Michigan women enter NCAA Tournament at hoops program's peak

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Kim Barnes Arico a decade ago left her close-knit family in New York and New Jersey, as well as a stable job at St. John's, to turn Michigan's women's basketball program into a consistent winner for the first time.

Barnes has pulled off the feat.

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She is leading Michigan to the NCAA Tournament for a fifth time. The program's previous eight coaches combined for just four appearances in the top-tier tournament.

Barnes Arico has helped the third-seeded Wolverines earn their highest seed in the NCAA Tournament, giving them the advantage of hosting at least one game. Michigan plays 14th-seeded American at home on Saturday and the winner will match up with No. 6 BYU or No. 11 Villanova on Monday.

"Every team is so good that you can't look past anyone," Barnes Arico said recently in her office that overlooks Michigan Stadium. "But we've beaten some great teams, including Baylor, when we play like we're capable."

Michigan head coach Kim Barnes Arico calls out to her team in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Baylor, Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

Michigan is entering the tournament at its program's peak, making a fourth straight appearance, with the best women's basketball player in school history leading the way.

Naz Hillmon became the first woman at Michigan to be named to The Associated Press All-America first team on Wednesday. The 6-foot-2 senior forward averaged nearly a double-double, scoring 21 points and grabbing 9.4 rebounds a game for a team that won 22 times and went 13-4 in the Big Ten.

Hillmon, who is from Cleveland, had a