All the pundits want to talk about how important seniors are in college sports, and although I agree the veterans are a crucial aspect of every team, Northwestern is in the midst of a revolution led by youth.
Look no further than the women’s basketball team, which started two freshmen and a sophomore against Illinois on Thursday night. The point guard is Karly Roser, a sophomore who was thrown into the fire last year by coach Joe McKeown. Roser has become a better and more vocal leader and is already playing like a savvy veteran.
The two freshmen in the starting lineup, forwards Lauren Douglas and Maggie Lyon, are both averaging more than 10 points per game, and McKeown is very demanding on the two of them as they grow throughout the season.
If you’re still not convinced, look at the men’s team, which is led by sophomore Dave Sobolewski at the point. Sobolewski has singlehandedly kept the Wildcats in games this season, and he is playing more and more like Michael Thompson did in his senior year.
In addition to Sobolewski, redshirt freshman Tre Demps has become a scoring machine of late, putting up double digit points in three of the last six games. The guard has been one of NU’s most aggressive players since senior forward Drew Crawford went out with an injury, and the aggressiveness has paid off for the Cats.
True freshmen Kale Abrahamson and Alex Olah have each made some freshman mistakes, but they have also shown flashes of brilliance. The team’s record may not show the talent coach Bill Carmody has with this squad, but next year will be very promising because of these young players.
The most youthful team this winter is probably the wrestling squad, but you wouldn’t know it by the list of accomplishments these guys have accrued. Redshirt sophomores Lee Munster and Mike McMullan are both ranked in the top 10 in their respective weight classes. McMullan finished third at the NCAA Championships last season as a freshman, and Munster qualified for the tournament and even received a seed from the committee.
Pierce Harger, another redshirt sophomore, has made significant strides from his freshman campaign, when he qualified for the NCAA Championships. He is now in line to receive a seed this March. True freshman Dominick Malone has had a sensational first year and is ranked in the top-20 in his weight class.
You will argue all of these teams have excellent seniors, and while that may be true, the seniors are not the difference between the team having success and not. The majority of the starting lineups for each team consists of freshmen and sophomores. The first people off the bench are freshmen and sophomores. The future of these teams are the freshmen and sophomores, and it will continue to be. These programs continuously sign higher profile recruits, and the increase of young talent will only enhance each team’s chance of winning.
If you don’t believe me, just ask coach Pat Fitzgerald, who took a team of young and inexperienced players and turned them into champions. Carmody said he’s tired of talking about the youth because he views his players as veterans already. So although the seniors get all the credit, it is the youthful revolution that has made the Cats successful.
