Northwestern
NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships
This Week in Northwestern Athletics: March 17
3/16/2021 2:38:00 PM | Baseball, Men's Soccer, Men's Tennis, Women's Lacrosse, Women's Soccer, Women's Swimming and Diving, Women's Tennis, Wrestling, Field Hockey
EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern University Athletics will have nine programs in action this week. After successful regular season performances, both wrestling and women's swimming and diving will make an NCAA tournament appearance this week. Easily jump to sections using the shortcuts below:
Wrestling (NCAA Championships)
Women's Swimming and Diving (NCAA Championships)
Lacrosse
Field Hockey
Baseball
Women's Soccer
Men's Soccer
Women's Tennis
Men's Tennis
Wrestling
Northwestern wrestling will send seven qualifiers to the 2021 NCAA Championships beginning Thursday, the program's most qualifiers since 2006. A complete championship schedule and brackets can be found HERE.
Participants for the Wildcats include: Ryan Deakin (#1 Seed, 157 lbs), Chris Cannon (#8 Seed, 133 lbs), Michael DeAugustino (#12 seed, 125 lbs), Lucas Davison (#12 seed, 197 lbs), Yahya Thomas (#25 seed, 149 lbs), Colin Valdiviez (#26 seed, 141 lbs) and David Ferrante (#31 seed, 165 lbs):
For the second-straight season, Deakin earned the No. 1 overall seed at 157 lbs after claiming his second consecutive Big Ten title in dominant fashion at the Big Ten Championships. Deakin defeated his three conference foes at the championships by a combined 28-1 margin. Dating back to his undefeated 21-0 campaign last season, Deakin has now won 27-straight matches and is just the third Wildcat in program history to earn a No. 1 seed at the NCAA Championships in multiple seasons (joining Sebastian Rivera and Jake Herbert).
DeAugustino and Davison will compete in their first NCAA Championships after each were named All Americans following last season's shortened 2020 campaign. Earlier this month, both DeAugustino and Davison earned fifth place finishes at Big Ten Championships. Also making their NCAA Championship debuts are Cannon and Thomas, along with the true first-year Ferrante following a seventh place finish at Big Ten Championships. At 141 lbs, Valdiviez returns to the championships for the first time since 2018.
Women's Swimming and Diving
After the program's best-ever performance at the Big Ten Championships, Northwestern sends eight swimmers to the NCAA Championships in Greensboro, North Carolina this week, the most since also sending eight in 2008. The Wildcats also bring four relay teams to the competition for the 200 free, 400 free, 200 medley and 400 medley relays. Chicago's Big Ten Team will be in action from Thursday to Saturday with trials beginning at 9 a.m. CT and finals beginning at 6 p.m. each day.
Northwestern placed fourth at the Big Ten Championships with a program-record 992 points, knocking down several school records in the process. Senior Maddie Smith starred for the 'Cats at Big Tens, setting three new school records in the 50 free, 100 free and 100 fly. More school records fell in three relays, the 200 medley, 400 medley and 800 free. Live championship coverage can be found on ESPN3 for prelims and finals for each day of the competition.
Lacrosse
No. 3 Northwestern will hit the field to face Rutgers in another weekend double header. They will have their first match up against the Scarlet Knights on Friday at noon, before facing them again on Sunday at 11 a.m. The 'Cats have started their season on a hot streak, going 5-0 for the first time since 2012.
In every week the Wildcats have played, at least one 'Cat has earned a Big Ten weekly award. After her record performance against Ohio State and dominance against Johns Hopkins, junior Izzy Scane was named Big Ten Offensive player of the week. This week, for her career-high seven-goal performance against Penn State, senior Lauren Gilbert earned the offensive player of the week title while first-year Leah Holmes snatched her first Big Ten Freshman of the week honors.
How 'bout them 'Cats?
— Northwestern Athletics (@NU_Sports) March 14, 2021
No. 3 @NULax moves to 5-0 after a sweep of No. 5/7 Penn State. #GoCats | #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/1QiphwZFrt
Field Hockey
The 'Cats will travel to Ann Arbor to face the Wolverines on Saturday at 1 p.m. after an extremely successful home-opener against Indiana. Northwestern swept the Hoosiers 5-0 and 4-0 this past weekend, holding IU to just five shots over two games as the 'Cats improved to 5-1 on the season. It marked the first time since 2015 in which the Wildcats posted shutouts in consecutive games. Junior Kayla Blas led the defensive effort and earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Seven different 'Cats found the back of the net against Indiana, with sophomores Ana Medina Garcia and Bente Baekers leading the pack with two goals apiece. Baekers also leads the 'Cats with four total assists so far this season in addition to her three goals. Northwestern's sweep of Indiana also marks the first two shut-outs of first-year Annabel Skubisz's career.
Nice collection of highlights from Lakeside Field this afternoon - excited to prep for Michigan next weekend. #B1GCats | #nufh pic.twitter.com/vAdRcerK2J
— Northwestern FH (@NUFHCats) March 14, 2021
Baseball
The Wildcats came out with three wins out of their four match-ups with Michigan State last week and will go on to face Minnesota on the road. They're set for a three game series against the Gophers at US Bank Stadium starting on Saturday at 6 p.m.
Junior Shawn Goosenberg propelled the 'Cats to their final win against the Spartans on Sunday after he smashed a walk-off three-run home-run. With that picture perfect ending, Northwestern improved to 5-3 on the season and will take some momentum with them to Minneapolis.
WALK. IT. OFF. ????@ShawnGoosenberg calls game.#GoCats | @NUCatsBaseball pic.twitter.com/QAE6idxGLu
— Northwestern Athletics (@NU_Sports) March 14, 2021
Three innings. Three players. Three grand slams. ??#SCTop10 | @NUCatsBaseball pic.twitter.com/qpf7LcQXpQ
— Northwestern Athletics (@NU_Sports) March 13, 2021
Women's Soccer
After three games on the road, the Wildcats will finally return home on Thursday to face Wisconsin before their Sunday afternoon match-up against Nebraska.
Northwestern is currently 3-3 on the season, with five different 'Cats finding the back of the net. Junior Olivia Stone leads the team with two goals this season, both of which turned out to be game-winners against Maryland and Iowa.
Men's Soccer
Northwestern will face Penn State at home at noon on Friday after tying with Wisconsin 1-1 on Monday. The Wildcats hope to improve their 2-3-1 record.
Sophomore Ugo Achara Jr. scored the lone goal for the 'Cats on Friday. It is his fifth goal of the season, tying him for the lead in total goals in the Big Ten.
??AAACCHAAARAA...GOOOOAAALL@NCAASoccer | #GoCats pic.twitter.com/5xQMGIUOhS
— Northwestern Athletics (@NU_Sports) March 17, 2021
Women's Tennis
Northwestern will finish up its four game home stretch with match-ups against Purdue on Saturday and Indiana on Sunday. The Wildcats hold a strong 12-2 record and are coming off a win over Nebraska and a season-sweep of Iowa. In both victories, the 'Cats showed dominance in the singles, coming up with wins in nearly every match-up.
Men's Tennis
The 'Cats will head to Purdue on Friday for their eighth match of conference play. Northwestern is currently 5-4 overall, coming off a close loss against Illinois this Sunday. Before that they found a 6-1 win against the Hawkeyes, highlighted by #58 Dominik Stary's win over a ranked opponent.
Players Mentioned
