When Northwestern midfielder Carolyn Hack was in the process of picking a school, the short list included NU, California and Loyola. The now-junior was familiar with all three schools, having grown up near San Francisco and spending her last two years of high school at nearby Downers Grove North High School.

The two Chicago-area teams, which face each other today at 4 p.m., were very different when Hack was making her choice in 2001. Loyola (4-4) was coming off aseason in which it won the Horizon League, while the Wildcats went 3-12-3 in 2000, and were undergoing a coaching change.

Strange as it might seem, that’s what made Hack decide to go to NU.

“I wanted to be part of a rebuilding team,” Hack said. “(The Ramblers) were coming off a pretty good season, but I just really clicked with Northwestern.”

Hack, who stepped right into the Cats’ (4-3, 1-1 Big Ten) lineup as one of the team captains her freshman year, said today’s game with Loyola is important for local bragging rights and local recruits.

“Loyola is one of our arch rivals just because they’re so close,” she said. “We want to prove that we’re the best team in Illinois, and we have to beat them to show that.”

The Cats beat DePaul on Sept. 14, and won’t face Big Ten rival Illinois until Oct. 19.

Some of the bragging rights at stake are more personal. Since both teams consist mostly of Illinois natives, today’s game pits former high school and club teammates against each other.

Cats’ sophomore Julie Lipinski was also recruited by both Loyola and NU, but didn’t seriously consider playing for the Ramblers. But Jamie Wasielewski, one of Lipinski’s best friends since fourth grade, wound up in the Loyola lineup as a midfielder. Lipinski and Wasielewski grew up playing club soccer together, and it is possible that the two will go face-to-face today.

“She’ll probably be at midfield or forward and I play outside mid, so we could possibly mark each other,” Lipinski said. “It would be a welcome challenge because I know her style. It would be a blessing in disguise.”

Lake Forest native Molly Greene will also see some familiar faces at tomorrow’s game, which she said will make things “a little more personal.”

“I know quite a few girls because they played for the same club, the Eclipse,” Greene said. “It’ll be fun to go out there and see what faces are still around.”

The Cats’ familiar faces were clutch in last Saturday’s 1-0 win over Michigan, when senior Molly Greene headed home NU’s game-winning goal off a corner kick from senior Aileen Guiney.

The newcomers haven’t been too shabby, either. Freshman goalkeeper Whitney Jones has three shutouts, and freshman Katie Wright scored two goals against DePaul.

And even with classes underway, coach Jenny Haigh isn’t worried about the underclassmen making the necessary adjustments.

“I think we’re all ready for (school to start),” Haigh said. “With school and this midweek game, it’s time for everyone to focus and buckle down.”