Northwestern University Athletics
'Cats Host Chicago Red Stars April 3 to Open Spring Season
3/25/2016 12:18:00 PM | Women's Soccer
EVANSTON, Ill. – For just the second time in program history, Northwestern will host a professional women's soccer team at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium when the Chicago Red Stars visit Evanston on April 3 at 5 p.m., to open the Wildcats' spring season.
The match is the first in a seven-game spring schedule for Northwestern that will also see the 'Cats take on Big Ten foe Wisconsin and other regional rivals. The complete spring schedule appears below.
Plenty of familiar faces will be returning to the Red Stars, including U.S. Women's National Team players Julie Johnston and Christen Press, along with 2015 NWSL Rookie of the Year Danielle Colaprico. Fellow U.S. National Team member Alyssa Naeher joins the Red Stars after being acquired via trade during the off-season.
Chicago's Big Ten Team is coming off a historical 2015 campaign, despite facing some particularly challenging circumstances. Due to ongoing renovations at Lakeside Field, all of the 'Cats home games and training for the 2015 season were played off campus at Toyota Park, home of the Chicago Red Stars and the Chicago Fire. Northwestern went 13-5-2 during the regular-season with seven Big Ten victories – the most since 1998 – and appeared in the NSCAA polls for the first time in 17 years.
Most notably, the 'Cats punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998, and just the third time in program history.
The #B1GCats were bolstered by the stalwart play between the pipes. Sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Clem and the Wildcats' young defense posted a program-best 12 shutouts as well as a goals-against-average of just .656, which ranked among the NCAA's top 10.
Fans are welcome to attend Northwestern's home spring scrimmages at Martin Stadium. There is no charge for admission.
*The Wildcats will host the 2016 Chicago Cup with an opening match versus cross-town rival UIC. The other game pits Loyola against DePaul. The winning teams advance to the title game and the losing teams to the third-place game.
The match is the first in a seven-game spring schedule for Northwestern that will also see the 'Cats take on Big Ten foe Wisconsin and other regional rivals. The complete spring schedule appears below.
Plenty of familiar faces will be returning to the Red Stars, including U.S. Women's National Team players Julie Johnston and Christen Press, along with 2015 NWSL Rookie of the Year Danielle Colaprico. Fellow U.S. National Team member Alyssa Naeher joins the Red Stars after being acquired via trade during the off-season.
Chicago's Big Ten Team is coming off a historical 2015 campaign, despite facing some particularly challenging circumstances. Due to ongoing renovations at Lakeside Field, all of the 'Cats home games and training for the 2015 season were played off campus at Toyota Park, home of the Chicago Red Stars and the Chicago Fire. Northwestern went 13-5-2 during the regular-season with seven Big Ten victories – the most since 1998 – and appeared in the NSCAA polls for the first time in 17 years.
Most notably, the 'Cats punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998, and just the third time in program history.
The #B1GCats were bolstered by the stalwart play between the pipes. Sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Clem and the Wildcats' young defense posted a program-best 12 shutouts as well as a goals-against-average of just .656, which ranked among the NCAA's top 10.
Fans are welcome to attend Northwestern's home spring scrimmages at Martin Stadium. There is no charge for admission.
| 2016 SPRING SCHEDULE | |||
| DATE | TIME | OPPONENT | LOCATION |
| April 3 | 5 p.m. | Chicago Red Stars | Martin Stadium (Evanston, Ill.) |
| April 3 | TBA | Grand Valley | Martin Stadium (Evanston, Ill.) |
| April 9 | 5:30 | Alumni Game | Martin Stadium (Evanston, Ill.) |
| April 17 | 1 p.m. | at Notre Dame | South Bend, Ind. |
| *April 24 | Noon 3 p.m. | NU vs. UIC & Loyola vs. DePaul Championship / Consolation | Martin Stadium (Evanston, Ill.) |
| May 1 | 11 a.m. | Marquette | Madison, Wisc. |
| May 1 | 2 p.m. | Wisconsin | Madison, Wisc. |
| May 7 | 6 p.m. | DePaul | Martin Stadium (Evanston, Ill.) |
*The Wildcats will host the 2016 Chicago Cup with an opening match versus cross-town rival UIC. The other game pits Loyola against DePaul. The winning teams advance to the title game and the losing teams to the third-place game.
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