When Northwestern found itself placed in the same NCAA Regional as No. 1 Texas last season, the draw seemed less like an opportunity and more like a death sentence — a reckoning for a program still reeling from the departure of its legendary ace, Danielle Williams, the winningest pitcher in school history.
The 2024 campaign, initially billed as a rebuilding year, quickly defied expectations.
The Wildcats, navigating the void left by several graduated stars that had taken NU to three super regional appearances, surged through the early season with the kind of dominance that left even the most formidable conference rivals in their wake. Their third consecutive Big Ten regular season title seemed more a testament to their resilience than to any perceived weakness.
Yet their journey was marred by late-season setbacks.
A pair of thrashings at the hands of Indiana — one shattering what had been the longest active home win streak in Division 1 softball, and the other sending them packing on day two of the Big Ten Tournament — tarnished what had been a promising season.
For a team on the cusp of greatness, these defeats underscored a harsh reality: redemption would not come easily.
Now, nine months removed from a season-ending 7-0 loss to the Longhorns, coach Kate Drohan’s squad stands poised at the precipice of a new chapter. With a roster chock-full of returning stalwarts and newly minted talent, the ’Cats are primed to flip the script.
As the group navigated a tough opening 10 games of its 2025 campaign, the season continues to hold the promise of revival — one that could see them rise once again from the ashes, poised to challenge the giants of the sport in an expanded Big Ten field.
Here are three things to watch out for as NU swings into a new season:
1. Changes in the rotation
Prior to graduating last spring, Ashley Miller bore the brunt of responsibilities in the circle, delivering wins in the conference slate with ease.
After three seasons at Michigan State, Miller broke out in her lone year wearing purple, earning Big Ten Pitcher of the Year honors and posting a conference-best 1.58 ERA.
But when the stakes were highest, the wheels fell off.
In the final regular-season series, Miller issued 18 walks in just 10 innings pitched, and her only frame in the Big Ten Tournament unraveled with a walk, a hit by pitch and a throwing error. By the time the ’Cats reached the NCAA Regionals, Miller was unable to regain the form that had propelled her all season. What had once been a dominant campaign was marred by control issues.
It was in those fraught moments Drohan turned to her young pitchers — then-freshmen Renae Cunningham and Riley Grudzielanek — who saw critical playing time on the sport’s grandest stages. Their performances under pressure served as invaluable experience, setting the stage for what will likely be more prominent roles this season.
Cunningham and Grudzielanek saw near-equal playing time and comparable results last season, with Cunningham posting a 3.39 ERA in 51.2 innings and Grudzielanek registering a 3.46 ERA in 60.2 innings. Cunningham was often called upon in relief — particularly late in the season — while Grudzielanek earned 12 starts, second only to Miller.
This season, Grudzielanek has emerged as the primary workhorse of the staff, starting four games and earning two wins in her 23 innings pitched. The Oak Creek, Wisconsin native said that her primary focus in the offseason was tightening her changeup spin.
“My main goal is to keep hitters guessing about what speed is gonna come,” Grudzielanek said.
Alongside her, graduate student Lauren Boyd returns to the fold after missing last season due to injury. Boyd, who posted a career-best 2.24 ERA in 2023, made key contributions that included nine strikeouts in just 3.2 innings against Miami (Ohio) in regional play and holding perennial powerhouse Alabama to one run at the Tuscaloosa Super Regional.
So far this season, Boyd has made four starts and delivered a complete-game victory over No. 8 Duke — NU’s only win over a ranked opponent to date. However, against other top-25 foes like then-No. 18 Virginia Tech and No. 7 LSU, Boyd has struggled to contain their high-powered offenses as she works to shake off the rust from her time away.
“I think we have a pitching staff where everyone’s ready to go at any given time,” Grudzielanek said. “That kinda takes the pressure off because you know that everyone’s gonna have your back.”
2. Lineup questions remain
NU’s starting lineup has Hannah Cady- and Angela Zedak-sized holes in it.
While the ’Cats graduated just two mainstays from last year’s batting order, replacing the third and fourth spots — traditionally home to the most powerful bats in the lineup — has proven to be a tall task.
Throughout the entirety of the conference slate and postseason last year, junior infielder Kansas Robinson led off and junior outfielder Kelsey Nader batted second, creating a one-two punch that jumpstarted the offense.
“I think Kelsey and I both just have a lot of confidence in ourselves and in each other,” Robinson said ahead of last year’s Big Ten tournament. “I just feel a lot more comfortable with her behind me because I know when I’m getting on, she’s gonna move me.”
By the end of NU’s second weekend of its young season, though, Drohan opted for a different look. Nader moved to the leadoff spot, Robinson shifted to the third hole and freshman infielder Kaylie Avvisato was wedged between the two.
Avvisato — ranked the ninth-best recruit in the nation ahead of this year by Extra Innings Softball — has wasted no time in justifying the shift. In her first 16 collegiate at-bats, she registered nine hits, including three against a dominant then-No. 15 Missouri squad, as the rest of her teammates were held hitless.
She continues to lead NU’s offense over its first 10 games with a .455 average in 33 at-bats, including four extra-base hits.
“I’ve just been doing everything in my power to just try to be on time with the ball and learn from other people’s at-bats,” Avvisato said.
In addition to the freshman’s rapid ascent, senior infielder Grace Nieto has proven to be a valuable asset after returning from an injury that sidelined her for 2024.
Nieto, who has nine hits in her first 10 games back, is already proving why she was missed last season as she steps into a larger leadership role.
“It’s not necessarily the additions that I really like that add to the culture, but how everyone steps up when it’s their turn,” Nieto said.
Despite the emergence of new and returning contributors, NU has faced major hiccups at the plate so far this year. The team’s 62 strikeouts is a Big Ten-worst and the group’s .246 team average is 16th in the conference.
Still, Drohan remains measured in her assessment, attributing her group’s early struggles to the caliber of pitching the team has faced. With six games against ranked opponents already under their belts, she said the ’Cats’ early offensive woes are largely a product of facing some of the best arms in the country.
“As a hitter, you have to strike a balance between taking those lessons learned — ways that we learn about our swing decisions and ways we understand adjustments we can make — and also keeping confidence up,” Drohan said. “But I think it will only help us in the long run.”
3. Formidable foes ahead
Three losses on their recent trip to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, saw the ’Cats drop out of the top 25, but to write off their postseason potential would be an overreaction.
NU’s early schedule has been nothing short of a gauntlet, with the team facing some of the stiffest competition in the country. According to Drohan, that level of play has already tested them in ways that will pay off down the stretch.
The stakes are only going to rise as Big Ten play looms, especially with a now-expanded field that includes No. 4 UCLA, one of college softball’s most storied programs, and a No. 15 Nebraska squad that’s bolstered by significant offseason upgrades.
Fresh off a Women’s College World Series berth, the Bruins added Softball America’s top-ranked recruiting class to a roster that already boasts serious talent. They’ve dropped just one of their first 10 games — a narrow walk-off loss to Virginia this past Sunday — and will likely pose the ’Cats’ most difficult conference series as they close their regular season with a trip to Los Angeles in May.
Two weeks before then, NU will host Nebraska, which has welcomed back senior pitcher Jordy Bahl.
Bahl, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury during 2024’s opening weekend after transferring from Oklahoma, is one of the most dominant two-way players in college softball, sporting a 1.00 career ERA and a .424 batting average.
As the 2025 season heats up, the ’Cats have their sights firmly set on a deep postseason run. But for now, they’re staying focused on the day-to-day grind.
“We’re taking it one game at a time and one pitch at a time,” Nieto said. “We’re trying not to look too much ahead or get distracted by future goals.”
Email: audreypachuta2027@u.northwestern.edu
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