Roll Damn 'Cats
We’re about halfway through the regular season, and the official stretch of Big Ten play starts this week. Northwestern has already experienced its fair share of ups and downs, and if the first half is any indication, the rest of the season should bring plenty more twists and turns. Regretfully, there was no available broadcast […]
The snow was coming down harder by the inning at Rocky and Berenice Miller Park. The handful of fans who had braved the weather hunkered down, prepared to endure extra innings in the blistering cold. Until, with two outs and a full count, Logan de Groot shot a single through the infield, scoring Jake Yang […]
Northwestern softball dominated in Highland Heights, Kentucky this past weekend, sweeping four games against Detroit Mercy, Northern Kentucky and Northern Iowa. The Wildcats controlled the weekend from start to finish, as they outscored their opponents 45-8 over four games, while winning three of them on a run-rule. The series marked a major turnaround and confidence […]
The Big Ten Tournament ended with the teams that had the two most interesting season-long storylines facing off against each other. Purdue was the preseason AP No. 1 team and started 17-1, but it was Michigan who went 19-1 in conference play and beat Wisconsin in the conference semifinals to claim wins against every team […]
The confetti has fallen in Chicago and Indianapolis, the brackets are set and the Big Ten’s best teams have made their cases as March Madness is finally upon us. From Washington’s overtime stunner over USC on the men’s side, to UCLA’s 51-point domination in the women’s championship game, the Big Ten tournament delivered all the […]
Across Northwestern Lacrosse’s five seasons between 2021 and 2025, the program lost just two games at Ryan Fieldhouse. Barring a few hiccups against the likes of Boston College and North Carolina, the ‘Cats were an unstoppable force in Evanston — a label that, in 2026, seems to have shifted. Already this year, Northwestern (5-3, 0-1 […]
Speaking to the media just moments after Northwestern’s season-ending loss to Purdue on Thursday, head coach Chris Collins outlined what he believes to be the key to returning his program to the NCAA tournament: a commitment from the administration to invest heavily in men’s basketball. “It’s big business now,” said Collins. “You’ve got to invest…it’s […]
Nick Martinelli has finished his Northwestern basketball journey. The hug Martinelli shared with coach Chris Collins after checking out embodies that fact, along with the moments he shared with each player and assistant coach as he went down and was hugged by everyone on the bench at the time. His embrace with Collins was an […]
While the rest of the team had already found themselves back in the locker room, Nick Martinelli stayed behind just a moment longer. The senior from Glenview, Illinois, who had spent all four years with Northwestern, had just played his final game for the Wildcats. He was caught up with emotion as he stood in […]
Two times this season, Northwestern lacrosse lost a game. Two times this season, opposing teams rushed the Ryan Fieldhouse turf after the final buzzer sounded, hugging each other as their cheers echoed through the indoor facility. First, it was Northwestern’s 10-9 loss Feb. 9 against an unranked Colorado team, which celebrated by taking group photos […]
No. 4 Northwestern dropped its second game of the season Thursday, falling to No. 14 Syracuse 9-6 at Ryan Fieldhouse. The Wildcats opened with the night’s first goal but were outperformed the rest of the way. NU showed flashes of life — pulling within one in the second quarter before the game fell out of […]
Northwestern had very little margin for error Thursday night, and against a bigger, deeper Purdue team, that margin disappeared quickly. Playing its third game in three days, Northwestern looked worn down from the start in an 81-68 loss to the Boilermakers in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals. The Wildcats were already facing a difficult turnaround, but the challenge became even steeper with Arrinten Page out due to illness and Tre Singleton limited after injuring his wrist the night before...
It was fun while it lasted. Northwestern’s (15-19, 5-15 B1G) Big Ten Tournament is over as a motivated Purdue (23-8, 13-7 B1G) defeated the exhausted Wildcats 81-68 in the United Center. The Boilermakers rode hot shooting from guards Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Gicarri Harris to a 45-21 lead at halftime as Northwestern was forced […]
Following back-to-back wins over No. 18-seeded Penn State and No. 10-seeded Indiana, No. 15-seeded Northwestern (15-18, 5-15 B1G) is looking to extend its season once more, this time against No. 7-seeded Purdue (23-8, 13-7 B1G). The Boilermakers won the last matchup 70-66 eight days ago in Evanston, but the Wildcats have been a problem for […]
Chris Collins hears you. More specifically, he hears Steve Greenberg, the Chicago Sun-Times columnist who wrote on Tuesday that the Northwestern program has regressed to the point that its “almost hard to believe” that Collins led the ‘Cats to the NCAA tournament in 2023 and 2024. Of Northwestern’s opening round matchup with Penn State, Greenberg […]
Northwestern came into its matchup with Indiana believing they could beat the Hoosiers again. That belief was not empty — the ‘Cats had done it before. Six times in a row, to be exact, including in Bloomington this February. In that first meeting this season, Northwestern fell behind early before roaring back in the second […]
The ‘Cats are still dancing. With its season hanging in the balance, Northwestern decided it wasn’t ready to go home just yet, taking down the Hoosiers 74-61 to advance to the third round of the Big Ten Tournament. The ‘Cats entered the game as 6.5-point underdogs (per Draft Kings) against an Indiana team that needed […]
The hotel lobbies around Lucas Oil Stadium have a specific rhythm during combine week. Scouts huddle in corners with high-top chairs pulled too close. Agents pace near the coffee stations. Prospects walk through in matching league-issued drip, trying not to make eye contact with anyone holding a clipboard. I spent three days watching Northwestern’s three […]
Northwestern has already exceeded expectations with its second upset win over Indiana on Wednesday, but the path forward in the Big Ten Tournament will have to go through familiar territory against Purdue. The Wildcats tested the Boilermakers in their first matchup eight days earlier, leading the game on Senior Night for 30 minutes before the […]
The time for tune-ups and tinkering with pitch mixes is officially over. On Friday, Northwestern will kick off conference play against undefeated USC and unfortunately, the Wildcats couldn’t capture any momentum as they prepare to host the Big Ten’s best. Rather than analyzing the ‘Cats performances in the losses to South Dakota State and UNLV, […]
It’s a familiar top 10 in women’s lacrosse, as no team in the top 10 of the IWLCA coaches poll shifted more than two spots from a week ago. Still, there were plenty of interesting results from the top squads. Let’s take a look. NOTE: All rankings referenced in this article are from this week’s […]
Northwestern still owns Indiana. The No-15-seeded Wildcats (15-18, 5-15 B1G) pulled off their second upset over the No. 10-seeded Hoosiers (18-14, 9-11 B1G) of the season, riding a 14-point advantage in the second half to a 74-61 victory. For Northwestern, who else but Nick Martinelli to lead the way. The senior finished with 28 points […]
After a 76-66 win over No. 18-seeded Penn State last night, No. 15-seeded Northwestern’s (14-18, 6-15 B1G) Big Ten Tournament run continues against No-1o-seeded Indiana (18-13, 9-11). The ‘Cats prevailed in the last matchup, taking down the Hoosiers 72-68 in Bloomington. Northwestern has won its the last six contests against Indiana, the longest streak in […]
The opening minutes felt like two fighters feeling each other out, trading jabs and seeing who would blink first. Despite how emphatic NU’s previous meeting with the Nittany Lions was, it was clear down the stretch this season that they would not be blowing any team out. By the time the first half reached its […]
Chris Collins doesn’t want you to think that he’s getting reflective. Not yet. He’s “in a fight,” his focus locked on nothing but Wednesday night’s contest against Indiana. But the 13th-year Northwestern head coach can’t help himself. “No one’s more self critical of their team, of themself, than me,” Collins said when asked what he’s […]