Predicted finish: 2nd
Last year’s record: 22-9. 10-6 B1G
Key returners:
G- Nicole Munger- 6.5 PPG, 43% FG, 19.7 MPG
C- Hallie Thome- 16.0 PPG, 62% FG, 28.7 MPG
Newcomers:
F- Taylor Rooks 6’0 (Bridgewater, New Jersey) Grad. Trns.
F- Naz Hilllmon 6’2 (Cleveland, Ohio) Fr. (no. 58 on ESPN’s Hoopgurlz)
G- Amy Dilk 6’0 (Carmel, Indiana) Fr. (no. 40 on ESPN’s Hoopgurlz)
G- Ariel Young 6’1 (Tallahassee, Florida) Fr. (no. 92 on ESPN’s Hoopgurlz)
G- Emily Kiser 6’3 (Noblesville, Indiana) Fr. (no. 78 on ESPN’s Hoopgurlz)
F- Danielle Rauch 5’8 (Syracuse, NY) Fr.
Key non-conference games:
11/29: NC State
12/2: Marquette
Head coach: Kim Barnes Arico-7th season
Kim Barnes Arico enters her seventh season as the head coach in 2018-19 and like Bluder for Iowa, Barnes Arico is the winningest coach in her program’s history. To add to her accomplishments, she is the only coach in program history to have six 20-win seasons. She has led the Wolverines to at least 20 wins in each of her six seasons. Under her, Michigan went to two NCAA Tournament appearances and the 2017 WNIT championship . Barnes Arico also eclipsed 400 wins for her career during the 2017-18 season, making her the seventh active Big Ten coach to reach the mark.
Outlook:
Out of all of the B1G teams, Michigan has the most ranked incoming freshmen with four. Without Katelynn Flaherty however, it raises questions to how they can play without her with so many newcomers coming in. However, the Wolverines still have Hallie Thome, a unanimous preseason pick in the 2017-2018 season. Thome averaged 16 PPG and made 62 percent of her field goals, and you can expect her to expand her role even further.
Best case scenario: Michigan holds its own without Katelynn Flaherty and all four incoming freshman mature quickly.
Worst case scenario: Too much freshman inconsistency limits Thome’s ceiling and Michigan struggles in the post-Flaherty era.