Nicole started the game quietly, forming bonds with Hayden and Christine. As the game progressed, Nicole began to play more aggressively, managing to win several HOH and BOTB competitions and becoming a major threat. When Christine abandoned her allegiance with Nicole and Hayden for the Detonators, Nicole found herself in the minority, along with Hayden and Donny, whom were blindsided when Jocasta was evicted. Eventually, the fallout resulted in Hayden's eviction. Nicole was able to become HOH once again, but was dethroned and unanimously evicted after being nominated by Christine who believed from Derrick that Nicole was going to backdoor her when Nicole was planning on evicting Frankie, becoming the third member of the jury. Nicole returned to the game after competing with the fellow jury members at the end of Week 8, immediately casting her as the main target. However, Nicole's return proved to be unsuccessful for her and she was permanently evicted once again two weeks later, placing seventh.
At the finale, Nicole was named as one of the Top 3 vote-getters for the Fan Favorite Award along with Donny and Zach, but ultimately lost to Donny.
Nicole returned for Big Brother 18 alongside Da'Vonne Rogers, Frank Eudy, and James Huling as a part of the first twist of the summer. In the beginning of the game, Nicole found herself in a large eight person alliance, the 8-Pack, as well as an all-girls alliance, the Fatal Five. Unfortunately, both of those alliances fell apart prior to the jury stage of the game. Similar to her prior season, Nicole found herself in a showmance with Corey Brooks and he became her ride or die. Together, the two mainly worked with Paulie Calafiore and Zakiyah Everette, notably alienating themselves from the majority of the house following the house turning on the latter two. After managing to constantly place a bigger target in front of her, Nicole avoided the block until the final four. Notably, after Paulie was evicted, Nicole, knowing her and Corey were the targets, manipulated Natalie, James, and Michelle into turning on their own allies, Paul and Victor.
This ultimately led to Natalie's eviction during Victor's HoH after Nicole evicted Michelle on her HoH the week before since she was the tiebreaker vote between Michelle and Paul, who was aligned with Nicole at the time along with Corey and Victor. Nicole was also able to control the votes with Corey in order to get out other houseguests in the game. Nicole is also responsible for proposing the idea to blindside her final four alliance and turn on Paul and Victor with her showmance partner Corey when he became HOH in week 12, resulting in Victor's eviction after Nicole won the POV and sealed his fate. After being taken to the final two by Paul Abrahamian, the jury decided that Nicole's behind the scene strategy which consisted of managing to fly under the radar, manipulating other houseguests, controlling votes, and avoiding the danger of eviction, defeated Paul's aggressive style of gameplay by a vote of 5-4, and she was crowned the winner of Big Brother 18, making her the first female to beat a male at the jury vote in the Final 2 for the US version of Big Brother
Nicole Franzel (born June 30, 1992) is a small town girl born and raised in Ubly, Michigan where she currently resides. Nicole recently graduated from Nursing school and is 24 years old.
However, Jillian's win was an accident due to Topaz Brady voting incorrectly, so Nicole is technically the second female to legitimately win against a male, after Sarah.
She is the first winner to never walk into the house from the front door, instead entering from one of the suitcase props right in front of the front door.
Nicole is the first houseguest to wear two different costumes for two consecutive weeks.
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 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 female in Big Brother 16.
Nicole is the first person in Big Brother history to win HoH and be evicted in the same week in a non-double eviction week.
If you include 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
She is the first female to re-enter the game through a twist since Amy Crews in Big Brother 3 (Sharon Obermueller from BB9 did not re-enter the house due to a twist).
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.
She 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 Daughtery.
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.
Nicole is the fifth women in the history of the show to ever win 3 HOHs. The first females to do so were Nakomis, Janelle, Rachel and Aaryn respectively. She would later be followed by Big Brother 17 houseguests Liz and Vanessa.
Nicole is the first female to win 2 competitions in Big Brother 16.
Nicole has won a total of 9 competitions in multiple seasons (5 HoH's, 2 PoV's, and 2 BotB 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 win the game following Lisa Donahue, Hayden Moss and Rachel Reilly.
Nicole is the only veteran to win HoH twice in Big Brother 18.
Nicole is the sixth houseguest to win 2 PoV's and go on to win the game. The other houseguests were Dan Gheesling, Rachel Reilly, Ian Terry, Andy Herren, and Steve Moses respectively.
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 PEHG. Thus, she is the first person to be evicted twice before winning the game.
Her first and last vote to evict on Big Brother 18 were to evict Victor Arroyo. He was evicted both times.
Nicole holds the record for most consecutive votes to evict in one season with 12, beating McCrae Olsen 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 and didn't win it.
She is the second female to win a part of the final HOH Competition against two males. The first was GinaMarie Zimmerman.
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.
