoming the 5th member of the jury.
On Big Brother 18 (US), she became best known for her under the radar gameplay, showmance with Corey Brooks, and avoiding nomination until Day 91. She joined the 8-Pack alliance in Week 1. Nicole was in a comfortable position throughout the first half of the season, and subtly convinced others to do what she wanted, all while avoiding blame and covering her tracks. However, when her ally, Zakiyah Everette was blindsided in the first half of the double eviction, Nicole along with Corey and Paulie Calafiore were on the outs. However, they regained power during the second half of the double eviction as Corey became the Head of Household. Paulie was evicted in Week 8, leaving Nicole and Corey on the bottom. Despite being in the minority, and the obvious targets in the following week, they managed to survive when Nicole convinced HOH Natalie Negrotti to target Paul Abrahamian and Victor Arroyo. When Paul won the POV and Corey went up as the replacement, they managed to convince swing vote James Huling to align with them and evict Victor. However, after Victor won the Re-Entry Competition and Nicole became the HOH, she and Corey began playing the middle between Paul and Victor and James and Natalie. She ended up casting the tiebreaker vote to evict Michelle Meyer. In Week 11, when Victor became HOH, she joined Corey and Paul in taking Natalie out. However, after Corey won HOH at the final 5, he and Nicole decided to split up Paul and Victor, and worked with James to evict Victor for the third and final time. However, when Paul became the HOH at the final 4, Nicole was nominated for the first time against Corey. After Paul won the final POV, he left the nominations the same. Nicole survived as James cast the sole vote to evict Corey. Despite losing part 3 of the final HOH, she convinced Paul to take her to the final 2 over James. Her behind the scenes gameplay, subtle persuasion, and the jury's distaste towards Paul's behavior won her the game in a close 5-4 vote, becoming the first female to defeat a male in the final 2.
Despite entering Big Brother 22 (US) as one of two previous winners and forming a long-running feud with Janelle Pierzina, Nicole would join the dominant The Committee alliance, which kept her safe alongside her strong allyship with Da'Vonne Rogers and Ian Terry. She was close with Committee members Dani Briones and fellow Big Brother 16 (US) castmate Cody Calafiore, having final 2 deals with both. Despite her manipulative and eviction-contributing status, Nicole wouldn't face much heat until the Triple Eviction, in which she was nominated in the second and third rounds before managing to survive. At the final 5, she won her first HOH and POV of the season, which were keys to evicting a major threat in Committee member Memphis Garrett. Despite being nominated as the target by Enzo Palumbo at the final 4, she was spared when Cody saved her and evicted Christmas Abbott. After losing the final Head of Household competition to Cody, she was blindsided and evicted by the latter, resulting in her finishing in 3rd place and becoming the 9th and final member of the jury.
On Big Brother: Reindeer Games, Nicole flew under-the-radar for the majority of the game, due to her perceived low threat level, and formed strong social bonds with Britney Haynes, Frankie Grande, and Taylor Hale. Nicole was able to make it to through the Reindeer Games, as she defeated Xavier Prather and Taylor to win the season, becoming the first two-time North American Big Brother winner.
Across all four of her seasons, Nicole has won twice, placed 3rd once, placed 7th once, and has won 16 competitions total. Due to her high placements, her amount of competition wins, and excellent social and strategic game across her seasons, she is often regarded as one of the best players in Big Brother history.
Retrieved from CBS.com Age: 21 Hometown: Ubly, Mich. Current City: Ubly, Mich. Occupation: Recent Nursing Graduate Three adjectives that describe you: Nerdy, flirty and classy. Favorite Activities: Eating, cuddling, and shopping. I like to hang with my friends and pull pranks on people. Also, I like to study because that is what I do most often. What do you think will be the most difficult part about living inside the Big Brother house: Forming an alliance you can trust. Going into the Big Brother house thinking someone is going to have your back might be the craziest thought yet. Also, not seeing familiar faces will be difficult too. Do you have a strategy for winning Big Brother?: Ideally, I would want to align with a male who would excel in the physical competitions and have a secret final two deal and have separate alliances on top of that. I want to win the first HOH so everyone can come to me and I can feel them out and see who I think I could trust. Which past Big Brother cast member did you like most:Dan because he is intelligent and cocky which made for good TV. Ian was one of my favorites too. He can talk nerdy to me anytime. Also, Jordan was too cute and sweet not to love. What are you afraid of: Heights are a big one and surgery. I've been in the operating room, and it isn't pretty. Also, sharks and ghosts. What is the accomplishment you are most proud of: Getting a callback from Big Brother Casting. This is a dream; I'm still having tachycardia. Finish this sentence: My life’s motto is… All or nothing. What would you take into the house and why: 1. My vintage spoon bracelet, I wear it every day, it's from my mom, and I am superstitious. 2. Starbucks/coffee- I get really weird on caffeine and think of really good ideas when I drink it. 3. A picture of my family because I know that I will miss them. What would you do if “Big Brother” made you famous: Maybe I could hire someone to blow dry my hair because that is a workout.
Nicole has dreamt of moving into the Big Brother house since she was eight years old and would love to have a showmance with someone like Ian.[1]
Retrieved from CBS.com Age: 23 Hometown: Ubly, MI Current city: Ubly, MI Occupation: ER nurse Three adjectives that describe you: Classy, flirty, and adventurous. Favorite activities: Watching basketball and hockey, cuddling, coffee dates, traveling, and shopping! What do you think will be the most difficult part about living inside the Big Brother house? Being away from my family and missing their love and support. I will miss my daily talks with my mom. Which past Big Brother cast member did you like most?Frank Eudy [from Season 14] because he was very trustworthy and loyal to his alliances and ally. He had to fight to stay in the house continuously and didn't crack under pressure. Do you have a strategy for winning the game? Yes, there are always twists that change your strategy, so a good social game is definitely needed. I plan on finding a great alliance, staying loyal, and being very observant. It's easy to get emotionally invested in people while playing this game, but that’s something I need to control better this time around. I'm very emotional and get attached quickly, so I need to keep my guard up a little longer, be sneaky, and play the game hard. My life's motto is... Make the most of your situation.
What would you take into the house, and why? First would be a journal because I like to write out my thoughts and feelings as a way of stress-relief. Also, it helps me stay focused. Next, I'd want my pups because they are better cuddlers than any human I know. Finally, my ring because it's from my mom and it's meaningful.[2]
Retrieved from CBS Age: 28
Hometown: Ubly, Michigan Current city: Ubly, Michigan Occupation: Social media influencer Previous seasons: Big Brother 16 and Big Brother 18 (winner). Nicole won Season 18 and was
the first female to beat a male in the final two. Three adjectives that describe you: Quirky, feisty, and loyal. Favorite activities: Eating!! Playing board games, spending time with my loved ones, and to be honest, 90 percent of my time and income goes to helping animals. Why do you want to play Big Brother again?
I love the game, I love everything about it. The fangirl in me could never turn it down. I'm also here to become the first EVER two-time winner, no big deal. What do you think will be the most difficult part about living inside the Big Brother house?
Aside from being away from home, probably being expected to look cute. I haven't worn a bra
or makeup in months. LOL. Which past Big Brother cast member did you like most and why?
Victor from Season 18! He was really funny, cute, lovable, determined, and a competition beast!!
Very good TV! What is your strategy for winning the game?
Be adaptable. Once I walk in and see who my competition is, I can come up with a game plan. How does this strategy differ from the last time you played?
I used to think you could have a pre-meditated strategy, but honestly that's really hard to do
without knowing the cast. Have you changed/evolved since the last time you were on the show?
I'm NOT afraid to own my moves anymore. Before I was afraid to lie and play the game openly.
This time I'm playing loud and proud. My life's motto is…
"Confidence is not 'they will like me,' confidence is 'I'll be fine if they don't.'" What would you take into the house and why?
-My pups and kitten to help with the stress of the game!
-Victor to win me some competitions and cuddle time.
-A phone to call my mom aka my best friend because we talk 10 times or more a day and I'll
really miss her. Fun facts about yourself:
-I love pickled eggs and pickled veggies.
-I pee my pants when I laugh too hard.
-I am a Registered Nurse.
-I am the Coco on The Coco Caliente Podcast.
-My life goal is to have lots of kids and a hobby farm in the country.[3]
Although Nicole and Victor were only dating when The Amazing Race 31 filmed, they were marketed as an engaged couple on the show, due to it airing after their engagement on season 20. That explains why Nicole isn't wearing her engagement ring and why Victor's hair is much longer on the show.
Victor proposing to Nicole.
Nicole and Victor visited the Big Brother 20 house on September 7, 2018, and while there, Victor proposed to Nicole and they got engaged.
Nicole is the only houseguest to be the highest-placing previous winner in two different seasons.
Nicole was the highest-placing previous winner in Big Brother 22, outlasting Ian Terry.
Nicole was the highest-placing previous winner in Big Brother: Reindeer Games, outlasting Cody Calafiore, Xavier Prather, and Taylor Hale.
Nicole is the first female to beat a male in the Final Two in the American version of Big Brother. From that point, all US seasons (BBOTT and Celebrity seasons included) with a male-female Final Two after that ended with the female winning against the male, up until Big Brother 21 (US).
Nicole is the first houseguest to wear four different costumes across three seasons, the most of any houseguest. The costumes were her Frog Costume and Germitard in Big Brother 16, Super Safety Costume in Big Brother 18 and Slopitard in Big Brother 22.
The Frog Costume was the only one to not also be a unitard, and it was the only one to not appear in any of Nicole's BB Comics.
Nicole is the first houseguest to wear two different costumes for two consecutive weeks, wearing the Frog Costume during Week 3 and the Germitard during Week 4 of Big Brother 16.
She is the second person and first female to wear two costumes in one season, following Frank Eudy.
Coincidentally, they both returned to compete again in Big Brother 18, along with both being in the Top 3 for the Fan Favorite Award of their seasons, but unlike Nicole, Frank won the award in his first season.
Nicole is the second female to win Head of Household in Big Brother 16, the first being Amber Borzotra.
Nicole is the first female to remain Head of Household for the week after the Battle of the Block competition.
Nicole is the only female houseguest to win HoH multiple times in Big Brother 16. However, due to Battle of the Block, she was only HoH officially once.
Nicole has also won 3 of the 5 HoHs won by a female in Big Brother 16.
Due to being dethroned after the Battle of the Block, Nicole is the first person in Big Brother history to win HoH and then become evicted in the same week in a non-double eviction week.
If including double eviction week, Nicole would be the second houseguest since Jeff Schroeder won HoH and was evicted all during a double eviction week in Big Brother 13.
If the Battle of the Block is included or not, Nicole is tied with Christine Brecht for the most competition wins for a female in Big Brother 16.
Nicole is the second houseguest to return to the house from jury and not win HoH or be evicted immediately upon returning, the first being Judd Daugherty.
Nicole did not cast a vote throughout the Jury Stage of the game in Big Brother 16.
Nicole is the only female from the first group of eight houseguests to reach the jury phase.
Nicole is the only person to win a permanent HoH outside of the Bomb Squad.
Coincidentally, both won the first HoH during their second season, and went on to win their respective season.
Nicole is the only woman to win HoH twice on Big Brother 18.
She is also the only woman to win the PoV twice.
She is the only returning HouseGuest to win HoH twice.
Nicole is the fourth HouseGuest in the history of the show to win 2 HoHs in two different seasons. She's preceded by Janelle Pierzina, Dani Briones, and Rachel Reilly.
Nicole holds the record for the second most HoHs won in multiple seasons, behind Rachel Reilly and Janelle Pierzina who each have six.
Nicole held the record for most days spent for a female without being nominated with 91 days, until it was broken by Bowie Jane Ball in Big Brother 25 with 98 days.
She is the fourth for the record in total, following Bowie Jane, Derrick Levasseur in Big Brother 16 with 97 days and Matt Klotz in Big Brother 25 (93 days).
Nicole has won a total of 13 competitions in multiple seasons (7 HoHs, 3 PoVs, 2 BotB, and 1 Santa Showdown competitions).
Without the Battle Of The Block, she would have seven wins in total.
Nicole is the fourth HouseGuest (and third female) to win the first Head of Household competition and then win the game following Lisa Donahue, Hayden Moss, and Rachel Reilly. They would be followed by Cody Calafiore.
She is the only winner who did not go on to win the final HoH.
Rachel Reilly also appeared first in the intro, but not in the season she won.
Nicole is the fifth winner, and third woman, to win HOH and POV in the same week, following Jordan Lloyd, Hayden Moss, Rachel Reilly and Andy Herren. She would be followed by Kaycee Clark, Jackson Michie and Cody Calafiore.
Rachel, Nicole and Cody are the only two winners who did this on their second seasons.
Nicole is the first houseguest who had been evicted and returned to the game to win the game, although she did not win in the same season in which she was a Previously Evicted Contestant. However, she is still the first person to be evicted twice before winning the game.
Her first and last vote to evict on Big Brother 18 was to evict Victor Arroyo. He was evicted both times.
Ironically, Victor and Nicole ended up in a relationship after their season.
Nicole holds the record for most consecutive votes to evict in one season with 12, beating McCrae Olson and Victoria Rafaeli's previous record of 10.
Nicole is the only returnee on Big Brother 18 who was in the top three to win America's Favorite Houseguest. though she did not win it.
Nicole is the second female to win a part of the final HoH Competition against two males. The first was GinaMarie Zimmerman.
Nicole is the second female (the first being Jun Song) to make it to the end and never receive any votes against her.
Coincidentally, they both went on to win their seasons.
Nicole is the first person to receive immunity as a gift from viewers through America's Care Package.
Jason, however, did not receive the immunity directly from viewers, as Kryssie Ridolfi received the Save-A-Friend power and chose to use it on him, making him safe for the week.
Justin did not receive the immunity directly either, instead, he won the opportunity to complete a challenge which would grant him immunity, which he completed, making him safe for the week.
Nicole is the first female and third American houseguest overall to win HOH in the first part of a Double/Triple Eviction and then again after it happened. The other HouseGuests to accomplish this were Zach Swerdzewski and Ian Terry. She would later be followed by Victor Arroyo, Shelby Stockton, Jackson Michie, Cody Calafiore, and Makensy Manbeck.
However, Nicole's second HOH reign was dethroned due to the Battle of the Block.
Nicole has played all four of her seasons with a Calafiore brother. She played on seasons 16, 22 and Reindeer Games with Cody Calafiore and season 18 with Paulie Calafiore.
Nicole has played the most days in the Big Brother U.S. house, with 255 days:
Coincidentally, Brendon is the only person on this list Nicole has never played on a season with.
Janelle Pierzina, Dan Gheesling, Paul Abrahamian, Enzo Palumbo, Cody Calafiore and Nicole Franzel are the only people to make it to the Final Three twice. Excluding Janelle, all of them made it to finale night twice as well. They would be followed by Xavier Prather, Taylor Hale and Anthony Douglas.
Nicole is the only person to not do this across her first two seasons. She is also the first woman to make it to finale night twice.
Including Reindeer Games, Nicole is the only person to make it finale night three times.
Nicole, James, and Da'Vonne improved their placement in Big Brother 18.
Whenever Nicole was nominated on eviction night, she was nominated twice in a row.
Both times Nicole was in the jury, she voted for the eventualwinner.
Coincidentally, the eventual winner was part of The Hitmen alliance from Big Brother 16.
Nicole was the last person to win a competition in Reindeer Games.
