Northwestern is trying to build its nucleus this year around a 2007 McDonald’s All American, two transfer students and 11 players from the state of Illinois.
And it hopes to establish a new identity.
The Wildcats had a rocky season in 2006-2007. NU won six of its first seven games, then went on a downward spiral to end the season, finishing with an 8-22 (2-14 Big Ten) record.
If NU is successful this year, the first reason will be coach Beth Combs’ 2007 freshman recruiting class, led by 2007 McDonald’s All American center Amy Jaeschke. Jaeschke was ranked 14th nationally and was a part of the USA Basketball Women’s Under-19 team that took home a gold medal at the World Championships in 2006. Although Jaeschke is an accomplished athlete, she is still adjusting to college basketball.
“The biggest difference between high school and college basketball for me is how the game is at a higher pace, having to go from offense to defense and you never get a break,” Jaeschke said. “You have to give a 100 percent every time,” Jaeschke said.
Jaeschke is one reason why Combs is excited about her post depth this season.
“Our post position is where we have the most depth this season,” Combs said. “We have great talent and height that we never had before.”
When the coach says the Cats have height, it is not an understatement. NU has four forwards and centers on the roster that stand 6-foot-2 or taller. Perhaps the most compelling of those centers is transfer Ellen Jaeschke. She transferred from Air Force, where she led the team in blocks and was second in rebounding. Ellen is not only Amy’s cousin, but the Jaeschke clan could prove to be a tough combination in the post this season.
With all the post depth the NU has, it is still the point guards running the show. Senior guard Sara Stutz and sophomores Beth Marshall and Jenny Eckhart are this year’s team captains. Marshall said she enjoys the challenges of being a leader.
“You have to be able to get your teammates to work for and with you and not against you,” Marshall said. “You have to control what you say and your tone in order to make sure that the girls understand. You tell them what they need to do and how they need to do it but in a positive manner to make them want to focus on believing that it can be done.”
Illinois natives Stutz and Eckhart will provide leadership on and off the court for the Cats as well. Stutz is the team’s leading returning scorer, averaging 11.0 points per game last year. She was named to the Academic All-Big Ten team. Eckhart transferred from Syracuse and is playing her first season on the court for NU but has already earned the respect from her teammates and coaches.
With the new faces, roles and identity NU is hoping for a turnaround season, and could be poised to top 10 wins for the first time since 1998-1999.
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