By Philip Rossman-ReichThe Daily Northwestern

It has been 10 seasons since Northwestern reached the NCAA tournament. Since then, the Wildcats have struggled to reach 10 wins and stay out of the Big Ten’s cellar.

But that could change with this year’s incoming freshman class, led by Amy Jaeschke.

Jaeschke was named to the McDonald’s All-America team and to Parade Magazine’s All-America second team. She averaged 18.0 points and 12.9 rebounds per game in her senior year at New Trier High School.

As New Trier High School coach Teri Rodgers introduced Jaeschke at the team’s postseason banquet, she began listing all the accomplishments of the McDonald’s All-American.

The 6-foot-5 center looked at her head coach and asked for the list to stop.

“She’s not about the glory,” Rodgers said. “She’s about her team being successful and her teammates having a good time and her teammates being happy.”

Jaeschke signed with NU over powerhouse programs such as Duke, Maryland, Ohio State and Purdue – all seeded at least fourth in last year’s NCAA tournament.

Rodgers described Jaeschke as a great post player offensively, with a solid 15-foot jumper and range out to the 3-point line. Rodgers said Jaeschke really improved her ability to pass the ball in her senior year, which will help her adjust to the next level.

NU coach Beth Combs said she believes Jaeschke picked NU because of the opportunity to turn the program around. Despite the Cats’ poor record in the past decade, she feels the team is on track to get noticed after signing the All-American.

Sophomore forward Kristin Cartwright, who played Amateur Athletic Union club basketball with Jaeschke and sophomore transfer Jenny Eckhart, said the opportunity to build a program is a challenge that some of the best players can’t resist.

“I think what attracted her was the thing that attracted my class and the freshmen right now, which is to build a program which is not great and turn it around,” Cartwright said. “If you’re good enough anyone can really go to Maryland and be on a great team, and they don’t have to do anything. But to do something yourself and turn around a program, I think that’s why a lot of us chose to come here.”

Jaeschke said NU was her top choice because it would allow her family to attend games and because of the familiarity with players like Cartwright and Eckhart, who transferred from Syracuse last season, as well as cousin Ellen Jaeschke, who transferred from Air Force last season. Rodgers said her teammates are what is most important to Amy, and that familiarity helped Amy make her final decision.

Jaeschke’s presence on the floor could pay immediate dividends for a team whose starting center was 6-feet going up against opponents who were often taller than her – the Big Ten features centers as tall as 6-foot-6. The Cats played with a serious disadvantage last season guarding taller players.

“Hopefully I can help them out being a presence in the lane,” Jaeschke said. “I know they don’t have a lot of height right now. Going in the Big Ten there is a lot of height all over the place. Hopefully I can help out with the inside presence.”

Combs said Jaeschke will immediately garner the attention of opponents on defense and free up her teammates.

“What (adding size) does more than anything is make opponents defend all five of our players,” Combs said. “You put in another 6-5, another 6-3, another 6-6 kid out on the floor, not only does it give you another opportunity to score down low, but it opens up your perimeter game. It’s two-fold for us because it makes people have to defend them, but also makes you think about defending them in your scheme. That’s what we’ve been missing.”

Jaeschke will have to adjust to playing opponents her height on a nightly basis. Rodgers said she will have to improve her strength and quickness to be successful at the next level.

But Rodgers said Jaeschke is up to the challenge.

“I think she was often better when she did have a kid the same size (guarding her),” Rodgers said. “She’s a little too nice and so when she would get a 5-9, 5-10 player on her she tended not to do as well. I think she rises to the challenge and she really enjoys playing against someone who is similar to her.”

Jaeschke said she looks forward to bringing her skills to the team and trying to make NU a top-20 program.

Her signing could be the start for the Cats’ climb out of the Big Ten’s cellar.

“Hopefully we’ll have won a couple national championships by the time I graduate,” Jaeschke said. “Hopefully we’ll be a top-20 program … by the time I graduate and make it to the NCAA tournament.”

Reach Philip Rossman-Reich at [email protected].