It’s rare for athletes to see firsthand how much success hard work can bring, but that opportunity came this past week for the William Floyd girls’ basketball team. The Colonials attended the Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, an annual event featuring elite Division I matchups. The team was there to watch a highly anticipated game between the Syracuse Orange and the No. 6 Michigan Wolverines.
This matchup carried special significance for William Floyd, as it featured two alumni competing at the highest level. Michigan was led by head coach Kim Barnes Arico, a 1988 William Floyd alumna, while Syracuse featured guard Shy Hawkins, a 2024 William Floyd graduate. The Wolverines came away with an impressive 81–55 victory.
Coach Barnes Arico is a member of the William Floyd, Suffolk County, and Adelphi University Athletic Hall of Fames and a recipient of the 2011 William Floyd Distinguished Alumni Award. Her collegiate coaching career is remarkable, with more than 500 career wins, including 291 at Michigan, the most by any basketball coach, men’s or women’s, in school history. She also guided the Wolverines to program-first NCAA Tournament appearances in the Sweet 16 in 2021 and the Elite Eight in 2022, and earned Big Ten Coach of the Year honors in 2017 and 2022.
Hawkins lead the Colonials to a League I title and a Class AAA semifinal appearance. As a freshman at Syracuse, she appeared in 27 of 30 games and has played in all eight contests to begin the 2025–26 season, contributing to the Orange’s strong 7–1 start.
Following the game, the Colonials had the chance to speak with both Barnes Arico and Hawkins. They answered questions, posed for photos, and shared inspirational messages about teamwork, effort, and attitude. Coach Sinclair called it a one-of-a-kind experience that will positively impact the team as it begins the season 2–0, with wins over North Babylon and Sachem North.