Stuck is the all-time leading scorer of Charlevoix High School, scoring 1,494 points over her career, a fact even more impressive given that she tore her ACL last summer and had to sit out almost her entire senior season.
With an impressive tenure as head coach, the identity and culture within the team has remained the same throughout Kim Barnes Arico’s career in Ann Arbor.
But you can’t win a game, much less a Big Ten Championship, with just two players. Though the entire starting lineup is back from last year, all eyes are on the bench players to see who can step up and provide that extra spark to get the Wolverines over the hump.
In an abnormal season, it helps that the Wolverines have a lot of experience returning to the court. Junior forward Naz Hillmon, junior guard Amy Dilk, fifth-year guard Akienreh Johnson, and senior forward Hailey Brown were starters last year and will be playing for Michigan in the upcoming season.
The transfer shooting guard from Nebraska will look to earn a place in the rotation with her shooting ability and defensive versatility.
The beaming stadium lights. The giant block ‘M’ at half court. The long haul up the lobby stairs to the stands. Michigan women’s basketball will soon be upon us.
Forward Naz Hillmon will be bringing the same energy and leadership that made her the team’s leading scorer last season. In her first few practices of this season, Hillmon has made it a priority to develop as a leader among the team.
But the transition from the high school game to the college game can be tough. Sidor found herself intimidated. She had to learn a whole new offense and defense while adjusting to college life. Even for someone who averaged nearly 30 points a game her senior year of high school, this presented a lot of challenges.
Now, a year later, she can already see improvements in both her game and her confidence.
This season, 3-point shooting will continue to remain an important part of Michigan’s offense.
Michigan played a significant role in Goree’s transition to European ball.