The Daily Northwestern - May 6th, 2024

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4 A&E/ e Bear

Season three of ‘The Bear’ films in Evanston

Monday, May 6, 2024

AUDIO/Cats Corner

Hear more about NU’s baseball and so ball teams

Dancers moved to the beat of Riize’s “Talk Saxy.”

8 SPORTS/Lacrosse NU captures second straight Big Ten title

Residents learn campaign basics

Foundation hosts in-person Public Service Challenge

By SARAH SEROTA the daily northwestern @sarahserota

Evanston Community Foundation held its rst in-person Public Service Challenge since before the COVID-19 pandemic at the Joseph E. Hill Early Childhood Center Saturday.

Established in 2000, the Public Service Challenge seeks to help Evanston residents navigate the intricacies of running a city o ce or school board campaign through nonpartisan training, according to Senior Director of Community Leadership Karli Butler.

pre-information, where people didn’t have to go hunting for it, it would bring people out who maybe had considered running but didn’t know where to start.”

This year, event partners included the Evanston Public Library and the Evanston/North Shore Branch of the NAACP. e rst part of the event was a panel discussion between Evanston leaders.

City Clerk Stephanie Mendoza discussed the specifics of filing for office, including quali cations to run, signature requirements and key filing dates. She also addressed the details of ge ing on the ballot that participants may not be aware of, including how to bind the paperwork.

SA hosts night at the ‘os rs’ Annual show features songs, dances

By KELLEY LU the daily northwestern @kelleylu_

With an audience of over 500 to cheer on singing, dancing and taekwondo performances,

SA Show closed out with a win at the “os rs” Friday night.

e Korean American Student Association hosted its annual show at the Technological Institute, with this year’s theme being the “os rs.” With

Pinoy Show breaks a endance record

Kaibigan raises more than $1000 for Project People

By KAAVYA BUTANEY daily senior staffer @kaavya_butaney

Four years ago, when Weinberg senior and former internal president Abby Burt joined Kaibigan, the PhilippineAmerican Student Association at Northwestern, she said there were only ve members. e club now has around 50 members and broke the a endance record for its annual Pinoy Show for the second year in a row Saturday.

Pinoy Show 2024, “The Bachelor: More than Kaibigan,” saw 328 a endees and, during a “Miracle Minute” of donation, raised $828 for Project People. e charity supports Filipino refugees and their families from Gaza resettling in the Philippines. Proceeds from the show’s ticket sales also contributed to the donation. As a whole, the club raised over $1,000.

During event preparation, Burt said she saw other members 12 hours a day. Although it was stressful, she said the group put “so much love” into the show. All of the co-producers this year are seniors.

“(We) get one last hurrah to this club that we love so much and have dedicated our entire college lives to,” Burt said.

Several other co-producers, like Weinberg senior and former external president and socio-cultural chair Aidan Ocampo and Weinberg senior and former external president MJ Nidea, said their nal show was a culmination of their time spent in Kaibigan.

Ocampo said this year’s Pinoy Show is the highlight of his college experience. He added he was proud of everyone who was involved, from writing the scripts to holding the benches for sayaw sa bangko, a traditional Filipino dance.

“It’s once a year when we get to have such a big platform and to use this opportunity to have such a big audience

and taekwondo performances

a show commi ee of over 40 people to cater to SA’s over 600 members, the event is the club’s biggest of the year.

Weinberg senior and SA co-President Christine Lee said the show is an opportunity to invite the broader Northwestern

community to learn about and celebrate Korean American culture beyond what’s featured in the media.

“Our KASA community really united together going

» See KASA SHOW, page 6

e event covered topics like se ing up a bank account, ling necessary paperwork and establishing what makes a successful campaign. Evanston Community Foundation continues to hold the program to ensure running a campaign is accessible and to inspire residents to become more involved in the community, Butler said.

“If we want to encourage folks to be civically engaged, they have to know about the process,” she said. “By providing

Democratic Party of Evanston Board President Rachel O’Konis Ru enberg talked about the fundraising process and eldwork aspect of campaigns. She encouraged voters to put e ort into fundraising if they run for o ce because mailings can be a crucial determiner of voter contact.

“You want people to know who you are, and you want to get your message out about the campaign,” O’Konis Ru enberg said. “Voter contact should be your North Star.”

» See PUBLIC SERVICE , page 6

Panel discusses Israel-Hamas war

First Presbyterian Church of Evanston hosts Nashashibi, Rosen

By MISHA OBEROI the daily northwestern

First Presbyterian Church of Evanston hosted a Sunday panel discussion in collaboration with nonpro t Bright Stars of Bethlehem on the role of religion, politics and solidarity in the Israel-Hamas war.

Panelists included Rev. Mitri Raheb — co-founder of Bright Stars and Dar al-Kalima University in Bethlehem, a city in the West Bank — Rabbi Brant Rosen, founding rabbi of Tzedek Chicago, Palestinian-American activist Rami Nashashibi and Iva Carruthers, the general secretary of the Samuel DeWi Proctor Conference.

Linda Edens, vice chair of the Bright Stars of Bethlehem board of directors, moderated the discussion. Each panelist had 15 minutes to speak about the topic.

Raheb started the conversation and spoke about what he called the “se ler colonial project” that Israel has exercised in Gaza over the last century.

“It’s always about two issues: geography and demography,” Raheb said. “Israel would like to take all the geography, from the

river to the sea, and to kick out the demography — the Palestinian demography, in all di erent kinds of ways.”

Raheb also spoke about Israel’s ground and air o ensive in Gaza and the thousands of children that have been murdered. He said there are no more universities le in Gaza.

Israel’s military action in Gaza has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian o cials. Israel’s ground and air o ensive follows the militant group Hamas’ Oct. 7 a ack on Israel which killed about 1,200 Israelis, according to Israeli o cials.

Raheb spoke about Bright Stars, an organization committed to upli ing Palestinians by raising awareness and support for Dar al-Kalima University in Bethlehem, the rst and only liberal arts university in Palestine. e university’s Gaza training center was destroyed in an airstrike by Israel during Holy Week, according to Raheb. Several volunteers of the center were killed or escaped to Rafah, Gaza, Raheb said.

“We were reaching out to thousands of kids through our program,” Raheb said. “All of

this was totally destroyed during Holy Week.” Rosen returned last week from the Erez crossing on the Gaza border, where he stood in solidarity with other rabbis calling for a cease re. He said the Jewish participation in the

pro-Palestine movement, especially from young Jews, has been remarkable.

Rosen also visited the proPalestinian encampment at DePaul University on Saturday,

Kelley Lu/The Daily Northwestern

Misha Oberoi/The Daily Northwestern Panelist Rev. Mitri Raheb, who co-founded Dar al-Kalima University in Bethlehem, West Bank, said the university’s training center in Gaza was destroyed in an airstrike by Israel during Holy Week.

Paws and Claws Birthday Bash celebrates anniversary

By ASTRY RODRIGUEZ daily senior staffer @astry_twpk

About 150 community members gathered at a hall in Evanston to celebrate local animal rescue Paws and Claws Cat Rescue’s fourth birthday and its adoption center’s one-year anniversary Friday evening.

Birthday Bash attendees included current fosters, adopters, donors, volunteers and those looking to adopt. The event was also a fundraiser for the center to care for the cats until they can find a “forever home,” according to the advertisement for the event.

“It’s very inspiring that this many people from every different background all come together to help cats,” Cat Care Manager Sean Johnson said. “It’s just such a nice mix. Everybody’s socializing, and it really is a celebration of what we’ve done as an organization.”

Exactly one year before the Friday event, Paws and Claws organizers were unpacking boxes to move into their new cat adoption center, according to Ashlynn Boyce, the center’s founder and executive director. She founded the organization with her family at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent and save cats from abuse and suffering.

She said the nonprofit’s success has been largely due to community support.

“We’re just making ends meet every month, we’re always looking for donors to help,” Boyce said. “We’re a nonprofit, so things are always in ebbs and flows, but overall, things have been really great. It’s really exciting.”

Tickets for the event, which cost either $35 or $40, gave attendees access to a buffet, vintage sale and other activities.

The vintage sale consisted of donations from Paws and Claws supporters, including children’s books, board games, cup sets, plates, candles and other home decor.

Evanston resident Cheryl Cohen adopted a cat from Paws and Claws a year ago. She said she attended the event to show her support for the rescue center that gave her a feline companion.

Cohen said she donated to the vintage sale and was pleased to see the number of interested shoppers.

“It’s fun, it’s very tasteful,” Cohen said. “The vintage sale is cool, and it’s interesting talking to new people.”

The celebration featured a caricature artist and denim jacket purchasing and decorating station for an additional price. A silent auction was set up near the center of the room, showcasing over 15 auction items like a Six Flags Great America trip and tickets to sports games and musical performances.

There was also a merchandise table selling stickers, mugs, T-shirts — including a special birthday design to celebrate the anniversary — pins, necklaces, earrings and collars. All of the proceeds went to the center.

Boyce said Paws and Claws has seen tremendous growth over the past year with the highest number of members, 90, joining its Paw Print Club last year. Because the organization is donation-based and primarily volunteer-run, events like Friday’s contribute to the nonprofit’s growth, she said.

“We’ve grown our volunteer programs, we’ve added new staff,” Boyce said. “We’ve just really started to put down roots in a way that we haven’t before.”

At the entrance of the event hall was a canvas where people could write one word representing what Paws and Claws means to them. Some attendees wrote “community,” “love” and “hope.”

A second canvas was displayed next to the first, allowing people to “leave their mark” with blue paint to create a community shared artwork that

would be hung up at the adoption center. Johnson, who was a veterinary technician, said it has been remarkable being able to apply his medical background to nonprofit and volunteer work. He said the center currently has over 250 volunteers and around 95 cats in its care, with about 60 in its foster network.

He also said Paws and Claws is taking in 25 cats that are on euthanasia lists for spaces across Indiana, Illinois and Michigan.

“It’s a normal thing to have a cat be absolutely terrified when it comes in,” Johnson said. “Because of our volunteers (who) socialize — and they help them build trust with people — in two weeks, three weeks, the cat is a social butterfly. It’s still such a special thing.”

astryrodriguez2025@u.northwestern.edu

Astry Rodriguez/The Daily Northwesternn

The Paws and Claws community gathered to celebrate the nonprofit’s fourth anniversary on Friday.

Housing process leaves students scrambling

By DAVID SAMSON daily senior staffer @dpsamson_

When Weinberg freshman Savannah Hsu enrolled at Northwestern, she never imagined being sick for the rst ve months. She never imagined that an ear, nose, throat specialist would discover enlarged adenoids and say they were likely due to mold in her Bobb Hall dorm. She never imagined surgical removal would be her best option.

Hsu never imagined she would have to live in Bobb again her sophomore year. But due to a mediocre priority number, technical di culties during housing selection and not having any accommodations through AccessibleNU, the unimaginable became reality.

“We would sort of make jokes about it because there’s no way, but it actually happened,” Hsu said. “Everything that could have gone wrong in the housing process did go wrong.”

While Hsu said she regrets not submi ing an accommodation request, she takes full responsibility for her decision. She didn’t submit a request for her illness because she said she believed those with more signi cant needs should have those spots — and she thought her priority number would be good enough to stay away from Bobb.

However, several students said they know people who have completely fabricated, or at least exaggerated, their needs for be er rooms.

“People lied about their religion, saying that they’re Muslim or they need to be Kosher, so that they could have a kitchen in their Kemper (Hall) suite,” said a Medill freshman, who asked to remain anonymous. “Or things like asthma, so they need to be in (Schapiro Hall) for (air conditioning) and cleanliness.”

In a statement to e Daily, Assistant Vice President of Wellness and Dean of Students Mona Dugo said the process of verifying accommodation requests is a “highly individualized” process.

She said once an accommodation is approved, AccessibleNU and Residential Services work together to place students in environments that ful ll their needs with respect to room availability.

“AccessibleNU is mandated by the University to

consider and implement reasonable accommodations for eligible students through the interactive process,” Dugo said in the statement. “AccessibleNU follows established policies and procedures to maintain compliance within state and federal laws in an e ort to equitably support students.”

Weinberg sophomore Ellen Kim said her roommate’s priority number was three, so her group expected to have lots of options for single suites in Schapiro or Kemper. However, she logged in at 11 a.m. and found slim pickings.

Kim said the group was told by Residential Services that it could be due to All Gender Housing selection, which began at 9 a.m.

In a statement to e Daily, Residential Services Director of Operations and Services Jenny Douglas said All Gender Housing does not improve a student’s priority number.

“All Gender Housing is available for students who seek a gender a rming and safe place to live on campus,” Douglas said. “Priority numbers are all randomly assigned regardless of a need for All or Single Gender Housing.”

Douglas also said the housing website limits the number of concurrent users so its server doesn’t crash. Since room selection spans multiple days, Douglas said this is usually an organized process. But, several students said the website was extremely “glitchy” this year.

Weinberg freshman Madison Rozwat, Hsu’s future roommate, said her group tried to get a singles suite on North Campus because one of her group’s members had a good priority number. Rozwat said the list of available rooms took a long time to load, and when it did, the website would not allow her to select a room.

“ e locking icons just never popped up, so we could never select a room,” she said. “( e rooms) all went away before anything would load.”

Failing to nab a suite, the group split up. Since neither she nor Hsu had a good priority number, the only dorms le on North Campus were Bobb, Elder Hall and Sargent Hall. She said they decided to remain in Bobb Hall because of its location and familiarity.

Hsu said her parents are unhappy about her living in Bobb again, as they had to pay for an air puri er and lter re lls in addition to the surgical procedure.

“We really shouldn’t have to be taking these drastic measures to get a somewhat livable dorm,” Hsu said. “And the fact that we’re going to have to be there next year too is pre y disheartening.”

Several students said paying another student for their priority number is another way to upgrade room selection. Students said this is particularly popular with upperclassmen who will live o -campus next year or for those in Greek life.

At the time of housing selection, some fraternities and sororities were under investigation, so it was unclear if members would be allowed to live in their chapter house. ose students went through regular housing selection, some of whom acquired highdemand rooms.

e Medill freshman holds a single in FosterWalker Complex for next year and said they have received o ers ranging from $700 to $1,800.

“ ere was a really big demand because so many people were screwed over during the single (room selection) process,” they said. “People were ghting over Plex, which is a dorm that not many people in previous years have fought over.”

In the statement to e Daily, Douglas said University policy prohibits trading priority numbers for nancial compensation.

“ e Student Handbook states ‘suble ing, purchasing, or rental of rooms to another individual outside of the assigned resident is always prohibited,’” she said. “‘ is can include the solicitation of room changes for compensation.’”

Douglas said the University is creating a Housing Master Plan to help “inform the residential experience” for the next 10 years. She said students can give input through focus groups, interactive workshops and an online survey.

Rozwat said she hopes some of the older dorms, especially those without air conditioning, will be renovated as part of the Housing Master Plan.

“With all the renovations like Deering (Library) and a new (football) eld, it just seems like housing is a more direct problem for the students,” Rozwat said. “It’s something we have to deal with every day.”

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arts & entertainment

‘The Bear’ new season films in Evanston, stars spotted

By BETSY LECY the daily northwestern @betsy_lecy

Production vehicles, security guards and film cameras lined Lincolnwood Drive and surrounding streets while the hit TV series “The Bear” filmed in Evanston Thursday. With the potential of seeing actors Jeremy Allen White and Jamie Lee Curtis on set, Evanston residents lined the outskirts of the permit lines to watch the production in action.

“I heard they were filming here and just wanted to take a lunch break and see what was happening, see where this will be on the show when they release, see if there’s any celebrities and see the whole setup,” Evanston resident

Kristin Gover said.

The cast and crew previously filmed scenes of the show at the same location for season two.

The set for filming day was constructed both inside a house on 2447 Lincolnwood Drive and on the front lawn. A crew of around 120 people and 10 production vehicles stretched down Lincoln Street, Harrison Street and Ewing Avenue. According to a permit posted by the City of Evanston, the parameters will be shortened to Lincolnwood Drive, Lincoln Street and Harrison Street for prep and wrap days.

Evanston residents at the scene said Minim Productions LLC seemed to have filmed a scene featuring White walking into the Evanston home. Several Evanston residents said they also saw Curtis.

Evanston residents Erinn Kenney and Chris

Kenney said they are “huge fans” of the show. Erinn Kenney said that Chris Kenney receives $100 every year to put a generator in his driveway for their production, as their home is just around the corner from the set.

Yet, Chris Kenney said there are some downsides to this proximity.

“Eighty percent cool and 20% disruptive,” he said. “Once in a while, they take more of the block. You can’t park. It’s hard to get in and out.”

Erinn said it seems like the show’s budget increases as the perimeter expands every year.

Despite this inconvenience, Gover said it was interesting to see the actual location of the show’s setting.

“I know things take place on the North Shore, you just never know exactly where it is on the North Shore,” she said. “It’s interesting to see maybe whose house this would be or

what character will live in this house.”

The Emmy-winning comedy series was renewed for a third season in November 2023 with its anticipated release in June 2024. The series was also quietly renewed for a fourth season, which will begin filming following the release of the third season.

Weinberg freshman Adrian Morrison said he is highly anticipating the third season. He said he appreciates the show’s “well-done” production and its family dynamics.

Morrison also said he enjoyed the show due to its convenient proximity to Northwestern.

“Anytime someone mentions season three of ‘The Bear,’ I’m going to say they’re filming it by my school,” Morrison said.

elizabethlecy2027.1@u.northwestern.edu

93rd Waa-Mu Show tests ambitious trilogy structure

By JAHARIA KNOWLES daily senior staffer @jahariia

A writer’s room as large as the Waa-Mu Show’s student team comes with benefits and drawbacks. For one, there is an almost boundless well of ideas to work with. However, having too many hands on the pen can (and usually does) make a show incohesive.

“Taken Away: A Musical Trilogy” seems to be the team’s answer to this conundrum. After 93 years since its founding, the Waa-Mu Show tries out a new structure, showcasing three one-act musicals: “Art of the Heist,” an art heist dramedy, “Stolen Thunder,” a modern drama with ancient Greek deities and “A Bird’s Song,” a post-apocalyptic tale of friendship.

Guided by the prompt, “Heist. Now go,” each act of the musical explores the complexities of deception, love and rediscovery. The three Fates of Greek mythology serve as narrators, weaving the three stories together with quippy commentary.

It is not a perfect solution. Even shorter run times couldn’t pull the music together, and the first two acts suffer from poor pacing.

Marble slabs, silk curtains and a candle-lit stage set the scene for “Art of the Heist.” We see a young woman preparing a seance and ruminating over a painted portrait. The sounds of an unseen gothic chorus reverberate through the auditorium. You can’t help but be in awe of the melodramatic flair.

Soon after, we learn that the woman is an artist named Steph (Communication sophomore Lily Ramras) and that she is trying to communicate with the woman in her painting — her late sister, Lily (Communication sophomore Nora James Eikner).

It’s not her first attempt, but it is the first that works. Lily’s spirit emerges through the curtains, and she is willing to do whatever it takes to keep Steph’s attention — gradually isolating her and prodding at her deepest insecurities.

Adding to the drama is the sale of her painting, arranged by bestie-agent duo Vik (Communication freshman Henry Jones) and Cedar (Weinberg sophomore Anand Choudhary). When Lily’s spirit disappears after this sale, Steph takes matters into her own hands by planning a heist to get her portrait back.

“Art of the Heist” could have been a poignant take on grief and the way it can consume one’s spirit, but it was not well executed. The conflict ramps up quickly and resolves itself not long after. There’s also the music, which starts strong but fizzles out in the middle. Some songs also felt tepid compared to the grandiose choral arrangements.

The silk curtains are bunched into neat columns for “Stolen Thunder,” an Andrew Lloyd Webberesque rock opera that follows a young pickpocket, Nell (Communication senior Anna Rosenthal), as she gets caught up in Athena (Communication sophomore Kate McCracken) and Zeus’ (Communication senior Declan Collins) familial feud. Despite the thrilling orchestration, the repetitive and lackluster lyrics prevent the act from living up to its godly premise.

The writers strike gold with the third act, “A Bird Song,” which begins after intermission. At this point, the curtains are pushed offstage, revealing the industrial wood paneling of the back wall. Red lights wash the stage as factory workers enter, performing a spoken song with rhythmic mechanic whirs as accompaniment.

Then, a smooth vocal melody breaks through the noise, catching the attention of one worker, Jude (Communication junior Sadie Fridley). Captivated by the “flying sound,” as she calls it, Jude sneaks into the forest and meets the crooner behind the tune, Bird (Communication sophomore Kiki Sikora). Their friendship is controversial among the other forest creatures, who distrust humans and their destructive force.

“A Bird Song” is a charming comedy that pulls at the heartstrings. Fridley and Sikora do a masterful job at drawing out the wonder crucial to the story.

Even with its flaws, this year’s Waa-Mu Show is a

fun watch. As always, the show’s greatest strengths are its actors. Despite her brief stage time, Eikner leaves a mark with her deftly sinister performance as Lily. And Rosenthal, who played Dot in last fall’s “Sunday in the Park with George,” is a diamond in the often-rough “Stolen Thunder.” Also impressive is the transformation of the stage between stories. Despite a modest amount of set pieces, each act feels spatially unique.

“Taken Away” is a bumpy ride, but it is worth seeing if only for the moving third act. The musical opens again this weekend from Friday, May 3, to Sunday, May 5.

jahariaknowles2025@u.northwestern.edu

Illustration by Sophie Zhang

The 93rd annual Waa-Mu Show, “Taken Away: A Musical Trilogy,” is separated into three one-act musicals.

Luis Castañeda/The Daily Northwestern

Reel Thoughts: ‘Challengers’ serves up more than love

By EDWARD SIMON CRUZ

the daily northwestern @edwardsimoncruz

“Tennis is a relationship.”

That’s according to Tashi Duncan, the fictional tennis star played by Zendaya in director Luca Guadagnino’s dynamic, over-the-top “Challengers.”

After Tashi made her proclamation, my friend sitting to my right — a massive tennis fan — was laughing into his hands, while my friend to my left questioned why Tashi suddenly became philosophical. I chuckled and shook my head.

“Challengers” is a romantic drama masquerading as a sports film, relentlessly and shamelessly heightening the melodrama surrounding its central love triangle. It’s one of the messiest movies I’ve seen in a long time — and its messiness is its greatest strength.

The film revolves around a match between former friends who began pining for Tashi in high school: Patrick Zweig, played by Josh O’Connor, is broke and unknown, while Art Donaldson, played by Mike Faist, is a brand-name pro and Tashi’s husband.

As Tashi said, “tennis is a relationship” for each player; “Challengers” is aptly titled because Zweig and Donaldson are not only competing at a Challenger tournament but also challenging each other for Tashi’s approval and love. Zendaya, O’Connor and Faist are electric together, turning back-andforth arguments into volleys where losing the point means losing oneself.

Zendaya portrays Tashi as both a retired

tennis star and a master manipulator who can trick either man into giving her what she wants. The two-time Emmy winner is somewhat wooden in her more intense monologues and has little room to develop her emotional interiority after Tashi suffers a career-ending injury; however, she exudes Tashi’s quietly sensual confidence, whether she’s strutting toward the camera or smirking after gaining the upper hand in a tryst with Patrick and Art.

Even outside that tryst, “Challengers” abounds with sexual tension between all three leads (including Patrick and Art, who eat numerous phallusshaped food items together and could’ve arguably resolved their conflict by getting together). Faist emphasizes the jealousies beneath Art’s gruff exterior, especially when portraying him as an insecure manchild. Meanwhile, the puppy-eyed O’Connor infuses Patrick’s rugged charm with quiet volatility, seething and speaking softly until he’s pushed to the brink and lashes out at Art and Tashi.

Screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes abruptly cuts between the present-day match and pivotal moments in each player’s past, withholding and gradually uncovering secrets in ways that parallel each character’s concealing, vengeful natures.

Guadagnino matches the tight pace of Kuritzkes’ script, which is supported by Sayombhu Mukdeeprom’s versatile cinematography. In certain scenes, Guadagnino pans the camera between each character, letting the tension simmer and boil over across one uninterrupted take. Elsewhere, he expands time with slow-motion shots and zooms in on raw emotion with sweaty close-ups that feel erotic but not gratuitous.

Many of these magnified moments lend an almost undue gravitas to the film’s central love triangle, accentuated by musical choices that are intriguing and somehow fitting: The booming techno score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross threatens to overwhelm on and off the court, and the occasional operatic choir voices lend an ironic magnificence to this affair.

“Challengers” itself becomes magnificent because of its messiness, not despite it. Its intensity jumps at you, even when a ball isn’t flying directly at the screen. As we reach match point and the tennis

players let passion take over in both the game and their relationships, the film becomes every bit as reckless and unrestrained as them — and like the audience members turning their heads every time the ball crosses the court, you follow along with every move.

After the final serve and the final shot, you don’t quite know what you’ve seen. Perhaps confusion is the logical response after watching tennis become not only a relationship but also an art.

edwardcruz2027@u.northwestern.edu

‘Big Brother’ show meets NU’s theatre community

By DAVID SAMSON daily senior staffer @dpsamson_

Ever since he was young, Communication junior Drew Slager has had two great loves: theatre and reality television competition shows. To reconcile these passions at Northwestern, Slager turned an idea “mentioned out of the blue” into a reality. In the spring of their freshman year, Slager created a game of “Big Brother” for about a dozen of his theatre friends. “Big Brother” is a reality television show where about 20 strangers are locked in a house for several months,

competing in challenges and trying to survive elimination until only one contestant remains.

Since that first game two years ago, there have been 10 “seasons” and over 60 contestants, according to Big Brother Northwestern Wiki.

“I love planning all the twists and turns,” Slager said. “I love seeing how dedicated some people get for (the game). It’s just the thing I throw around with my friends to have fun at the end of quarters, and it’s definitely grown a lot.”

A traditional game of “Big Brother” takes months, but Slager’s typically take about four hours. Slager typically organizes one per quarter when people’s schedules clear during the Reading Period or finals week, they said, but they have

sometimes held two in the Fall Quarter to welcome everyone back to school.

Slager also said they pick a theme and design a logo for each season. Past themes include Wild Wild West, Around the World and, most recently, Heroes vs. Villains. The theme sometimes influences the challenges, especially the puzzles. However, Slager said they try to have a variety of physical, mental and luck-of-the-draw competitions.

“I don’t want it to be fine-tuned to just one particular skill,” they said. “I want everyone to have an equal shot at being able to win any of the challenges.”

Slager said this equal opportunity is especially important because “Big Brother” is a game of power, and when you win challenges you have more influence on who gets eliminated, or, “evicted.”

Communication junior Lili Tarnopol, who was the second person voted out of season one but has returned three times and made the finals twice, said the games can get quite competitive. She said just like in the real show, some players turn to strategy and deception to give themselves a better chance of winning.

“I had all these alliances and they all ended up being fake,” Tarnopol said. “I was like ‘All my friends are such good liars.’”

Communication sophomore Aiden Kaliner, the winner of season seven, agreed, noting the game can get “messy” when contestants are fighting to win. Kaliner said his strategy was to lay low, keep the target off his back and rely on his alliances to help him win the final jury vote that decided the winner.

Slager, Tarnopol and Kaliner all said, however, that at the end of the day, everyone remains friends despite the blindsides and backstabbing.

In season four, Slager decided to flip roles and play, rather than organize. They said they gained a deeper appreciation of the friendly competition and strategy of the game by experiencing the drama firsthand.

“Being on the other side of the table was very stressful,” Slager said. “I didn’t realize how intense (the game) could be, but I made it pretty far and I had a great time — and that was super exciting.” Slager said they are not hosting season 11 this spring because he wants to try again to win one himself.

Slager has also created two spin-off games, “The Traitors” last fall and “The Challenge: Campus Crawl,” which began in early April and is still underway. In these games, the strategy and eliminations all happen through text across several weeks.

“I love the texting games because … I don’t have a good poker face, so anyone can totally read me,” Communication junior Becker Spear said. “I feel like over text, it’s much easier to put up that kind of wall and facade and be able to do some sneaky s–t.”

The “Big Brother” games have become increasingly well known around the theatre community with every passing season — Tarnopol was shocked when her adviser mentioned the game in passing during a meeting, she said — and Slager said they are committed to bringing in new people from both within and outside the School of Communication.

“I feel like the games I host, everyone kind of knows each other in advance,” they said. “But I would really look forward to doing (a game with) people who don’t really know each other and are from all different backgrounds, majors, schools and years.”

davidsamson2026@u.northwestern.edu

Polerize empowers performers at pole dance show

By BETSY LECY

Audiences gasped and cheered as pole dancers performed acrobatic sequences across the stage and a series of poles in Lutkin Hall Friday.

Northwestern’s Polerize produced its inaugural show — and NU’s first-ever pole dancing show — “Wildest Fantasies,” with student dancers like “Wolfsbane” and “Solitaire” performing pole routines to music including “Streets (Silhouette Remix)” by Doja Cat and “Movement” by Hozier.

With over 50 people in attendance at the 7 p.m. show and around 100 at the 9:30 p.m., the 90-minute performances were dedicated to destigmatizing sex work and promoting confidence for the 19 performers through the art of pole dancing.

Weinberg freshman and performer Amelia Wilson said she had no prior experience with pole dancing but that performing made her more confident.

“It is really empowering in a way that it’s kind of helped me get out of my shell,” she said. “It helped me

get that sense of confidence and understand who I am and how I want to proceed to really just be myself.”

The premise of the show wasn’t just tailored to the individual performers. It was meant to promote the voices of sex workers and sex work organizations, said Weinberg senior and Polerize co-Founder Greta McNamee, who started Polerize with a group of cofounders in 2022.

McNamee said the performance sought to join the grassroots movement to pay homage to the origins of sex work. She said she hopes their efforts won’t whitewash or appropriate the art that originally came from Black sex workers.

“It’s important to just spread that message for everyone who gets to be exposed to what we do so that they get an idea that this is something you should care about,” McNamee said. “It shouldn’t be too crazy to believe that sex workers are, in fact, people.”

To contribute to this mission, Polerize used its proceeds to employ professional pole dancers from Siren, a Chicago pole dancing studio, to teach current members how to pole dance.

Despite many of the performers’ lack of experience pole dancing, audience member Laura Symons said

she was particularly impressed by their capabilities.

“I thought it was fantastic,” Symons said. “The confidence these individuals show and the strength and the beauty, it was amazing.”

A non-NU producer crafted the music and choreography to the show’s theme of “Wildest Fantasies.”

The “wildest” aspect of the theme emphasized anger at the stigmas towards pole dancers with the track “Crazy” by Doechii, while the “fantasies” aspect represents the camaraderie of Polerize members, McNamee said.

The initiative began with “pole jams,” or open workshops, where students from the NU community could explore their interests.

The co-founders then introduced an interest form for potential members who would be open to performing in the showcase. Yet, they didn’t know it would become the full-fledged performance of “Wildest Fantasies.”

“I love what we’ve created,” McNamee said. “I feel more confident than ever that it’s going to be able to outlast my time at Northwestern.”

elizabethlecy2027.1@u.northwestern.edu

arts & entertainment

Editor Mary Randolph

Assistant Editors

Jillian Moore

Betsy Lecy

Design Editors

Jamie Kim

Lillian Ali

Illustration by Nineth Kanieski Koso

Two talented tennis players smash their way through a love triangle in Luca Guadagnino’s “Challengers.”

Photo Courtesy of Drew Slager

There have been 10 seasons of “Big Brother” since Slager’s freshman year.

Kemone Hendricks, a former communications director for Jonathan Nieuwsma’s Alderman for the 4th Ward campaign, spoke about the elements of managing a successful campaign.

She said it’s important to use available resources when starting a campaign.

“There are so many resources out there that you will be able to get your hands on,” Hendricks said. “This is 2024 — Google is a thing, YouTube is a thing. As long as you give yourself ample time and reach out to the right people, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel.”

Following the panel, Stefanie Roti, an assistant branch manager at Wintrust Bank, offered guidance on setting up a political bank account. Roti explained how to apply for an Employer Identification Number, which is necessary for opening up a political bank account.

Then, Alisa Kaplan, the executive director of Reform for Illinois, spoke about ranked-choice voting, which Evanston became the first Illinois city to adopt in November 2022. According to Kaplan, ranked-choice voting will encourage a more diverse

KASA SHOW

into the show to be able to show how strong the Korean identity is overall at Northwestern,” said Weinberg junior and KASA executive member Edward Seo.

Featuring categories like “Best in Romance” and “Best in Entertainment,” KASA members acted out dramatic scenes in skits inspired by the Oscars theme.

Lee said the theme pays homage to the success of the Korean American film “Past Lives” in awards ceremonies last year.

“We want to take some of that energy, so we chose the ‘osKArs’ because we thought it would be a great way to showcase our performers but also celebrate the achievements of our community,” Lee said.

KASA held a Culture Week leading up to the show. Events included a barbecue lunch, a Korean coffeehouse and painting The Rock, each highlighting a different aspect of the Korean American community on campus, Lee added.

Lee said while planning Culture Week adds a layer of chaos to the preparations, it built anticipation for the KASA Show.

“It makes it a lot more exciting and rewarding because every day is a day to celebrate before KASA Show,” Lee said. “We wanted to have events where we can engage with the greater NU community.”

Lee said the committee chose Hojean, a Korean American artist, as the show’s headliner because he’s increasing in popularity.

Hojean’s music leans more upbeat, which Lee said caters well to a college audience.

“He did a really good job keeping the energy and interacting with the people,” Seo said.

group of candidates to run and will promote civility during elections.

Following the speakers, participants split into breakout groups based on their interests in either potentially running for City Council or one of Evanston’s school boards.

Former council members met with participants and answered questions about running for City Council. During the school board breakout, former Evanston/Skokie School District 65 administrators and a former school board member talked with participants about running and working on the school board.

Evanston resident Mary Rosinski said she attended Saturday’s event on behalf of herself and two other people who may consider running for public office.

She tried running for the 7th Ward four years ago and is considering running again, but she wants to see who else puts their name out there. Rosinski said she wanted to learn more about ranked-choice voting.

“(Ranked-choice voting) could turn out to be a good way to get more people involved,” Rosenski said. “Maybe they will feel their vote matters more.”

sarahserota2027@u.northwestern.edu

NU’s Taekwondo Club was also a highlight for many attendees. Following a six-part sequence, the group closed out the first half of the show with a pose of a giant heart.

Seo said though he doesn’t get the chance to see the team perform often, it was nice to see them “showcase their talents.”

“The taekwondo showed different cultures of martial arts in Korea, so I thought it was a very good cultural experience,” said McCormick freshman Jeremiah So, who attended the show.

Other acts of KASA Show were performed by the organization’s members. KASA singers danced and interacted with the crowd, and KASA Presents featured student-led dances to Korean pop songs.

Many of the performers had little experience singing or dancing before the show. Weinberg sophomore Alan Guo said he and his friends signed up with no dance experience, but they enjoyed their time on stage and seeing the culmination of their hard work.

“Honestly, I was pretty nervous right before performing in front of the big crowd,” Guo said. “I think next year, I can even aim to do an even harder dance.”

For the first time in KASA’s history, the group also announced the presidents for the upcoming academic year during the show.

Weinberg juniors Janice Yim and Esther Tang will take over the organization and plan of next year’s KASA Show.

“That’s going to be a great way to pass the torch and end our career as presidents on a high note, but also begin the new journey and a new chapter on a high note as well,” Lee said.

kelleylu2027@u.northwestern.edu

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PINOY SHOW

From page 1

become involved and engaged with Filipino culture,” Ocampo said. “To know that Filipinos are very much present at Northwestern and that we’re very connected.”

The show featured a series of live performances modeled after the reality show “The Bachelor,” in which co-producer and Weinberg senior Joel Reyes played the bachelor.

In between these scenes, pre-recorded skits based on reality show “Love Island” and media company Jubilee’s “Odd One Out” played. Kaibigan members also performed songs and a number of traditional dances, like bulaklakan, which involves arches of typically fresh flowers, and tinikling, which involves maneuvering and dancing through bamboo sticks.

Reyes said tinikling was his favorite part of the production and called it one of the coolest things he has learned how to do. During the performance, dancers eventually danced over the sticks blindfolded at breakneck speed.

He said many members involved with the Pinoy Show fulfilled several roles. Reyes wrote scripts, danced, acted and helped direct, he said.

GAZA PANEL

From page 1

where he saw several Jewish students publicly displaying solidarity, he said.

“They were doing it right there at the DePaul encampment, at a place where so many so-called leaders are saying that antisemitism is being expressed,” Rosen said. “One of the things I said last night was, ‘As a Jewish person, I feel perfectly safe here,’ and that probably got the biggest cheer of the evening.”

Rosen also emphasized the difference between Judaism and Zionism. He said that while Judaism is a “spiritual peoplehood,” Zionism is a political movement that arose in the 19th century and seeks to create a Jewish majority nation-state in historic Palestine.

He added that there is a new generation of proud Jews who identify as anti-Zionists.

“(New generation of Jews) have a deep sense of Jewish identity and desire for Jewish safety and security, but understand that Jewish safety and security cannot be inseparable from the safety and security of all peoples,” Rosen said.

Nashashibi, who is also the founder of the InnerCity Muslim Action Network in Chicago, spoke about his mother Nancy Haverstick’s story. She is a Palestinian-born woman whose family fled its home village of Ein Karem during the 1948 Nakba, the mass displacement and dispossession of Palestinians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.

Nashashibi talked about solidarity in Ein Karem, citing the time between 1945-47 when the village provided refuge to 250 Jews from Poland.

“It’s a lot of hard work, but I love doing each and every component,” Reyes said. “When you love what you do, it makes it so much easier. As chaotic, as crazy as it is, I loved every single moment.”

Nidea, who starred as the host in “The Bachelor” scenes, said he enjoyed playing the role, especially during the plot twist where his character proposed to the Bachelor.

One of Saturday nights’ attendees was NU Kaibigan founder Joseph Graciosa (Weinberg ’06), who said he appreciated seeing students’ talent. Graciosa said many Kaibigan alumni stay in touch, attending each other’s kids’ birthdays, among other events.

After transferring to NU, Reyes said he leaned into his Filipino American identity, and it is one of the strongest communities he is proud to be a part of. Nidea, who Burt said “resuscitate(d)” the club with her, said he was happy to exit Kaibigan with a final Pinoy Show.

“I hope the Northwestern community continues to support our little cultural club,” Nidea said. “We are only a few but we have the strength of many.”

kaavyabutaney2026@u.northwestern.edu

“This idea that, somehow, it was like this myth of a conflict between Jews and Muslims is absolutely asinine,” Nashashibi said.

Nashashibi also spoke at Northwestern’s proPalestinian encampment last week.

Haverstick, who was present in the audience, said the current war is almost like a second Nakba for her.

Still, she said she is hopeful that events like these can spread awareness and help create a generation of young people who see “what Israel is truly doing.”

“It’s so sad, and it’s wrong for the American people to identify themselves with these people,” Haverstick said. “And what I mean by these people are the Zionists that are doing this to the innocents over there.”

Carruthers, the last panelist, grew up in Evanston. She encouraged residents to accept the call of solidarity with the pro-Palestine movement the same way they have had the courage to support reparations for people of African descent.

Rosen also called for Evanston to pass a resolution drafted by city residents, which calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. Equity and Empowerment Commissioners previously withdrew a ceasefire resolution in December after controversy over whether it was more divisive or unifying for the city.

“If we don’t understand that this panel in itself is an act of resistance, if we don’t figure out how to continue this conversation after today, if we don’t embrace the vision of Bright Stars of Bethlehem after today, then this has just been a wonderful Sunday afternoon,” Carruthers said.

mishaoberoi2027@u.northwestern.edu

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

Committee on antisemitism and hate collapses

By JACOB WENDLER and NICOLE MARKUS daily senior staffers @jacob_wendler / @nicolejmarkus

The President’s Advisory Committee on Preventing Antisemitism and Hate will cease its work following the Wednesday resignations of seven committee members, the 11 remaining committee members wrote in a Thursday letter to University President Michael Schill and Board of Trustees Chair Peter Barris.

In the letter, obtained by The Daily, the members write that — given the resignations of seven members of the committee one day prior — “the committee as currently constituted cannot continue to function”

The letter comes on the heels of the resignation of seven members of the committee, including Kellogg Prof. Efraim Benmelech — one of the committee’s two co-chairs — and NU Hillel Executive Director Michael Simon. They cited Schill’s decision not to consult the committee on the agreement reached Monday between administrators and the organizers of the pro-Palestinian encampment on Deering Meadow as a reason for their decision.

“Given the urgency of healing our community, we very much hope that you will pursue the Committee’s goals through other means, perhaps by appointing a

new committee in the near future or by incorporating this committee’s charge into that of another, existing committee,” the remaining committee members wrote in the Thursday letter.

University spokesperson Hilary Hurd Anyaso told The Daily Thursday evening that “President Schill plans to continue to engage with members of the committee because he feels the work they have done, and their voices, are vital to the University, as we work to combat antisemitism, anti-Muslim hate, and all forms of hate.”

The committee, which was originally announced in November, began its work in January and originally included 16 members, including faculty, students, trustees and administrators.

The signatories of Thursday’s letter included School of Education and Social Policy Dean Bryan Brayboy — who co-chaired the committee along with Benmelech — Anthropology Prof. Jessica Winegar, Pritzker Prof. Heidi Kitrosser, Associate Vice President for Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance Emily Babb and University Trustee Tarek Elmasry.

They addressed an assertion in the Wednesday resignation letter that the committee was unable to reach a consensus on a statement condemning recent antisemitism on campus. The remaining members of the committee said the members “agreed in principle” that they “abhor and reject antisemitism” and “stand

against hate” but had not yet found consensus on specific language.

“While we support the right to free expression and know that the majority of our students and community support peaceful protest and counter-protest, the impact of these behaviors is profound,” the letter reads. “We strongly condemn those who have crossed the line. We are committed to ensuring that Northwestern remains a place for vigorous debate, and that it not become a breeding ground for Antisemitism and Islamophobia.”

The letter also included the most recent version of a message to the community which the committee intended “to further edit in good faith until we could arrive at consensus.” It noted the committee’s dual commitment to free speech and its belief in the University’s responsibility to prevent and address antisemitism, Islamophobia and other forms of hate on campus.

The draft also referenced several instances of antisemitism and Islamophobia on campus in the last week, including two banners at the pro-Palestinian encampment on Deering Meadow — one of which depicted Schill with devil horns, a historically antisemitic trope that harkens back to medieval-era “blood libel” accusations against Jewish people, and another which showed a Star of David with a red slash through it — which Schill addressed in a Tuesday evening video message

to the NU community. The University did not immediately respond to a request for comment on how the President’s Office intends to proceed given the developments.

jacobwendler2025@u.northwestern.edu

nicolemarkus2025@u.northwestern.edu

Norris updates food retail hours, Shake Smart meal swipes

By LEAH SCHROEDER daily senior staffer

@lmschroeder_

Starting Monday, May 6, students will see adapted food retail hours and meal exchange policies at Norris University Center, according to Executive Director of Norris Corbin Smyth.

MOD Pizza and Starbucks will now close at 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, moving up from 10 p.m. Rather than 8 a.m., Market at Norris will now open at 9 a.m. 847 Burger will add four hours, staying open until 7 p.m. on Friday afternoons. Shake Smart will now be open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., shifting two hours from its previous 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Shake Smart will also now offer meal

exchanges during the entirety of its retail hours, as opposed to its current policy of only offering meal exchanges from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. The decision follows complaints of long lines from students.

The new hours are motivated by data collected from transactions and trackers on Norris doors and feedback from students, Smyth said. They will be in effect through the rest of Spring Quarter and, if successful, may be implemented permanently beginning in the fall.

“The goal is to maximize the times where students want the services that we provide, balanced with the costs of dining,” Smyth said.

“This really is a test to see if we can do something a little bit better for students.”

leahschroeder2026@u.northwestern.edu

Daily file photo by Seeger Gray

Jacob Wendler/The Daily Northwestern The turmoil on the committee comes just days after University administrators reached a deal with organizers of the pro-Palestinian encampment on Deering Meadow.

Monday, May 6, 2024

No. 1 Northwestern captures Big Ten championship

By JAKE EPSTEIN daily senior staffer @jakeepste1n

With a dark sea of storm clouds descending upon Lake Michigan and turning a picturesque evening into a downpour, No. 1 Northwestern and No. 15 Penn State played out the final 96 seconds of Saturday’s weatherdelayed Big Ten Tournament championship inside Ryan Fieldhouse.

Toward the bookend of her sixyear collegiate career, graduate student goalkeeper Molly Laliberty said she gained a new story to tell as she and her teammates regrouped in the Walter Athletics Center with a team superfan before play resumed.

“I haven’t experienced anything like that, where there’s such a small amount of game left,” said Laliberty, who tallied a game-high 10 saves. “We just went to the locker room, hung out, danced, sang (and) hung out with John-John.”

No bleachers were set up in the indoor facility, so spectators packed the sideline as the Wildcats (15-2, 5-1 Big Ten) surrendered two late goals but held on for a 14-12 victory over the Nittany Lions (11-7, 4-2 Big Ten) to clinch their second consecutive conference tournament title.

Although junior defender Sammy White corralled the game’s opening draw control, an apparent Penn State siege overtook Martin Stadium in the first quarter. The Nittany Lions built a 4-1 advantage and held the NU attack to just three shots during the period.

Penn State attacker Kara Nealon directed feeding traffic, piling on three first-quarter assists to leave the favorites shell shocked. Then, lightning struck the facility for the first time Saturday, taking the form of a second-quarter resurgence for the ’Cats.

“We were just more aggressive

with everything we were doing,” coach Kelly Amonte Hiller said. “We made some adjustments defensively and offensively… Whatever we did, we did it with a purpose and a focus.”

Less than three minutes into the quarter, graduate student attacker Izzy Scane buried a free-position goal to cut the deficit to two. Graduate student defender Jane Hansen then turned defense into instant offense, jarring the ball free from Nittany Lion midfielder Meghan Murray’s stick, scooping the ground ball and finding junior midfielder Emerson Bohlig for a transition tally.

Hansen tied her career-high with five ground balls — each coming in the first half — and racked up four caused turnovers.

“She just plays fearless on the D end,” Amonte Hiller said of Hansen. “She was taking risks from the get-go. She is very talented … (as) a takeaway defender, and when she’s confident, she’s one of the best at it.”

Heading to the eight-meter with the game tied at 5-5, graduate student attacker Erin Coykendall hurled a heat-seeking-missile into the cage to give NU a 6-5 halftime advantage.

The ‘Cats comprehensively capitalized off the momentum shift once the second half began, converting six consecutive scores out of the break.

Graduate student attackers Lindsey Frank, Mary Schumar, Dylan Amontte and Izzy Scane each nabbed a goal, while sophomore attacker Madison Taylor tallied two scores during the run to extend NU’s lead to 12-5.

“Coming into this game, it was my goal to play with confidence and power,” Scane said. “Even if I wasn’t the one scoring the goals, (I’d) at least draw attention to me … (I) was lucky enough the girls on my team let me get so open.”

While Penn State attacker Gretchen Gilmore and midfielders

Lauren Saltz and Kayla Abernathy scored four consecutive goals for the

visitors, Scane’s fifth score with less than five minutes remaining seemed to silence any semblance of a late comeback push.

With the goal, Scane tied former Boston College attacker Charlotte North’s NCAA career record (358) and gave the ’Cats a 14-10 lead. The championship celebration was all but destined to feature the Chicago skyline in the background, but lightning delayed and relocated the game’s final minute and 36 seconds.

Almost an hour after the championship’s postponement, the clock finally struck triple zeroes, and NU stormed Laliberty’s cage from all angles. Sticks flung as the ’Cats

SOFTBALL

returned to the Big Ten’s pinnacle for the third time in the past four seasons.

“Everything starts to get a little bit more sentimental when you’re coming in on the end of your career,” Scane said. “I was talking to Scotty (Hiller) yesterday, and we’re kind of on borrowed time here. We’ve done everything we can do, and we’re lucky enough to get an extra year… Something like this makes it all the more fun … to put a staple on our time here.”

NU, which clinched an automatic qualifier with Saturday’s victory, will discover its NCAA Tournament seeding Sunday night. The ’Cats

likely shored up the tournament’s No. 1 seed for the second consecutive season and will gain a bye into the second round.

For Laliberty, performances like the conference title game are invaluable toward the team’s national championship quest.

“This is exactly the type of lacrosse you want to be playing — the type of intensity and resilience you want to see,” Laliberty said. “Just seeing the fight and mentality everyone had today was super exciting, and I’m excited to see what we can do for the next 25 days if we get that much.”

jacobepstein2026@u.northwestern.edu

Wildcats nab third consecutive regular season title

By AUDREY PACHUTA

No. 23 Northwestern entered its final regular season series against Indiana at The “J” controlling its conference destiny.

With a half-game lead over Michigan for first place in Big Ten standings, the Wildcats (33-10, 19-3 Big Ten) won two games against the Hoosiers (37-17, 12-11 Big Ten) to clinch their third consecutive Big Ten regular season title.

“I’m just so proud of this team,” coach Kate Drohan said. “This group just has so much maturity and perspective, so it’s been one of the most rewarding years I’ve had here for sure.”

In Friday’s series opener, NU fell behind early as graduate student pitcher Ashley Miller couldn’t find a rhythm in the circle.

Miller struggled to find the strike zone in her lone inning, walking five batters and tossing three wild pitches before freshman pitcher Renae Cunningham took over in relief.

Facing a Hoosier squad that led the Big Ten in every team-based offensive statistical category, Drohan’s squad needed to rely on depth in its pitching rotation to navigate through tight spots.

Trotting to the circle with no outs and two runners in scoring position, Cunningham allowed just one of Miller’s walked batters to score, as a double play and a strikeout concluded the inning.

Indiana plated two more runs in the top of the fourth off three consecutive hits and an error by sophomore infielder Bridget Donahey, but the ’Cats swiftly countered as freshman catcher Emma Raye led off the bottom of the inning with a solo homerun.

After tacking on another run in the fifth via an RBI single by senior infielder Hannah Cady, NU secured the comeback victory in an explosive sixth-inning, two-out rally powered by the bottom of its lineup.

Freshman infielder Ainsley Muno, batting eighth, walked, and junior outfielder Ayana Lindsey, the nine-hole hitter, brought in the tying run with an RBI double.

As the go-ahead run loomed in scoring position, the Hoosiers found themselves confronting the fiery bat of sophomore infielder Kansas Robinson at the plate, who leads NU in batting average, hits, RBIs and home runs.

After Robinson was intentionally walked, sophomore outfielder Kelsey Nader stepped into the box with the outcome of the game in her hands.

“All I knew is that I wanted to extend that inning,” Nader said.

Nader didn’t just extend the inning, but also the ’Cats’ championship chances, knocking in three runs with a homer down the right field line to make the score 6-3. Three quick Hoosier outs later, NU secured the first game of the series.

Carrying their winning momentum into Saturday’s game, the hosts wasted no time in the first inning, opening scoring with back-to-back hits and a wild pitch to start off the game.

With graduate student pitcher Cami Henry on the mound to start, NU’s lead was short-lived, as the Hoosiers notched three consecutive singles and a grand slam to lead off the second inning, knocking Henry out of the game and calling on Cunningham in relief again.

Indiana built its lead steadily throughout the game, plating additional runs in both the fourth and fifth innings.

Following her testy performance Friday, Miller returned to the circle in the fifth inning of Saturday’s contest, encountering similar difficulties as she did the day before.

In just 2.1 innings pitched, Miller walked another five batters before Henry took over again in the seventh and finished the game that she started.

Despite plating two runs in the fifth on a Muno solo shot and a wild pitch, the ’Cats ultimately fell 8-3 — marking their first loss at home since April 2022 and ending the longest active home winning streak in Division I softball.

In its final game of the regular season, NU beat the Hoosiers 4-2 on Senior Day.

Despite falling behind 2-0 early on, the ’Cats found cause for early celebration as Michigan’s defeat to Ohio State secured their Big Ten regular season title during the second inning. Fans roared when the Buckeyes defeated the Wolverines, but the dugout remained locked in on the matchup in Evanston.

“If someone had told me before the season that we’d have to win the last game of the season to win the Big Ten, I think we would have taken it. It’s not about anything else besides playing our own game,” Drohan said.

Nader led off the third with a bunt single before graduate student outfielder Angela Zedak moved her into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt.

After Cady tied the game at two apiece with an RBI single, Raye launched a homer that nearly landed on Welsh-Ryan Arena’s roof, giving NU a two-run advantage.

The Hoosiers were held scoreless for the subsequent three frames as Miller regained her command in the circle.

With two outs in the top of the seventh, Cunningham took over in relief after Miller walked the bases loaded. With just two pitches, the freshman got the groundout and ended the game in an NU victory.

Following the win, Miller said the joy of winning the conference title wasn’t dulled by her circle woes.

“I’ve dreamed of winning a championship at a collegiate level my entire career,” Miller said Sunday. “Now that it’s true, it’s just the best feeling ever.”

Following another winning weekend at home, the ’Cats will head to Iowa City for the Big Ten Tournament, which begins Thursday. audreypachuta2027@u.northwestern.edu

LACROSSE

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Henry Frieman/The Daily Northwestern