wildcats aim to climb conference table

By JAKE EPSTEIN daily senior staffer @jakeepste1n

Following a final-day Big Ten table jump, Northwestern clinched an improbable return to the conference tournament last season with its lone Big Ten victory over Michigan State.

Although the Wildcats dropped a 1-0 first-round match to top-seeded Maryland in College Park to put a bookend on a sub-.500, whirlwind 2022 season, prospects point toward improvement this fall.

Fresh off serving on US Men’s National Team interim head coach B.J. Callaghan’s staff, coach Russell Payne looks to turn the tide of NU’s recent run of form in his third season at the helm.

Much of Payne’s 2022 recruiting class made instant impacts at Martin Stadium, and many of these now sophomore standouts will be leaned on heavily to make a push up the conference standings.