Barnes Arico Inks Contract Extension Through 2025-26
9/10/2021 1:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics Warde Manuel announced Friday (Sept. 10) a contract extension through the 2025-26 season for women's basketball head coach Kim Barnes Arico.
"I am thrilled for people to know that Kim will continue to lead our women's basketball program well into the future," said Manuel. "Kim became our all-time winningest coach in 2018 and has continued to elevate this program both on and off the court."
"I am so grateful to continue our work at the greatest University in the world," Barnes Arico said. "The culture we have developed in our program matches what this university and community stand for. That really showed this past season, with our team success and excellence both on and off the court. I am so proud of the young women we have in our program and look forward to what's next."
Barnes Arico is the winningest coach in program history, amassing 193 wins through nine seasons after leading Michigan to its first-ever Sweet 16 appearance in 2021. The only coach in program history to have eight 20-win seasons, she is also first all-time in winning percentage (.654) with a 193-102 record in Ann Arbor. She has coached 13 players to 24 All-Big Ten citations, highlighted by U-M's first All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year, Naz Hillmon, along with all-time leading scorer and three-time All-Big Ten first-teamer, Katelynn Flaherty.
Michigan has made the postseason in eight of Barnes Arico's nine seasons, only missing the 2019-20 postseason due to the COVID-19 pandemic. U-M has advanced to the NCAA Tournament second round three times (2013, 2018, 2019) and to the 2021 NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in program history after wins over Florida Gulf Coast and Tennessee. U-M has found itself back in the national spotlight as well during KBA's tenure, returning to the Associated Press poll in January 2013 for the first time in 10 years. U-M spent the entire 2020-21 season ranked in the AP and coaches polls throughout the year, garnering a program-best ranking of No. 11 in both polls. Prior to the 2020-21 season, Michigan had been ranked 21 times in the AP poll and 19 times in the coaches poll over the first eight years of the Barnes Arico era.
U-M rewrote the record books during the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season, going 16-6 and reaching the NCAA Sweet 16. Michigan earned its highest NCAA Tournament seed ever, grabbing a No. 6 seed following a fourth-place finish (9-4) in the Big Ten. The Wolverines knocked off No. 11-seed and No. 24-ranked Florida Gulf Coast in the first round 87-66 before defeating No. 3-seed and No. 13-ranked Tennessee 70-55 in the second round. U-M pushed defending champion Baylor to overtime in the round of 16 before falling 78-75 to end its tournament run. Hillmon cleaned up with multiple All-America and conference citations during the season, also while setting a Michigan record -- man or woman -- when she scored 50 points with 16 rebounds against Ohio State. Leigha Brown also earned All-Big Ten honors, grabbing a spot on the second team, while Akienreh Johnson was named to the All-Big Ten Defensive Team by the coaches. In addition, nine Wolverines earned Academic All-Big Ten honors, with every eligible player earning the distinction.
Barnes Arico also has USA Basketball experience on her resume, completing a two-year stint with USA Basketball (2014-15), serving as an assistant coach for the U18 (2014) and U19 (2015) teams. She won a pair of gold medals at the FIBA U19 World Championships in 2015 and at the FIBA U18 America's Championship in 2014.
