What can we expect from the ‘Cats in the new 17-team Big Ten?
Although Northwestern softball won’t have Ashley Miller, Hannah Cady or Angela Zedak on the roster this season, coach Kate Drohan’s squad is littered with returnees and fresh faces poised to contribute to a squad that’s already a mainstay in the backend of early preseason polls. As Northwestern readies to begin its season in Clearwater, Florida this Friday, a pair of our co-Editors-in-chief, Adam Beck and Ethan Segall, teamed up to answer a couple of questions heading into the the new season.
What is the biggest thing you’re watching for on opening weekend?
Adam Beck: With new and returning faces primed to take on major roles this season, Northwestern’s opening weekend in the Sunshine State should tell us a litany about coach Kate Drohan’s vision for the lineup — especially who slots in at second base, third base, shortstop and the designated player slot. With Hannah Cady’s graduation, Northwestern’s most glaring hole is at third base. Bridget Donahey, Northwestern’s shortstop from last season, could slot over to the hot corner with her strong arm, but Drohan spoke heavily about Donahey’s importance as a leader and communicator at short last season. That could mean we see highly-touted shortstop recruit Kaylie Avvisato over at third instead. Yet at the same time, keeping a first-year at her natural position is a good idea in her first season of college softball.
At second base, Kansas Robinson flashed her glove last season, but Grace Nieto’s return might mean she gets a shot to reclaim her role in the middle infield. You get the sense that if Robinson wants to play the field she will, but that decision could impact if power-slugging first-year Avery Garden sees the lineup as Kate Drohan’s designated player. Northwestern will likely toy with the lineups over the course of its weekend slate, but who Drohan goes to against some of the country’s best softball teams will indicate who she trusts in early-season action.
Ethan Segall: No storyline heading into the season is more intriguing than how Northwestern handles its pitching staff. For the first time in a half-decade, Northwestern looks like it may be without a workhorse ace taking the circle. Lauren Boyd is the headliner, and I am fascinated to see how she looks in her first game action in almost two full years.
Will Northwestern rely on a true rotation? Will Renae Cunningham remain in the bullpen? Do we see first-year Emma Blea on opening weekend? By the end of the weekend, we will have a much clearer picture of how Northwestern internally evaluates its pitchers, the position group that I believe ultimately determines both the floor and ceiling of this team.
Who’s your breakout player to watch for?
Ethan: I’m going to cheat a little by naming two, but sophomores Ainsley Muno and Izzy Cunnea could be in store for a major year-two boost. A season ago, we witnessed Bridget Donahey enjoy a sophomore breakout as she bumped her batting average by over 200 points and developed into one of Northwestern’s reliable hitters. It’s unlikely we see anything to that degree, but I think something similar could be in the cards for Northwestern’s first baseman and left fielder, who both took major steps in the back half of 2024, displaying power at the plate and instances of clutch hitting.
Adam: While Ethan looks at Northwestern’s hitters for breakout potential, Renae Cunningham is primed for a breakout out of the bullpen. While Lauren Boyd and Riley Grudzielanek seem ready to eat up early innings, don’t be surprised to see coach Drohan turn to Cunningham to right the ship late. Hurling 51.2 innings last season, Cunningham impressed with a 2.81 ERA in her first 18 appearances, before a tough outing against Texas in the Austin Regional ballooned her ERA up to 3.47 by the end of the season. In year one, Cunningham showed she could rack up outs by generating ground balls and commanded the strike zone, walking just eight batters. If she can take that next step by getting hitters to swing and miss after just 22 strikeouts in her first season, she’ll be a major part of Northwestern’s success — especially in high-leverage situations.
What’s keeping you up at night heading into the season?
Adam: It’s got to be the pitching. Lauren Boyd, Northwestern’s leader in career innings pitched, hasn’t played since the Tuscaloosa Super Regional in 2023. Although Riley Grudzielanek and Renae Cunningham played meaningful roles down the stretch last year as Ashley Miller struggled, they’re only sophomores. And regardless of the fact Kelsey Nader and Kansas Robinson talked highly about first-year hurler Emma Blea at Softball America’s Big Ten Media Days, counting on a first-year for production is always a risky bet. Northwestern’s offense and power are the strengths of this team, but the ceiling is unequivocally determined by the pitching staff. This weekend will shine a light on how Lauren Boyd looks, offseason progress for the duo of sophomores, Emma Blea’s potential and if Lauren Curry or Signe Dohse are primed to see meaningful action. There are just mountains of preseason question marks with this pitching staff.
Ethan: My answer is also probably the pitching, although I think Michelle Gascoigne has earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to developing pitchers. There were so many games last season where Northwestern was able to stay in games only because of Ashley Miller’s heroics in the circle, and with her removed from the equation, it would be a major challenge for Northwestern’s offense to keep up if the pitching takes a step back. For the sake of including a different answer from Adam, I’ll add that I think the Big Ten is simply a whole heck of a lot tougher this season with the addition of UCLA and Oregon being major threats to Northwestern’s crown, Jordy Bahl’s return to the Cornhuskers and Michigan continuing to build.
What matchup is already circled on your calendar?
Ethan: I could not be more excited for the first three games at the J this season as Northwestern welcomes Mississippi State to Evanston at the end of March. I just love that Northwestern put an SEC opponent on the schedule. It proves Northwestern believes it can be a competitor on the national level and take on programs from the best softball conference in the country. The series itself should provide fireworks as the Bulldogs are fresh off a 2024 season that saw them finish sixth in the SEC standings, the highest they’ve placed since 2008. The matchup will feature two of the best outfielders in the country in Mississippi State’s Sierra Sacco and Northwestern’s Kelsey Nader.
Adam: The UCLA series at the end of the Big Ten regular season has all the makings of a three-game slate with MONUMENTAL implications. The Bruins are the preseason Big Ten favorite, but if Northwestern can keep pace with UCLA’s roster loaded with top-tier talent, the Wildcats will have the opportunity to defend their bid for a fourth-consecutive regular season title. Not to mention, the conference tournament and postseason seeding effects of those three games in Los Angeles make that weekend not just one of the best matchups on Northwestern’s schedule, but one of the most important on the entire conference’s calendar.
Give me your boldest preseason prediction.
Adam — Emma Raye leads Northwestern in home runs: At first glance, saying Emma Raye leads Northwestern in home runs might appear slightly crazy. After all, Kansas Robinson jacked 11 blasts at the top of the lineup, but Raye came in at a close second with 10 homers as a first-year in 2024. Her power improved late too, with three home runs in the last four games of the Big Ten regular season. She’ll have to battle for that title with the aforementioned Robinson as well as Kelsey Nader, who showed her pop down the stretch last season. But with no Angela Zedak on the roster, Raye is the purest power hitter in the lineup. Expect nothing but nukes from her at the dish.
Ethan — Emma Blea finishes with the lowest ERA of all Northwestern pitchers: Last year at this time, I called my shot on a Northwestern first-year, declaring a special season would be in store for Emma Raye. She delivered, earning recognition on both the Big Ten All-Freshman Team and Defensive Team. This year, I’m running it back and becoming one of the first to buy a timeshare on “Blea Island.” I think the first-year, who has a lethal combo with her high-heat fastball and strikeout-inducing dropball, could develop into the most important pitcher on the roster by the end of the season, but I’ll ground my lofty expectations for now and predict that she will be Northwestern’s most effective pitcher in keeping runs from scoring.