It has been a hell of a season for the Michigan women’s basketball team.

The Wolverines exceeded all expectations under first-year coach Kim Barnes Arico. Michigan (9-7 Big Ten, 22-11 overall) got off to a 16-2 start — best in program history — during which time the Wolverines went on a 10-game winning streak, setting another program record.

Once Big Ten play started, Michigan set yet another program record by winning its first four games. Adding to the accolades, Barnes Arico led the Wolverines to a win over No. 13 Purdue in early February, and later ended a six-year drought against Michigan State in a close 70-69 win that ended in dramatic fashion at Crisler Center on Feb. 16.

And if that weren’t enough, Michigan earned its first Associated Press ranking since 2002 on Jan. 14 and won its first NCAA Tournament game since 2001.

This team reached new heights fans would never have guessed, especially after an offseason that cost the Wolverines five players to ACL injuries.

“When you get a coaching change, you don’t know what to expect,” said senior guard Jenny Ryan. “I can’t explain enough how much coach (Barnes) Arico did behind the scenes in April before this thing even got going, how much she did for the program, especially the seniors.

“She didn’t just come in and throw her style at us, she worked with us, got to know us as people, as players and once you realize the amount of effort that was put in, I’m not surprised by our success.”

Barnes Arico has pointed to her seniors all season as the reason for the team’s success, and rightfully so. The five seniors, four of whom started, account for 84 percent of the offense. The 80 wins make this class the winningest in school history.

Led by Ryan, Michigan never lacked leadership. Ryan earned third-team All-Big Ten honors, the first time she’s been named to an all-conference team, and averaged 10.2 points per game with 5.2 assists. A leader on and off the court as the point guard and captain, Ryan embraced her vocal role and became the heart and soul of the team from the beginning.

“I’ve coached a lot of really good point guards in my career as a coach, and she leads the pack just because of everything she does,” Barnes Arico said. “She’s the total package. She’s a coach’s dream really.”

The surprise ‘x’-factor for this Wolverine squad was forward Kate Thompson — who had never started a game until this season. Thompson led the team in points, averaging 14.5 per game, but it was her 3-point shooting that carried her. She set the program record for most career 3-pointers as well as 3-pointers in a season. She ended the season with 110, becoming only the fifth player in Big Ten history to hit at least 100 threes in a season.

Thompson garnered second-team All-Big Ten honors and also finished the regular season ranked second in the nation in 3-pointers per game with 3.4. In Michigan’s second-round NCAA Tournament loss to Stanford, Thompson scored just seven points, but it still brought her past the 1,000-point mark for her career.

Center Rachel Sheffer, who led the team in points last season, averaged 12.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game this season. Sheffer proved to be a critical player for a team that typically ran three- or four-guard sets, earning an honorable mention from the Big Ten. Her experience and poise set her apart from the start in the locker room. On Jan. 21, Sheffer scored her 1,000th career point.

Another pleasant surprise from the seniors was forward Nya Jordan, who worked her way into the starting lineup once conference play began. Jordan, whose specialty had always been defense, worked on her shot and ended up averaging 8.5 points per game, while leading the team in rebounds with 7.5 per game. The Detroit native also earned an honorable mention from the Big Ten.

As the only senior who didn’t start, forward Sam Arnold made sure her presence was known when she entered off the bench. Arnold averaged 5.2 points per game and led the team in field-goal percentage, hitting 53.2 percent of her shots. She was by far the most productive bench player for the Wolverines, who spent most of their time in a six-player rotation.

With a Michigan team so dependent on its seniors, Barnes Arico’s squad will be starting over next year, allowing her to put her stamp on the team.