Division II & III In 1996, Barnes Arico became the head coach at the
Fairleigh Dickinson University campus in
Madison, New Jersey, competing in Division III. In 1997, she was named the head coach at the
New Jersey Institute of Technology in
Newark, transitioning the program from Division III to II. In 1999, she was named the head coach at
Adelphi University in
Garden City, New York at the Division II level, where she remained until 2002. In her final season, she won the
NYCAC regular season and NYCAC tournament against
Dowling College. Barnes Arico was awarded the MBWA D-II Coach of the Year, set a program-record for single-season wins, 28, and advanced to the
2002 NCAA D-II Sweet Sixteen.
St. John's On May 7, 2002, Barnes Arico was named the head coach at
St. John's University for the
Red Storm. She was named the seventh head coach in the then 28-year history of the women's basketball program. She led the Red Storm to their first ever Sweet Sixteen appearance in the
2012 NCAA tournament and held the record for the all-time wins until her successor,
Joe Tartamella, surpassed her in 2022. She was the Big East Coach of the Year in 2006 and 2012. in February 2012
Michigan On April 20, 2012, Barnes Arico was named the ninth head basketball coach at the
University of Michigan for the
Wolverines. During the
2017–18 season, she became the winningest coach in program history. Through 11 years as head coach, she led Michigan to ten 20-win seasons, with the only exception being the 2020 season impacted by
COVID-19. On July 12, 2018, Barnes Arico signed a contract extension with the Wolverines through the 2022–23 season. On September 10, 2021, Barnes Arico signed a contract extension with the Wolverines through the 2025–26 season. On December 28, 2022, Barnes Arico won her 500th career game with a victory over Nebraska. On November 7, 2023, the University of Michigan Athletic Director,
Warde Manuel, announced a contract extension through the 2027–28 basketball season, with an automatic one-year extension added each June. On December 16, 2023, Barnes Arico won her 250th game at Michigan with a victory over Miami (Ohio). On February 12, 2025, Barnes Arico led the Michigan Wolverines to a 70-67 victory over Indiana, securing her 279th victory at
Ann Arbor, Michigan. Already the women's all-time leader in wins, she gained a place in Michigan's record book as the all-time winningest basketball coach, passing the men's all-time leader,
John Beilein. Barnes Arico has led Michigan to nine NCAA tournament appearances, and advanced to the second round eight times, including a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2021 and Elite Eight appearances in 2022 and 2026. ==Personal life==