After an enthralling third quarter, Michigan could finally knock out the Trojans (73-67) on a Sunday afternoon at the Crisley Center. This victory meant that the Wolverines improved their record to 17-3 overall and 8-1 in the Big Ten. However, it wasn’t just Michigan that improved its record, but their coach, Kim Barnes Arico, too, became the holder of a distinct achievement after the conclusion of the game.

“Yeah, I didn’t know it was actually going to be 300, and I think Sarah was saying something in the Vandy game or before that win, and I was like ‘wow’. It just gives me a chance to reflect and be like ‘Woo, I’ve been here for a really long time, I think’,” said Kim Barnes Arico before highlighting Geno Auriemma’s advice.

“But Geno Auriemma said to me a long time ago that it’s easy to get to a top program, but the hard part is saying there year in and year out. You can be a one-time thing and fall off. I was a young coach when he said that to me, and that’s something that’s always stuck with me,” Barnes Arico sat down with the media and shared the advice that Husky coach Geno Auriemma had graciously shared with her during her initial days of coaching.

Given Auriemma’s experience, any advice would always be a blessing, and Kim’s performance reflects why it matters. After joining Michigan in April 2012, she has stuck with that college ever since and has accumulated a staggering 301 wins in her 448 games, the highest in program history.

The Vanderbilt game could have marked Kim Barnes Arico’s 300th win, but the gritty SEC opponent had other plans. She reached the milestone in the following game against Rutgers. Now, with a win over the Trojans, Barnes Arico has moved comfortably past the 300-victory mark, adding another proud chapter to her coaching journey. However, this journey wasn’t easy.

Kim Barnes Arico took her whole family, who were based in New York, and relocated to the Midwest. Naturally, risks were involved, but that didn’t deter her one bit, and she took it as a challenge to make Ann Arbor her new home, and that was probably the best choice she ever made, as she describes the whole community in Michigan as “Incredible”.

This feeling of belonging was what translated to the hardwood floors every season. This is what made the Wolverines a team that wasn’t easy to mess with, as time and again, they found success on the court.

Their multiple 20+ wins every season show just how consistent they have been, and the credit goes to coach Kim Barnes Arico for how she has been an omnipresent factor. Of course, the players need to be credited as well. Syla Swords, Milla Holloway, and Te’Yala Delfosse are all doing great for the team. But there’s another player who needs a special mention.

Olivia Olson leading the Wolverine pack

Every pack needs a leader on court, and that is what Olivia Olson is doing for the Wolverines. The Co-Big Ten Freshman of the Year last season is a sophomore this year, and she is controlling the floor with relative ease.

Olson leads Michigan in scoring (18.1 ppg) and has reached double-digits in every game this year. She also dominated the proceedings against the Trojans as she scored 24 points alongside eight rebounds, four steals, and two assists.

Kim Barnes Arico feels her protege is underrated simply because she’s not spoken about much, “because of the balance of our team”. Olson is fluid, and she is easy to work with because of her versatility. Olson can draw fouls, as she did against USC, which helped her team get the win against the Trojans. She is comfortable with offense and defense, handy with the rebounds, and swift with her 3-point shooting.

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Most importantly, she is unselfish and does not get greedy in front of the basket. So what more can you want from a player? Putting the team first against your own self is both noble and courageous, and this is the quality of players that Barnes Arico has at her disposal. So you can imagine why it won’t be long before she wins her 400th game in the NCAA, too.