Following a final-day Big Ten table jump, Northwestern clinched an improbable return to the conference tournament last season with its lone Big Ten victory over Michigan State.
Although the Wildcats dropped a 1-0 first-round match to top-seeded Maryland in College Park to put a bookend on a sub-.500, whirlwind 2022 season, prospects point toward improvement this fall.
Fresh off serving on US Men’s National Team interim head coach B.J. Callaghan’s staff, coach Russell Payne looks to turn the tide of NU’s recent run of form in his third season at the helm.
Much of Payne’s 2022 recruiting class made instant impacts at Martin Stadium, and many of these now sophomore standouts will be leaned on heavily to make a push up the conference standings.
Sophomore defender Nigel Prince provides prototypical size and aerial prowess for a center back, and the former Atlanta United youth product looks to build upon a standout debut season in the purple and white.
Prince’s classmate, sophomore midfielder Jason Gajadhar, will play a pivotal box-to-box role in central midfield. Gajadhar’s grit and vision earned him a spot on the All-Big Ten Tournament team last fall.
While the Cats struggled to scorch opposing nets last season, senior forward Justin Weiss and sophomore forward Christopher Thaggard look to link up and form a speedy strike partnership this fall.
With graduate student midfielder Reese Mayer highlighting a dynamic group of transfers to blend with another solid recruiting class, the pieces are in place for Payne to produce a winning outfit in Evanston.
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