THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN
ORIENTATION ISSUE 2023
47
BASEBALL
wildcats are down players and coaches By AAYUSHYA AGARWAL
daily senior staffer @aayushyagarwal7
The 2023 season was not kind to Northwestern. Finishing 4-20 in conference play and 10-40 overall, NU suffered its most defeats in program history and finished last in the Big Ten.
The start of the season could not have been worse for the Cats. After starting off the season 0-6, the team lost three assistant coaches in the middle of season, leaving them to finish out the season without a full coaching staff. Making matters worse was a tumultuous offseason. Following reports of coach Jim Foster creating an abusive environment that included bullying and sexism, the University indefinitely suspended him.
The team’s poor 2023 showing and Foster’s alleged negligent culture likely caused many players to enter the transfer portal. When Foster was initially relieved of his duties on July 13, there were fifteen NU players in the transfer portal. Now as the Cats look towards the 2024 season, a lot of questions arise about the roster and coaching staff. The team mostly consists of underclassmen and still needs to fill out its roster. NU announced former
MLB outfielder Brian Anderson as its interim coach, but it is still unclear whether he will lead the team when the season starts. Ultimately, the expectations for Northwestern baseball are low entering the upcoming season. With a low bar set from this past season and the offseason, NU can only look up from here. aayushyaagarwal2024@u.northwestern.edu
SOFTBALL
rocky 2024 path after dominant season By SAUL PINK
daily senior staffer @saullpink
The Northwestern softball team that will take the diamond at Sharon J. Drysdale Field this spring will look different. NU is coming off of an unforgettable season, which
featured an undefeated record at home and the Cats’ first Big Ten Tournament championship since 2008. Coach Kate Drohan’s squad fell just short of a return to the Women’s College World Series, losing to Alabama in a tight three-game super regional. With five key veteran leaders graduating, NU’s path to Big Ten dominance in 2024 will be rockier. This season, Drohan will likely look to senior Lauren Boyd and Michigan State transfer Ashley Miller to fill
Williams’ shoes in the rotation. losing key players in the field and at the plate, as well. Catcher Jordyn Rudd, outfielder Skyler Shellmyer, first baseman Nikki Cuchran and shortstop Maeve Nelson all graduated. But NU benefitted from freshman firepower from infielder Kansas Robinson and outfielder Kelsey Nader, who will both see bigger roles in their sophomore seasons. Drohan is also adding eight freshmen, who
could provide the Cats much-needed depth at each position. NU’s Big Ten competition remains strong, and the loss of so many veterans gives the Cats a challenging road to back-to-back Big Ten Tournament titles, let alone a trip to Oklahoma City. But with a rising young core, NU has a chance to do the unexpected. saulpink2025@u.northwestern.edu
MEN’S GOLF
WOMEN’S GOLF
cats look to future new faces to step up By LUCAS KIM
daily senior staffer @lucaskim_15
The 2023 Big Ten Coach of the Year, Big Ten Freshman of the Year and four First-Team All-Big Ten honorees propelled Northwestern to a spot in the NCAA Championship tournament last season. Ending the season at No. 15 in the nation, the Wildcats enjoyed a dominant stretch of stellar tournament showings in the spring. NU advanced to the NCAA Championship after placing third at the NCAA Palm Beach Regional, but eventually cooled down, finishing 22nd out of the 30
qualifying squads. The Cats will return three First-Team All-Big Ten honorees next season. Senior Jieni Li will look to build upon an impressive 2022-23 season having averaged the second-lowest strokes per round on the team. Also returning is junior Lauryn Nguyen, who tallied four top-10 tournament finishes. 2023 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Dianna Lee led the team with two top-5 finishes last season. The departures of Kelly Sim and Irene Kim will certainly have a noticeable impact on the team. The Cats will need to find a way to replace their production. lucaskim2025@u.northwestern.edu
By LUCAS KIM
daily senior staffer @lucaskim_15
Northwestern’s 2022-2023 campaign resulted in an individual Big Ten Championship title and an NCAA Regional appearance, but ended on a sour note as the squad fell a mere three strokes short of advancing to the NCAA Championship. The Wildcats enjoyed a stellar spring season finishing second in the Big Ten Championship. Though the team failed to appear in its first NCAA Championship since 2018, there remains much to look forward to in its upcoming season.
With the departure of superstar and 2022 Big Ten Champion David Nyfjäll, sophomore Daniel Svärd is poised for a breakout season. The reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year medalled at the 2023 Big Ten Championship a year after Nyfjäll did the same. Svärd became the 12th different individual Big Ten champion in program history. The Cats will also return junior Cameron Adam, who notched a top-20 finish at the NCAA Las Vegas Regional. With three freshmen signees prepared to compete for a starting rotational spot, the Cats will have to rely on some unfamiliar faces to step up. lucaskim2025@u.northwestern.edu
NORRIS AT NIGHT Welcome 1st Year Players, Class of 2027
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