Kim Barnes Arico Named New Women's Basketball Coach
Kim Barnes Arico, who had been the head coach at St. John's and is that school's winningest women's basketball coach, has been named the new head women's basketball coach at Michigan.
Here's part of a brief AP story:
St. John's head coach Kim Barnes Arico has been hired to coach Michigan's basketball team.
Barnes Arico coached the Red Storm for the past 10 seasons and guided them to a second-place finish in the Big East this past year, including a victory at Connecticut in February that ended the Huskies' 99-game home winning streak.
ANN ARBOR -- University of Michigan Athletic Director Dave Brandon announced Friday (April 20) the hiring of Kim Barnes Arico as the ninth head coach in the 40-year history of the Wolverines women’s basketball program. The New York native joins the Michigan family after spending the past 10 seasons as the St. John’s University women’s coach.
"Kim is an elite coach that will help elevate our women’s basketball program to new heights," said Brandon. "Kim has been successful at every coaching stop and has built teams that compete for championships. She is a tireless recruiter who will accomplish great things at Michigan. We are extremely happy that Kim and her family chose to join Michigan Athletics."
"I am excited and honored to represent the University of Michigan as its new head women’s basketball coach," said Barnes Arico. "The University of Michigan is world renowned for its academic and athletic excellence and our program will continue to stress the Universities foundational values of being a true student-athlete – excellence in the classroom, excellence on the court and involvement in the community. I want to thank everyone associated with St. John’s University for all that they have done for me, my family and the women’s basketball program over the past 10 years."
Throughout her 10 seasons at St. John's, Barnes Arico built the Red Storm into a national power and one of the elite teams in the Big East Conference. She guided St. John’s to four NCAA Tournament appearances, with the Red Storm advancing to the Sweet 16 in 2012 after back-to-back second round appearances the previous two tournaments (2010, '11). In 2006, she led St. John's to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1988.
Barnes Arico led her Red Storm teams into postseason competition seven of her 10 seasons, with four NCAA Tournament berths and three WNIT appearances. She reached at least the second round of each national tournament in all seven appearances.
The winningest women’s basketball coach in St. John’s history, Barnes Arico compiled a 176-133 overall record with the Red Storm, with five 20-win campaigns, including three straight to end her tenure. She was twice named Big East Coach of the Year (2006, 2012) and had 11 of her players earn All-Big East honors and six receive All-Rookie team selection.
In 2011-12, St. John's posted a 24-10 overall record and finished third (13-3) in the Big East standings, trailing only Final Four participants Notre Dame and Connecticut. Barnes Arico was named the 2012 Big East Coach of the Year and was a finalist for the USWBA National Coach of the Year award. St. John’s finished No. 15 in the final USA Today Coaches poll and reached its highest-ever ranking of No. 13 by the Associated Press (March 5, 2012).
The highlight of the 2011-12 season and the St. John's program was when Barnes Arico and her Red Storm ended Connecticut's 99-game home winning streak with a 57-56 score on Feb. 19, 2012, at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Conn. Shenneika Smith’s three-pointer from the wing with eight seconds left lifted the Red Storm to victory over the No. 2 Huskies. It was also the UConn's first home loss to an unranked opponent in nearly 19 years.
Prior to accepting her position at St. John’s, Barnes Arico was extremely successful in three seasons at the NCAA Division II Adelphi (1999-2002). She led the Panthers to three consecutive postseason appearances, posting a 65-24 overall record and a 51-13 league mark, and guided Adelphia to a 28-win season in 2001-02, the year the program returned to the NCAA Tournament field for the first time since 1987.
In 2001-02, Adelphi won its first New York Collegiate Athletic Conference (NYCAC) championship and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers won their first 21 games of the season, finished with a 28-3 record, and earned the school’s first national ranking in school history. Adelphia completed the season ranked No. 12 in the final polls. Barnes Arico was named the NYCAC, NIT/Metropolitan Basketball Writers Division II and Nassau County Sports Commission Outstanding Female Coach of the Year.
Adelphi finished the 2000-01 regular season tied for second in the NYCAC with a 19-11 record and finished second in the Eastern College Athletic Conference tournament. Barnes Arico guided her team to an 18-10 record in her first season, tying the program high for wins in a season. She led the program to its first postseason berth, qualifying for the ECAC Tournament, and was recognized for her team’s success by being named the 2000 NYCAC Coach of the Year.
In addition to her coaching responsibilities, Barnes Arico served as an assistant athletic director and was the academic liaison for student-athletes at Adelphi. She also served as a member of the NCAA Division II Northeast Regional Selection Committee and the ECAC Advisory Committee.
Barnes Arico started her head coaching career at Fairleigh Dickinson-Madison, a Division III University in New Jersey. She led the Devils to a 13-11 record during the 1996-97 season before accepting the head coaching post at New Jersey Institute of Technology for two seasons (1997-99). Helping the program transition from Division III to Division II, Barnes Arico was named the New Jersey Coach of the Year after taking the program from the five-win total in her first season to 11 victories in year two.
A native of Mastic Beach, N.Y., Barnes Arico helped lead Stony Brook University to the 1989 NCAA Division III Tournament as a freshman. She spent her final three seasons at Montclair State University, serving as captain during her junior and senior seasons. Barnes Arico led the team to back-to-back ECAC tournament appearances in 1991 and 1992 and was the team’s leading scorer both seasons. A scholar-athlete award recipient, Barnes Arico graduated from Montclair State in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education and health.
Barnes Arico went into teaching after graduation, accepting a position as a physical education and health teacher at the Academy of Saint Aloysius in Jersey City, N.J., during the 1993-94 academic year. She left Saint Aloysius and moved into an identical position at Chatham High School in Chatham, N.J., from 1994-96.
She was a member of the Kodak All-America selection committee for four seasons (2006-09). Barnes Arico served the past two seasons on the NCAA Regional Advisory Committee as the Big East Conference representative.
Barnes Arico and her husband, Larry Arico, are the parents of a son, Trevor, and daughters Emma and Cecelia. Larry is the athletic director and head football coach at Marist High School.
Kim Barnes Arico
High School: William Floyd High School
College: Stony Brook University (1988-89) and Montclair State University (1990-93)
Family: Husband, Larry Arico
Children: Son, Trevor (10); Daughters, Emma (6) and Cecelia (3)
Year School Overall Conference Postseason
1996-97 Fairleigh Dickinson-Madison 13-11
1997-98 New Jersey Institute of Technology 5-21 3-17 NYCAC First Year Division II
1998-99 New Jersey Institute of Technology 11-16 9-12 NYCAC NYCAC, First Round
1999-2000 Adelphi 18-10 16-6 ECC
2000-01 Adelphi 19-11 15-5 ECC
2001-02 Adelphi 28-3 20-2 ECC NCAA II, 2nd Round
2002-03 St. John's 8-19 2-14 Big East
2003-04 St. John's 10-18 4-12 Big East
2004-05 St. John's 20-11 7-9 Big East WNIT, 2nd Round
2005-06 St. John's 22-8 11-5 Big East NCAA, 2nd Round
2006-07 St. John's 8-20 4-12 Big East
2007-08 St. John's 18-15 7-9 Big East WNIT, Quarterfinal
2008-09 St. John's 19-15 4-12 Big East WNIT, 3rd Round
2009-10 St. John's 24-6 12-4 Big East NCAA, 2nd Round
2010-11 St. John's 22-11 9-7 Big East NCAA, 2nd Round
2011-12 St. John's 24-10 13-3 Big East NCAA, Sweet 16
TOTALS 270-205 136-129
Coaching Highlights:
Big East Coach of the Year (2006 & 2012)
Finalist for the USWBA National Coach of the Year (2012)
MBWA Coach of the Year (2006)
Basketball Coaches Association of New York (2005)
NYCAC Coach of the Year (2000 & 2002)
NIT/Metro Writers Coach of the Year (2002)
Nassau County Sports Commission of the Year (2002)
Inducted in the William Floyd High School Athletic Hall of Fame (2007)
Career Highlights:
Winningest Head Coach in St. John's History (176 wins)
Four NCAA Tournament appearances (2006, '10, '11, '12)
Reached the NCAA Sweet 16 (2012)
Highest seed in St. John's history (No. 3, 2012)
Three WNIT appearances (2005, '08, '09)
Nine consecutive appearances in Big East Tournament (2004-12)
Coached Big East Freshman of the Year (2009, Da'Shena Stevens)
Coached 11 All-Big East selections and six All-Rookie Team selections
Coached Big East Scholar-Athlete and Sportsmanship Award winner (2012, Da'Shena Stevens)
She's got the school's most wins as a basketball coach period, women's or otherwise.
Huh? Maybe I'm missing something about what you're saying, but assuming you're talking about St. John's, she most definitely does not have the most of any basketball coach. At least 3 men's coaches have her beat. Happy to have her at U of M regardless!
Lou Carnesecca and his 500+ wins begs to disagree with you.
This is better than I thought we'd do. Hopefully she can keep recruiting inroads in NY while building some in the MW
EDIT - anybody know the status of our recruits for the 2012 class? Are they staying on or are some of them planning on getting a release from their LOI and going elsewhere?
She was just hired, so it's going to take some time before it's known whether the recruits will still be coming. There will be a news conference on Monday to introduce the new coach, and she'll likely address the issue then.
April 20th, 2012 at 11:25 PM ^
I was just wondering if any of our commits were on the fence after Borseth was fired. Obviously the new coach will have an impact on whether they stay or go.
April 20th, 2012 at 11:54 PM ^
I follow recruiting for U-M's women's basketball pretty closely, and I've seen no comments at all from any of the players signed in the 2012 class or verbally committed for 2013 since Borseth left.
I also think it's very unlikely any of them are interested in following Borseth to Green Bay, if that's one of the scenarios you're thinking of.
I don't follow WBB too much, but I know that beating UConn is a big deal.
It's always possible she was on an app and was replying to a banned user.
April 20th, 2012 at 10:23 PM ^
April 20th, 2012 at 11:33 PM ^
Even moreso beating them at UConn breaking a 99 game (!) home winning streak.
Big fan of Richard Deitsch (SI writer) on twitter, here's his perspective on the hire:
Michigan Tweeps: Dave Brandon has made a sensational hire w/Kim Barnes-Arico for WBB coach. It will take time but UM will be a Top 20 team.
The Big East is trying to hold on to its dwindling football identity and the basketball-only schools are finding themselves along for the ride. Her job was probably stable but it's hard to say that the program was stable when the conference identity is constantly changing.
St johns had a good team this year, very good hire. Exciting!
It may very well end up being a very good hire...but I don't know that the track record says glory days are around the corner any more than our last few hires. We got her coming off a season that was a peak, but there's not a lot of track record that shows sustained success at a high level if you stop looking at overall record and look at conference record, it's only two really great seasons. But records can be deceiving...and having not watched a lot of women's basketball or know a lot of coaching scuttlebutt I'll go on what Brandon researched on her to give the benefit of the doubt that this is the person who can finally make the program respectable. Having zero ties to the area could mean we're in for another slow turnaround as recruiting ties to the area are developed, much like it was with Beilein. Because she'll have to recruit successfully head to head against MSU to be successful here. But if she ends up doing well we might not have to make another hire for a good long time at her age. And that'd be nice.
You need to look at her record in the context of the conference in which St. John's plays--the Big East, which is a much better conference in women's basketball than the Big Ten is.
Also, consider this: during her ten years at St. John's, she took her team to the NCAA tournament four times. That's only one fewer time than the Michigan women's team has been to the tournament in its entire history.
Given the historic mediocrity of the U-M women's program, this was a great hire.
First of all, it is almost a certainty that at least one, if not two, of her assistants at Michigan will have ties to the Midwest. If that doesn't happen, I'll be shocked and disappointed.
Second, Borseth and his staff had ties in this area but still missed out on a number of recruits, particularly from the Detroit area. Barnes Arico knows how to work the AAU circuit and recruit players from urban/suburban areas. If you need proof, just take a look at her St. John's roster.
Finally, Barnes Arico took over a St. John's program that was in worse shape than Michigan's program was when Borseth was hired. The St. John's women's team went 0-16 in the Big East the year before she was hired, and some were calling it the worst program in the country (see this article). She turned that moribund program into a top-25 program.
To be blunt about it, your lack of knowledge of women's basketball is palpable. People who know a lot more about it than I do have said this is a great hire.
April 21st, 2012 at 10:08 PM ^
April 22nd, 2012 at 10:36 AM ^
I wasn't even on this site when Borseth was hired, so you have no idea what I thought about his hiring.
As for the rest of your rant, it's your usual tiresome shtick. It must be your goal to antagonize every person who posts here.
April 24th, 2012 at 10:02 AM ^
Mick McCabe is being his usual snarky, skeptical jackass-
So she'll be winning a National Championship within 5 years.
Though it was funny that Sam Webb asked some of the same questions to her that I had this morning on the radio...but she's certainly had a kick ass press conference and start.
Hopefully Mr. Levenberry agrees since EJ's younger sister is on one of the top 6th grade girls AAU basketball teams in the country (he mentioned that on one of his interviews). Every little bit helps (even though it's a bit premature and they would never be in school at the same time).
Strange.
I thought this was Jon Gruden's dream job.
He sure as heck ain't gonna find those gigs open anywhere near Ann Arbor.
April 21st, 2012 at 12:11 AM ^
Hopefully she will have better recruting success than the last coach UM hired from out of the region, Cheryl Burnett. This seems to be a similar situation, hiring a coach from another part of the country with a good resume, but with no local ties.
There's a huge difference between hiring a mid-major head coach with a good resume and a coach who has succeeded at the top women's basketball conference in the country. Barnes Arico's ability to recruit elite players is proven--something that Burnett and Borseth never did before arriving in Ann Arbor and largely failed to do while coaching at Michigan. Did Burnett or Borseth--or John Beilein for that matter--ever have a top-10 recruiting class before coming to Michigan? Barnes Arico has had such a class, and she will arrive in Ann Arbor with a better recruiting track record than any of those coaches had before they were hired by U-M.
April 21st, 2012 at 10:36 PM ^