As the final seconds ticked away during a late-game drill at practice on Jan. 22, Northwestern sophomore guard Casey Harter found herself with the ball beyond the arc. Without a second thought, she launched a deep 3-pointer, the ball arcing high and steady toward the basket. The swish that followed sent the team into a frenzy as they mobbed her.
Coach Joe McKeown was testing his developing guard, and Harter passed with flying colors.
Harter regularly rises to the occasion, driven by her desire to reach her potential on and off the court. That’s helped her improve in several areas this season, including setting a career-high of 18 points in the ’Cats season-opener against Illinois State on Nov. 6.
Harter has started all 21 games this year, averaging 7.2 points on 42.4% shooting. Despite the program’s struggles during her two years at NU, Harter’s resolve remains unshaken.
“I’ve always been good at leading by example — in high school and here — and I still get constructive criticism from my coaches to be more vocal,” Harter said. “I’m still working on that.”
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Basketball has always been a part of Harter’s life. Her parents, Mark and Angie, both played the sport in college, though they never pressured her into it.
“They’ve always been so supportive in whatever I want to do,” Harter said. “If I don’t want to play basketball, they’ve always supported it.”
Growing up, Harter also played lacrosse and softball, but basketball received her full attention when she entered high school. Many of the defensive skills that she honed in lacrosse, she said, helped her in basketball. While her parents were initially involved — her mom even served as her middle school travel coach — they gradually took a step back as she advanced.
McKeown’s interest in Harter began unexpectedly during an AAU tournament when he and legendary Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer were scouting another team.
McKeown said VanDerveer turned to him and asked, “Are you recruiting this kid?” He wasn’t, but he quickly became interested in the young talent.
Harter’s academic excellence added to her appeal, especially since Ivy League schools were courting her. When McKeown learned she was an elite student, he saw NU as a perfect fit.
“Tara and I grabbed the coach, and we were like, what about this kid?” McKeown said.
“Everybody starts recruiting her because now Tara and I are going court-to-court watching her.”
As a Philadelphia native, McKeown said he was able to recruit Harter through his familiarity with Pennsylvania, a visit to campus and a bit of luck.
Harter said it felt surreal to have such high-profile schools show interest, but ultimately, the team culture at NU won her over.
“It’s been awesome here,” Harter said. “I have no regrets at all.”
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Once Harter arrived in Evanston, she wasted no time making an impact. While she saw just six minutes in her collegiate debut against UIC, her role quickly expanded. By the end of the 2023-24 season, she had started in more than half of the games, averaging 24 minutes per contest.
Harter said her teammates and high school coaches helped her make an early impact in college despite jumps in athleticism and strength. She added that the culture and team atmosphere elevated her experience.
“Being surrounded by great teammates and coaches that believe in me makes it easy to play and be out there,” Harter said.
One main area of progression for Harter is her 3-pointer. The guard is shooting 43.3% from beyond the arc and attempting three, threes per game, compared to 33.3% and 1.1 in 2023-24.
Still, Harter hasn’t tried more than six 3-pointers in a game. She said her confidence is growing with the shot, but she is still working on it. McKeown has also encouraged her to shoot more, noting her success from range.
“It helps a lot when my percentage is where it is,” Harter said. “I’m still working on it. I’m trying to get shots up — they are all telling me to shoot the ball.”
Harter said she has always prided herself on her defensive prowess and hopes to be named to the Big Ten All-Defensive Team someday.
Harter said guarding many of the top players in the Big Ten and facing players like Villanova guard Maddie Burke and Iowa guard Lucy Olsen in high school have been some of the most exciting challenges of her career.
“I am a strong believer that your offense comes from defense, so that’s why I take pride in it,” Harter said.
Lynn Carroll — who coached Harter at Souderton Area High School — said she always thrived on the defensive end of the court but noted her constant growth.
While the 5-foot-11 guard’s physicality and motor skills were excellent, her on-court communication skills shone through.
“She’s the best defender I’ve ever coached,” Carroll said. “She got better and better each year as a defender, but even as a freshman, she came to us getting it and understanding how to do it.”
Carroll described Harter as “physically gifted” but said her determination set her apart. She emphasized that Harter’s competitive nature is evident in everything she does. Whether on the court, in the classroom or in her personal life, she has always taken a serious approach toward becoming the best version of herself.
Harter’s fierce determination has shaped her into the athlete and person she is today — a mindset that Carroll believes will serve her well in any path.
“Take basketball out of the equation — whatever it is that she wants to be good at in life — she’s gonna work as hard as she can to get good at it,” Carroll said.
During Harter’s four years at Souderton, the school competed in the state playoffs every season, and she led the team as a captain in two of those years.
Carroll described Harter as driven and self-aware, pushing herself relentlessly to improve and holding herself to high standards. This often meant being more demanding of herself than anyone else — especially as she moved towards the collegiate level.
The 21-year Souderton coach recalled how Harter’s intensity sometimes led to her overworking, and she encouraged her to take breaks and give herself grace.
“We had to beg her to take time off in the summer to give her body rest,” Carroll said. “She was incredibly driven and was never satisfied with where she was.”
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Off the court, Harter’s commitment to excellence extends into her academic life. As a member of the National Honor Society in high school, she always valued her education, and that same principle carries over to her time at NU.
Harter is driven not only to excel on the basketball court but also in her studies, understanding that her athletic and academic pursuits will help shape her future.
“Once you do all the little things, it makes it easier,” Harter said.
Harter said playing basketball after college has always been on the “back burner,” but she is not writing off the possibility.
“It’ll depend on the opportunities that come about,” Harter said. “But if not, I’m planning on a life without basketball.”
Email: kamrannia2027@u.northwestern.edu
X: @kamran_nia
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