The Daily Northwestern — November 16th, 2023

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The Daily Northwestern Thursday, November 16, 2023

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From the University of Oregon to Northwestern: Students, faculty and athletes say they still have questions about how President Schill handled scandals and complaints in the athletics department

By AVANI KALRA

daily senior staffer @avanidkalra

Content warning: This article contains discussion of abuse, sexual assault, eating disorders and racism.

After Northwestern University President

Michael Schill reviewed testimony in July from football players alleging hazing and sexual misconduct in NU’s football program, he suspended former head football coach Pat Fitzgerald for two weeks.

But when details of the allegations became public, the president reversed course, announcing he had “erred” in his decision. Two days later, Schill told the University community he’d

decided to “relieve Fitzgerald of his duties” — effective immediately.

Schill has been scrutinized by some for his quick change of heart, and players involved in the investigation told The Daily their experience with Schill was frustrating.

Still, doling out punishment only after public scrutiny is nothing new for Schill, former students, reporters and athletes told The Daily. It’s

something that marked his tenure at the University of Oregon.

Former UO professor Cheyney Ryan said he noticed parallels between Schill’s leadership at UO and his handling of hazing in NU’s football program.

“I think that there is a general culture of

» See SCHILL, page 4

Braun permanent NPEP’s inaugural commencement NU head coach Ta-Nehisi Coates speaks to NU Prison Education Program grads The promotion comes days after a win over Wisconsin

By LAWRENCE PRICE

daily senior staffer @lpiii_tres

Time to scratch the “interim” tag.

Northwestern has named David Braun its permanent head coach, the University announced Wednesday.

“I have had the opportunity to sit down with Coach Braun in recent months, meetings that reaffirmed what I saw on the field and heard from people close to the program — that Dave’s

Recycle Me

values are Northwestern’s values,” University President Michael Schill said in a news release. “I couldn’t be happier that he will permanently lead our student-athletes on the gridiron.”

Initially hired as the program’s newest defensive coordinator in Januar y, Braun’s promotion comes just days after the Wildcats’ dominant 24-10 win over Wisconsin — NU’s first away victory since its triumph over Nebraska in August of 2022. Under Braun’s leadership, NU has won more games this season (5) than in the last two campaigns combined (4).

» See BRAUN, page 11

By NORA COLLINS

daily senior staffer @noracollins02

William Peeples spent 13 years on death row before having his sentence commuted in 2003 to life without parole. Since joining the Northwestern Prison Education Program, Peeples has had the chance to study scholars like Karl Marx and Kimberlé Crenshaw, and won the inaugural Janice Nora Lackey Award for Academic Excellence at Stateville Correctional Center earlier this year for a class essay.

Wednesday morning, he graduated from the program with a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern.

“When I was young, I used to look up at the sky and pray,” Peeples

said. “I would get down on my knees and ask God why I didn’t grow up in a gated community and go to a prestigious school like Northwestern. I just didn’t know it would happen in prison. Now, I ask God to keep me a part of this Northwestern community.”

Twenty-three years after being sentenced to death, Peeples now hopes to become a counselor for atrisk youth — and specifically those in the LGBTQ+ community — with his bachelor’s degree in hand.

This year’s graduating class is the first cohort to be conferred a bachelor’s degree from a top 10 university through the Northwestern Prison Education Program, founded in 2018. The program provides incarcerated adults the

» See COMMENCEMENT, page 11

Nora Collins/The Daily Northwestern

NPEP graduate James Soto celebrates after receiving his degree.

Wednesday’s graduating cohort marked the first time incarcerated students have received bachelor’s degrees from a top 10 university.

INSIDE: Around Town 2 | On Campus 3 | In Focus 4 | Opinion 6 | Gameday 7 | Classifieds & Puzzles 11 | Sports 12

2 THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2023

AROUND TOWN

City Council tables Rebuild Ryan Field approval

By COLE REYNOLDS

daily senior staffer @charcole27

Evanston City Council put a momentary pause on Northwestern’s plans to rebuild Ryan Field Monday night, tabling three ordinances related to the stadium’s construction until a special meeting on Nov. 20.

The 6-2 vote comes one day after Northwestern put forward an expanded proposal for its memorandum of understanding with Evanston, which outlines plans for collaborating on the rebuild. The MOU also includes a muchanticipated community benefits agreement, in which NU promises the city $150 million over the next 15 years. Ald. Devon Reid (8th) said NU would actually provide an estimated $175 million, since some of the benefits are set to adjust with inflation.

The revised proposal, tied to the city greenlighting a contentious plan to allow concerts at the new stadium, was at the heart of council’s decision to table the ordinances.

While a majority of councilmembers supported delaying the decision, those in favor of tabling the ordinances were split on why the council should do so.

Ald. Clare Kelly (1st), who seconded the motion to table the ordinances, argued the city should renegotiate the benefits agreement, suggesting that the city outsource representation of residents to a law firm. Kelly said the negotiations thus far have “disenfranchised” her and her residents.

“Obviously, this is a very weak agreement,” she said.

Ald. Jonathan Nieuwsma (4th), who proposed the motion, said he wasn’t interested in continuing to negotiate after spending two weeks pushing NU to expand the agreement.

The new proposal is slated to provide the city $50 million more in benefits over five more years than the original proposal.

He said tabling the motion was a way to give the council a chance to review the final

memorandum, something he hadn’t been able to do during negotiations.

“I thought two weeks ago, we had a pretty good deal,” Nieuwsma said, referring to the original benefits agreement. “The deal we have in front of us tonight is 75% better than that deal.

We have an awesome deal.”

Reid, who was one of two councilmembers to oppose tabling the ordinances, urged the council to immediately approve the benefits agreement, which he described as “strong.” He said weeks of negotiations led to the current version of the agreement and generally criticized other councilmembers who he said made less of an effort to participate in negotiations with Northwestern.

“I just think it’s unfair that councilmembers who haven’t been putting in the time are leading the way (in the tabling process),” Reid said.

Residents have long called for a community benefits agreement to offset the potential impacts of Rebuild Ryan Field. On Oct. 30, just hours before City Council voted to introduce ordinances related to the rebuild project, NU released the original proposed agreement, a move some residents criticized as a “publicity stunt.”

Ph.D. candidate in rhetoric and public culture Adam Goldsmith said the most recent agreement, released on Saturday, felt similar to the first, and that he was left scrambling to take stock of the changes. He said there is a need for greater representation of advocacy groups in negotiations, and hopes to see officials extend the benefits to the full life cycle of the stadium.

“Right now, they’ve got Northwestern up to 15 years (of benefits), but the (zoning) changes would be in perpetuity,” Goldsmith said.

In a statement to The Daily, NU spokesperson Hilary Hurd Anyaso wrote that the university was “disappointed” in the decision to delay the vote but remains hopeful that the council will approve the plans on Nov. 20.

Though Monday’s meeting paused progress on the Ryan Field rebuild, it got the proverbial ball rolling on other issues. The council passed two taxes that would impact potential events held at the rebuilt stadium, increasing the levy on amusement events with more than 5,000

Daily file photo by Colin Boyle

The Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center. Monday’s 6-2 vote tabled the ordinances on Ryan Field one day after Northwestern put forward an expanded proposal for its memorandum of understanding with Evanston.

people in attendance and on liquor sales during them.

City Council also introduced an almost $450 million budget for 2024, according to Monday’s meeting packets. However, councilmembers mentioned adjusting budget documents to reflect changes to the Capital Improvement Program. Council will vote on the budget on Nov. 27.

Reid proposed a litany of small tax increases to offset a proposed 7.8% property tax rate hike, which the council will consider on Nov. 27. This includes a proposal to charge large nonprofit entities for use of the city’s fire and ambulance services, a move that may have been aimed at NU. The University, according to Evanston Fire Department chief Paul Polep, sees approximately 350 annual emergency calls to its campus despite

paying no property taxes, which fund partially emergency services.

Councilmembers also raised budget concerns ranging from affordable housing funds to the hiring of new positions on city staff.

Though councilmembers voted unanimously to introduce the budget, Reid urged the council to table the budget until Ryan Field ordinances are dealt with. But with holidays and the end of the council’s term looming, Mayor Daniel Biss warned the council that it was pushing up against the deadline for making budget decisions.

“We have two more regular council meetings scheduled (this year),” Biss said. “So to the extent that the intention of the council is to utilize regular meetings to pass the budget, there’s no more delays available to us.” colereynolds2026@u.northwestern.edu

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2023

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

3

ON CAMPUS

NUGW rallies for economic demands

The Daily Northwestern

By SAMANTHA POWERS

Editor in Chief Avani Kalra

daily senior staffer @sqpowers04

www.dailynorthwestern.com eic@dailynorthwestern.com

Close to 500 Northwestern community members gathered outside Silverman Hall Monday afternoon for a “Pay, Power, and Protections NOW!” rally hosted

by Northwestern University Graduate Workers.

Last week, the University canceled a full-day bargaining session with NUGW originally scheduled for Tuesday. The session was expected to cover the union’s economic proposals, which include comprehensive health coverage, reimbursement for immigrationrelated fees and a base stipend increase to $50,000.

University spokesperson Jon Yates told The Daily the University canceled the session because “it needs more time to review the Union’s economic proposals and prepare counters,” although NUGW presented its economic proposals more than three weeks ago, according to NUGW bargaining committee member Lawrence Chillrud.

NUGW organizer Brooke Simonton is a third-year Ph.D./M.P.H. candidate in life sciences and public health. She said the University’s cancellation of the Tuesday bargaining meeting created some frustration within the union.

“It’s a known tactic for universities to delay bargaining and not give a central time to those conversations as a way to decrease momentum, which is why these escalation actions are so important,” Simonton said.

Simonton praised her fellow organizers for their “never-ending energy” in generating momentum and making their demands a reality.

Summer Pappachen, a third-year Ph.D. candidate in political science, led the crowd in chants, calling it a “privilege of (her) life” to be in the fight alongside her fellow graduate workers. Pappachen criticized the administration for canceling the Tuesday meeting.

“Every week that admin stalls is another week that we struggle to pay our bills,” Pappachen said.

“It’s another week that we tolerate workplace abuse.

It’s another week that we can’t go to the dentist, can’t go to the doctor.”

Speakers discussed intersecting issues facing graduate workers, paying special attention to marginalized groups like international students and parents.

Charles Logan, a 4th-year Ph.D. candidate in

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NU community members came to Monday afternoon’s NUGW rally bearing sings, NUGW T-shirts and noisemaking devices

learning sciences and a father of three, presented some of the results of a survey he helped organize outlining issues facing graduate worker caregivers. Some survey respondents said they struggled with relying on food stamps to feed their families and having insufficient parental leave after giving birth.

“Our recent survey revealed a pattern of frustration, anger and pain endured by graduate worker caregivers because of Northwestern’s insufficient resources and inhumane policies,” Logan said.

NUGW’s economic demands include 75% coverage of dependent health premiums and an increased childcare grant – both of which Logan said would benefit caregivers.

Some professors and postdoctoral researchers attended the rally in solidarity with NUGW. Siobhan Brown, a post-doctoral researcher in chemical and biological engineering, spoke on behalf of other postdoctoral researchers in the fight for labor rights on campus.

“Postdocs and graduate workers produce the research which makes the University run,” Brown said. “We rake in more and more research money every year, to the tune of $1 billion this year. As the workers who produce the data on which these grants rely, we deserve a seat at the table in determining our working conditions and to be fairly compensated for our contributions.”

Representatives from the NU Library Workers

Union, Fossil Free NU, Students Organizing for Labor Rights, the NU Accountability Alliance and University of Chicago Graduate Students United all spoke at the event.

NUGW organizer Emma Kennedy, a sixth-year Ph.D. candidate in art history, said high turnout at the event demonstrates the union’s collective power.

“I think the really great thing about what we do is that people from across the University join us,” Kennedy said. “We have faculty who are supporting us, we have undergrads who are supporting us and we have grad workers from every department showing up today to show the administration that we mean business.”

NUGW has reached tentative agreements on 23 of its 32 proposed provisions since it began negotiations with the University in June. Its most recent victories from the Nov. 1 bargaining session include universal union membership, non-discrimination and management rights.

The next bargaining session is scheduled for Nov. 30, when NUGW’s bargaining committee intends to continue negotiating its economic proposals.

“We want to keep fighting, because we’ve won some really great things already in bargaining, but they won’t go into effect until we sign this contract,” Kennedy said. “We need it now.” samanthapowers2026@u.northwestern.edu

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4 THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2023

SCHILL

From page 1

indifference,” Ryan said. “The difficulty is, as long as the solutions are coming out of the president’s office, things don’t substantially change. And I think it’s very sad.”

Throughout his time as UO president, Schill weathered several athletics controversies. Some students say they still have questions about the way Schill handled complaints of abusive drills on Oregon’s football team, eating disorders on the track team and sexual assault allegations on the basketball team.

Multiple inconclusive investigations at NU

thought it should be done … That warranted zero ramifications.”

The University’s investigation did not find Foster responsible for all of the allegations in the HR report, the source said. 15 players entered the transfer portal seeking to leave NU’s baseball team during the 2022-23 season.

Pitching coach Jon Strauss, hitting coach and Recruiting Coordinator Dusty Napoleon and Director of Operations Chris Beacom all stepped away from the program during Foster’s yearlong tenure.

Foster’s lawyer, James Kelly, said the allegations are unfounded.

“Coach Foster denies all allegations of wrongdoing,” he wrote in a statement to The Daily. “He looks forward to vigorously defending these false claims.”

A 2017 investigation into UO football A former NU football player, who requested to remain anonymous for fear of retribution, told The Before coming to NU, Schill served as president Daily in July he was disappointed with the University’s initial “blanket statement” about Fitzgerald’s of the University of Oregon from 2015 to 2022.

There, his administration also evaluated several suspension.

The former player was the first to report the haz- reports and complaints about the school’s football ing incidents. He said he was upset that Schill and program. other administrators did not provide a statement In 2019, two football players sued UO, former of action alongside Fitzgerald’s suspension. He felt head coach Willie Taggart, former strength coach Fitzgerald’s suspension was inadequate, noting it Irele Oderinde and the NCAA for alleged abusive took place during a dead period for football, offseason workouts. a time when the In these lawsuits, NCAA bars coaches players alleged they from recruiting. sustained signifi“I think that anycant and permanent one who hears this physical injuries can agree that these caused by workactions are defiouts in 2017. Both nitely not actions plaintiffs — along with another player that ‘fine young men’ benefiting the — were hospital“I would say at large it seemed that program and the ized and developed he didn’t take complaints like that rhabdomyolysis, University’s charseriously until it seemed like the acter would engage which causes muscle in,” the player said tissue to disintegrate University would get sued.

He very in July, referring to and leak into the rarely talked to our reporters.”

Fitzgerald’s note bloodstream. after his initial susOne of the stupension. “It’s stuff dents represented in that is not going to the lawsuit was forchange through a mer offensive lineThe Daily Emerald man Doug Brenner. two-week slap on the wrist.”

Greg Kafour y, Fitzgerald’s lawBrenner’s attorney, yer didn’t respond told The Daily the injuries severely altered Brenner’s life. to The Daily’s request for comment.

“He was facing long term kidney damage, which Schill told The Daily in a statement he is respon- can lead to shortened life expectancy, need for dialysis, need for kidney transplants — it’s grim business,” sive to concerns from student athletes.

“I met with members of the football team right Kafoury said. after Coach Pat Fitzgerald was terminated and I Brenner’s kidney doctor, Raymond Petrillo, testimaintain an open-door policy,” Schill said in the fied during the trial in April 2022 that Brenner’s life statement. “Since that time, I have met with (cur- span was shortened by 10 to 15 years.

The Daily asked Schill in July about the nature of rent head football) coach (David) Braun on several occasions to check in, to discuss the team and these workouts at UO. Schill said Oregon could get their concerns, and I will continue to do so moving “quite hot” during the summer, and the practices left forward.” players dehydrated.

Just days after Fitzgerald was terminated, allega“Let me clarify,” Schill said in a November statetions by players and coaches in NU’s baseball pro- ment to The Daily. “The dehydration suffered by gram against former head baseball coach Jim Foster the student-athletes was not caused by the heat. It became public. Foster, who had only been at NU for was caused by the excessive physical exertion by one year, was relieved of his duties after nine players student-athletes during training sessions with a new and team staffers came forward and told their story coaching staff.” to Chicago radio station 670 The Score.

The lawsuit alleges UO coaches forced football Foster was NU’s fourth head baseball coach in players to do “perfect” push-ups in unison –– and four years. added on more when the players failed. It also alleges Coaches involved in NU’s baseball program first coaches did not make water available to the players submitted an HR report about Foster last November for at least the first day of practices. during Schill’s first quarter at NU, a source familiar “During the workout, if even one student athlete with the situation told The Daily. The report alleged needed to stop performing the punishment drills Foster engaged in bullying and abusive behavior, to catch his breath, to vomit, or otherwise address spoke inappropriately to a female staff member and physical pain or injury, then the rest of the student made racist remarks to others. athletes were punished with additional push-ups or “We’ve been trying to get this out through the up-downs until the exhausted, injured or vomiting proper channels our entire career,” the source said. student athlete returned,” the lawsuit stated.

After an institutional review, the university, under “We went to human resources, which is the way we

Former reporter

Schill’s leadership, suspended one of the coaches for four weeks without pay. Neither coach involved was fired. Attempts by The Daily to reach the coaches were not successful.

A former reporter for UO’s student newspaper The Daily Emerald, who wished to remain anonymous at the request of his current employer, was involved in covering the lawsuits. He feels Schill minimized the events of the case and other sportsrelated lawsuits.

“I would say at large it seemed that he didn’t take complaints like that seriously until it seemed like the University would get sued,” the former reporter wrote in a statement to The Daily. “He very rarely talked to our reporters.”

Schill said in July his handling of this case at UO was “totally dissimilar” to his process reviewing hazing allegations at NU. When the three UO players were hospitalized, he said his decision to institute a four-week suspension was informed by the university’s investigation.

“I think that the penalty for him was the appropriate penalty,” Schill said in July. “The facts and circumstances of each case are different, and I am happy to say that what we did sent a message.”

According to Kafoury, Brenner reached a legal settlement with UO two years after filing the lawsuit. The other player, Sam Poutasi, also settled. By then, both coaches had left the school of their own volition. Schill was still president of the University.

“At the trial, the UO lawyers admitted these drills should not have taken place,” Kafoury said.

“Coach Oderinde failed to protect the health and welfare of the UO student-athletes,” Schill said in a November statement to The Daily in which he acknowledged the players developed rhabdomyolysis.

According to the lawsuit, Gragg did not respond to the plaintiff ’s email for sixteen days, and no further action was taken. Readey still plays on NU’s baseball team.

Gragg did not see the initial email and apologized for his lack of immediate communication, Schill told The Daily on his behalf. Schill added he cannot comment on active litigation.

The University said in an October court filing that both parties have agreed to engage in settlement discussions for the lawsuit, which may take several months. Readey has also filed a lawsuit against Tamara Holder, the original complainant’s lawyer, denying the lacrosse player’s allegations.

Readey’s lawyer, Andrew Miltenberg, said in a statement to The Daily the accusations are false.

“This lawsuit is an unscrupulous attempt to smear our client and subvert a campus investigation through the Northwestern Office of Civil Rights, as well as an effort to deflect from the fact that our client has his own claims of suffered abuse that the University is reviewing,” Miltenberg wrote.

Meanwhile, The Daily Emerald found in 2017, during Schill’s tenure, UO allowed basketball player Kavell Bigby-Williams to play 37 games while under criminal investigation for sexual assault.

Bigby-Williams arrived at UO in 2016 after transferring from Gillette College in Wyoming. On the third day of the fall term, University of Oregon Police detective Kathy Flynn received a phone call from Northern Wyoming Community College District police, according to a police report obtained

by The Daily.

Detectives in Wyoming called for assistance in interviewing Bigby-Williams in their investigation of an alleged sexual assault. Flynn called Bigby-Williams twice before telling Oregon’s Title IX coordinator and a deputy athletic director about the investigation into Bigby-Williams, records show.

Questions over response to sexual assault After failing to reach Bigby-Williams, UO offiallegations cials did not follow university protocol requiring the Title IX coordinator to notify the school’s director Research has shown that college-age adults across of student conduct and community standards after the United States are at high risk for sexual violence. being informed of a Title IX violation. Detectives Since entering college, 22% of students reported had made it clear that Bigby-Williams was being experiencing at least one incident of sexual assault, investigated in a sexual assault case.

Still, the Title IX coordinator did not inform according to a 2017 study by PLOS One. Women and gender nonconforming students reported the the director of student conduct and community standards. highest rates of assault.

This trend is not specific to UO or NU. But, At UO, it is the director’s job to determine what under Schill’s leadership, athletes accused of sexual steps should be taken to protect students. The direcassault have been allowed to continue participating tor of student conduct could have determined sancin athletics. tions on Bigby-Williams while he remained under In August, a former NU formal investigation. lacrosse player Instead, Bigby-Williams filed an stayed on the basketball anonyteam for the remain“I think that there is a mous der of the season, general culture of lawsuit playing until the team’s indifference. The difficulty is, as 2017 loss long as the solutions are coming against in the Final NU, out of the president’s office, alleging Four. things don’t substantially change. the school His And I think it’s very sad.” did not adeagent quately respond did after she was not assaulted by a baseball return Former UO Professor player in July 2022. a request The lawsuit says seven curfor comment. Bigby-Wilrent and former classmates of baseball liams was never charged with player Chad Readey warned NU officials — any crimes. including former President Morton Schapiro and Then-student journalist Kenny Jacoby broke the former head baseball coach Spencer Allen — in story about Bigby-Williams’ investigation in the 2020 that Readey “had a documented history as a Daily Emerald. He later wrote in Sports Illustrated serial, sexual abuser toward his female classmates that he repeatedly pressed Schill about what he and throughout middle and high school.” the administration knew.

The lawsuit alleges the plaintiff complained to According to Jacoby, Schill was less than responboth NU Athletic Director Derrick Gragg and sive to his questions.

Northwestern’s Title IX office in January and Feb“I don’t have any awareness of that,” Jacoby ruary 2023, during Schill’s tenure, saying she was a quoted Schill saying in a 2017 piece for Sports “direct victim of Chad Readey’s disgusting behavior.” Illustrated. “In any event, I can’t comment on an

Cheyney Ryan

April 2015

September 2016

January 2019

October 2021

Michael Schill appointed president of UO

Basketball player joins UO amid sexual assault allegations

Football players sue UO for alleged abusive workouts

UO female athletes allege toxic environment

University of Oregon’s Board of Trustees selects Michael Schill, then dean of the University of Chicago Law School, as the next president of the university. Schill is set to begin the role in July.

Kavell Bigby-Williams transfers to University of Oregon from Gillette College in Wyoming, and detectives inform UO’s Title IX officer of an alleged sexual assault. He continues to play on the basketball team through the end of the season in Spring 2017.

Two football players sue UO, former head coach Willie Taggart, former strength coach Irele Oderinde and the NCAA for alleged abusive offseason workouts. They allege they sustained significant and permanent physical injuries caused by workouts in 2017.

Six women in the track program come forward to The Oregonian with claims of body shaming. The UO track program had negatively impacted their mental health and eating patterns, they alleged.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2023

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

individual student. What if I was asked by another “(Coaches) would hand out diets to athletes, reporter about you being obnoxious? Would you they would make us record all of our nutrition and want me to tell them that?” they would review it for us,” Hare said. “They would Meanwhile, UO’s administration maintained make comments to athletes at practice about how if their stance that the Title IX coordinator and deputy they were fat, or if they ‘weren’t so fat,’ they would coordinator, as well as the athletic director, followed be faster.” all University policies, given the investigation wasn’t According to Hare, the program regularly meabeing conducted by UO. sured runners’ weights and body-fat percentages.

Schill told The Daily in a statement he does Players received mandatory scans three times a year ment in Title IX using DEXA, a technology that measures not have involveinvestigations bone density and body-fat at NU and percentage. did not at Hare said DEXA spurred much of UO. the program’s “I “(Coaches) would make toxic culwas comments to athletes at ture. She not practice about how if they were privy told to the The fat, or if they ‘weren’t so fat,’ process at Daily they would be faster.” the time,” she Schill said in used the statement. to “(I) supported the listen Former runner at UO competence and good to her work of the Title IX offiforcer at that time. I was advised mer teammates debate that the Title IX Office determined whether or not to eat prior to there was no ongoing risk to campus health DEXA scans. and safety.”

Ken Goe, the reporter who broke the story According to documents obtained by The for The Oregonian, told The Daily some runners Daily, evidence was gathered by the time UO’s struggled with binge eating disorder, anorexia and detective approached the school’s Title IX coor- body dysmorphia. dinator. The Gillette detective took photos of Hare said she tried to bring attention to these bruising on a woman’s neck, collected her clothes issues during her time at UO. and sheets and documented interviews with her “When I graduated, I did my exit interview with roommates, who said they saw her unconscious the athletic director Rob Mullens,” she said. “And so I brought that up to him … I was just like, ‘(this prior to the incident.

The Gillette detective also informed UO police is) a concern that I had with the program and with of the investigation just 11 days after the alleged the coaches,’ and assumed that maybe that would incident occurred, according to the police report kick something off.” obtained by The Daily. Still, UO’s Title IX invesAfter Hare said it became clear that Mullens tigator didn’t inform the official with the power to would not open an investigation, she decided to send a “pretty heated email” to an assistant athletic suspend Bigby-Williams.

Head basketball coach Dana Altman spoke with director. the UO deputy Title IX coordinator and Bigby“She referred it to the faculty athletic repreWilliams’ former Gillette basketball coach several sentative. So that’s when they allegedly kicked off times in the 48 hours after UO was contacted some sort of internal investigation,” Hare said. “But

by Wyoming police, according to phone records beyond an initial interview … I’m not sure if that obtained by The Daily. Still, Schill’s administration ever went anywhere.” did not impose consequences for Altman, who is While reporting, Goe filed a public records still the head coach. request for any investigations pertaining to the comBigby-Williams transferred to play at Louisiana plaints on the track team. Based on the university’s State University at the end of the school year, and response to his request, no investigation on weight the investigation in Wyoming was dropped. He was or eating concerns had ever been opened, he said. never formally investigated by UO. Sexism was a major problem in the program, Flynn and UO’s athletics department didn’t Hare added, noting only female athletes were asked respond to a request for comment. to complete additional training to lower their bodyfat percentages.

Coaches also punished female athletes who had A culture of body shaming at NU, UO body-fat percentages they considered to be “too In September, The Daily reported allegations high,” Hare said. She alleged those athletes would from four current and former NU cheerleaders, be left off the training or travel roster, and they’d be who described pervasive body shaming within the explicitly informed their body-fat percentages were program. The cheerleaders alleged current head the reasons why. coach Valerie Ruiz made comments about the size “If you didn’t perform as well as you wanted of cheerleader’s uniforms, pressured them to fit into to perform at nationals or something, they’d be certain sizes and required them to line up by size like, ‘well, we did everything that we could as your rather than height. coaches, we gave you all the training and gave you all Despite these complaints, Ruiz is still employed. the tools so it’s kind of on you, and maybe has to do “We take all allegations of misconduct seriously,” with your nutrition and you’re just fat,’” Hare said.

Schill told The Daily in a statement. “The University Goe said the success of the track team has long has reviewed the culture of the Spirit Squad and been important to UO. Nike co-founder and UO taken appropriate measures.” alumnus Phil Knight is crucial to fundraising and The UO athletics department faced allegations ran UO track in his college days, according to Goe. like these during Schill’s administration. In 2021, six And, Knight has long been intertwined with the women in the track program came forward to The success of the track program, Goe added. In 2017, Oregonian with similar claims. The UO track pro- Nike pledged $13.5 million to help renovate their gram had negatively impacted their mental health facilities.

“Michael Schill was known for his ability to and eating patterns, they alleged.

Ashlyn Hare, a former runner at Oregon, told fundraise,” Goe said, “which primarily involved his The Daily she noticed “problematic behaviors” ability to keep Phil Knight happy. Knight had a huge throughout her time on the team. She said UO bearing on the track team — he wanted them to coaches were responsible. perform well.”

Ashlyn Hare

found the athletics department did nothing illegal but could improve its media relations, The Daily Emerald reported at the time.

Reporters at the paper say limited athlete access significantly restricted their ability to cover athletics.

“The athletics department had its own public relations person,” the anonymous former Emerald reporter wrote to The Daily. “In general, athletes didn’t tend to be available for anything controversial if we were reaching out through their PR person.”

The report at UO also concluded that Williford’s suggestion to pull a reporter’s credential did not violate law or policy at the school, since athletes were still free to speak with journalists. Williford did not respond to a request for comment.

“It is clear from our interviews that student athletes are not restricted from contacting the media directly,” the report said.

NU’s protocol has long required student reporters to similarly secure interviews with athletes through the athletic department. And, starting with the 2023-2024 school year, the athletics department has terminated student reporters’ access to assistant coaches on the football team.

At the time, Schill told the Emerald’s reporters the University’s report was thorough and he supported it entirely.

Nearly seven years later, Schill told The Daily in a statement that Oregon never limited access to student-athletes for members of the media.

“If student-athletes wanted to talk to reporters, they were always permitted to do so,” Schill said in the statement. “If they did not want to talk to the media, our communications team limited access to them based on the individual student-athlete’s direction.”

Journalists’ restricted communication with Despite Schill’s praise, UO students and faculty athletes criticized the investigation. Former Senate Faculty President Bill Harbaugh said the report’s finding Despite journalists — both students and profes- that athletes can freely speak with reporters was sionals — breaking the majority of these athlet- wrong. He said he’d found that coaches “discourics-related stories, another investigation into the age players from talking athletics departabout controversial things.” ment opened durHoffmann ing Schill’s tenure shared the sentiexamined allegations of free speech ment, noting disviolations at UO. tance between athThe university letes and reporters began its investikept much in the dark. gation after Dave Williford, the then“There’s been a “There’s been a pretty consistent sports information pretty consistent track record of a lot of things being director for UO track record of a football, suggested lot of things being swept under the rug or not really swept under the rug in 2016 he would delved into fully, in large part because or not really delved revoke a press into fully, in large credential from of that policy.” part because of that a reporter for an alleged violation of policy,” Hoffmann university protocol. said.

The reporter, Reporters at Former sports editor, The Daily Emerald who worked at the The Daily Emeruniversity’s student ald said school newspaper, had conpolicies remained tacted a UO football unchanged during player directly to fol- low at UO. Schill’s time up on an interview. That action violated a UO Now only one year into his tenure at NU, Schill protocol requiring all interviews with athletes be contends with a number of lawsuits alleging hazing requested through the athletics department. and racism, complaints from cheerleaders about Though Shane Hoffmann, a former sports edi- safety concerns and accusations of overlooked tor at The Daily Emerald, wasn’t present for the assaults. incident, he said media access for UO sports has Parallels between UO and NU not only reflect always been difficult. ongoing, nationwide struggles to address ath“Oregon definitely has a reputation for being letic abuse and mistreatment, but also indifferpretty buttoned-up in terms of media access, espe- ent leadership, as Ryan, the former UO professor, cially in the athletics department,” Hoffmann said. described.

“That’s something that I know was the case before “If they took these issues seriously, these things I got there … and still is.” wouldn’t happen,” Ryan said. “The problem is not Schill opened an investigation at UO in Decem- just why did this happen in the first place, but how ber 2016 to determine whether the protocol and did (leadership) respond?”

Williford’s comment violated both athletes’ and reporters’ freedom of speech. The investigation avanikalra2025@u.northwestern.edu

Though the head track coach’s contract was not renewed after Goe’s article in The Oregonian was released, Hare said Knight continued to have a hand in the team. Coaches Jerry Schumacher and Shalane Flanagan both stepped into the program in 2022 as head coach and an assistant coach, respectively. The Oregonian said both coaches planned to continue coaching professional athletes at the Nike-sponsored Bowerman Track Club.

“They replaced (the coach) with two coaches who were coaching professionally for Nike,” Hare said. “To me, that very much felt like an order handed down from Phil Knight. I also felt like there wasn’t going to be any repercussions for the track coach because he had been successful during his time there.”

Media relations at Nike did not respond to a request for comment about Knight’s involvement with the team.

Now, UO athletes can choose whether or not to receive DEXA scans, and reporting of individual results to coaches is not permitted, according to both Hare and Goe. While Hare said this change is a step in the right direction, she said it only came after the story went public in The Oregonian.

Schill told The Daily in a statement that UO engaged an independent firm to look into the incident, and they found no policy violations. A UO spokesperson confirmed an investigation was conducted and no policy violations were found.

“I should point out that the Oregon Track & Field program was one of the most important and successful programs at Oregon, and the decision to not renew the head coach’s contract was made not on his team’s performance but rather on his conduct,” Schill said in the statement.

Shane Hoffmann

August 2022

July 2023

August 2023

September 2023

NU appoints Schill as president

Schill suspends head coach Pat Fitzgerald

NU lacrosse player alleges sexual assault

NU cheerleaders report body shaming

Schill reviews testimony from football players alleging hazing and sexual misconduct in NU’s football program and suspends former head football coach Pat Fitzgerald for two weeks.

Two days later, Schill tells the University community he would “relieve Fitzgerald of his duties” — effective immediately.

Within the month, former head baseball coach Jim Foster is also relieved of his duties.

A former NU lacrosse player files an anonymous lawsuit against NU, alleging the school did not adequately respond after she was allegedly assaulted by baseball player Chad Readey in July 2022.

The Daily reports allegations from four current and former NU cheerleaders, who describe pervasive body shaming within the program.

NU’s Board of Trustees announces that Michael Schill will be the University’s next president and take office in September.

5

6 THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2023

OPINION

Join the online conversation at www.dailynorthwestern.com LETTER TO THE EDITOR

LTE: NU Faculty respond to President Schill’s email Dear President Michael Schill, As faculty at Northwestern, we are seriously dismayed and concerned by the email you sent on Nov. 13, “Announcing new committee on antisemitism and hate.” We join our colleagues at other universities such as Harvard University, Columbia University and Brown University who are disturbed by administrative messaging that conflicts with our collective commitment to intellectual freedom and rigorous, open debate and contributes to a campus climate that erodes these freedoms.

”

Your letter also inflicts the exact harm it claims to prevent through its glaring imbalance.

It deprioritizes and diminishes many students’ experiences, ideas and concerns regarding what leading scholars and human rights organizations are describing as genocidal violence in Gaza.

Your letter rightfully condemns antisemitism, but presents an unbalanced approach to the issues we collectively face. If the approach outlined in the letter were to be carried out, we would be unable to operate effectively as faculty at an educational

institution. The current political moment demands moral and pedagogical leadership that empowers all students to historicize current events, wrestle carefully with language and learn how to enact change in relation to their conscience — practices actively policed and constrained by the stances laid out in your letter.

”

Your words risk further emboldening people within and outside the Northwestern community to police and threaten students, staff and faculty. Your evocation of surveillance and law enforcement puts our students, staff and faculty of color at particular risk.

Your letter also inflicts the exact harm it claims to prevent through its glaring imbalance. It deprioritizes and diminishes many students’ experiences, ideas and concerns regarding what leading scholars and human rights organizations are describing as genocidal violence in Gaza. The letter makes unjustified assumptions about which students, staff and faculty are the targets of hate.

And, it implies that criticism of the government of Israel is antisemitic.

As our colleagues at Harvard state, and as is also reflected in a recent open letter from

Jewish writers, artists and activists in N+1 Magazine, it “cannot be ruled as ipso facto antisemitic” to question the actions of the Israeli government. Similarly, the phrase “from the river to the sea, Palestine must be free,” as our colleagues at Harvard write, “has a long and complicated history. Its interpretation deserves, and is receiving, sustained and ongoing inquiry and debate.”

Your words risk further emboldening people within and outside the Northwestern community to police and threaten students, staff and faculty. Your evocation of surveillance and law enforcement puts our students, staff and faculty of color at particular risk.

”

We call for courageous leadership that supports all members of the Northwestern community in critically analyzing the world, wrestling with complex and pressing problems and safeguarding the right to dissent.

Repression has no home in a place of learning. It produces a chilling effect on teaching and research across the University, on issues that both relate to the current emergency at hand and touch on many of the domains we study — from science and engineering to journalistic practice to Indigenous, Black and Ethnic studies.

We join our colleagues at Harvard and elsewhere in their demands for student, staff and faculty protection and intellectual freedom. Our demands include that you: Resist pressure to suspend or decertif y Palestinian, Jewish, human rights and other student groups on campus in retaliation for their public statements and advocacy.

Explicitly affirm the University’s commitment to the freedom of thought, inquiry and expression in light of the extraordinary pressure being brought to bear upon critics of the State of Israel and advocates of the Palestinian people, and indicating that there can be no tolerance for a “Palestine exception” to free speech.

Create an advisory group on Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab racism.

As outlined by several leading legal and civic organizations like the Center for Constitutional Rights, we call for courageous leadership that supports all members of the Northwestern community in critically analyzing the world, wrestling with complex and pressing problems and safeguarding the right to dissent. Otherwise, we are failing to fulfill our mission as an educational institution.

Sincerely, 163 Northwestern faculty members If you would like to respond publicly to this letter to the editor, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

LTE: From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free To the Northwestern Community, As a collective of student organizations, we represent students of all backgrounds, races, ethnicities, religions and genders. As future doctors, journalists, actors, politicians, lawyers, engineers and professionals, we are obligated to protect and uplift every voice and to preserve their humanity and civil liberties.

In the past month, the world has watched the indiscriminate slaughter of over 11,000 Palestinians in Gaza. Between suffocating under the rubble of bombed civilian homes, starving to death due to the bombing of bakeries and fatal burns from white phosphorus bombs — all of which violate international law — one in 200 people in Gaza have been killed by these causes and more. At least 1.6 million people have been displaced, a number that is more devastating than the 1948 Nakba, or Catastrophe, which ethnically cleansed half of the native population.

”

As long as our University is silent on the systematic killing of journalists in Gaza, silent on the deliberate targeting of hospitals, schools, churches and mosques, it is incumbent on us, the voice and heartbeat of this campus, to let our community know that Northwestern doesn’t represent us or our values.

While the death toll rises uncountably every day, the U.S. has made pro-Palestinian protesters the scapegoat rather than condemn — much less acknowledge — the war crimes committed by the Israeli government and military. The U.S. Senate unanimously passed

a resolution condemning activists as being antisemitic for criticizing the Israeli government. Brandeis University, Columbia University and George Washington University have already set a dangerous precedent, disbanding Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace chapters on their campuses, claiming that the organizations violated campus conduct rules.

And now, this mass hysteria and collective psychosis has reached our campus. In an email sent to the Northwestern community on Nov. 13, University President Michael Schill calls “on all members of our community to use our collective voices to emphatically reject statements or banners that significant parts of our community interpret as promoting murder and genocide. This includes flying flags associated with Hamas and banners with the slogan ‘From the River to the Sea.’” Schill’s choice to platform fringe beliefs on the use of this statement and deny genocide in an attempt to mischaracterize the mission of activists on campus is intentionally irresponsible and incredibly dangerous. Indeed, we know there is a genocide happening, and it is happening to Palestinians by the Israeli apartheid government, as affirmed by Craig Mokhiber, former Director of the New York Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in his resignation letter. Schill jeopardizes the safety and security of SJP’s presence on campus –– the main voice actively combating Zionism — with his statement.

The deliberate silencing and censorship of pro-Palestinian activism is nothing but repressive and authoritarian. While the University claims to uphold a culture of “intellectual exchange and academic freedom,” the history of a double standard on free speech is deep.

As much as it tries to appropriate the work of student activists, Northwestern was on the wrong side of history during the Black Civil Rights Movement, during Vietnam anti-war protests and during the anti-apartheid divestment movements for South Africa.

Further in the email, the University announced a task force aimed at “preventing antisemitism and hate” co-chaired by a professor who has published papers justifying the

demolitions of homes in Palestine as an “effective counterterrorism tactic.” The creation of this committee is at the expense of Arabs and Muslims and callously ignores the systematic rise in Islamophobia and doxxing on campuses across the U.S. Schill does not name “Islamophobia” or “racism” even once in his email. His repeated reluctance to outright condemn recorded instances of Islamophobia while explicitly condemning

”

The destiny of all marginalized people — both in occupied Palestine and around the world — is intertwined. We believe in the liberation of all peoples from Chicago to Sudan to the Congo to Western Sahara to Palestine. antisemitism is an indictment; he has chosen a side.

The destiny of all marginalized people — both in occupied Palestine and around the world — is intertwined. We believe in the liberation of all peoples from Chicago to Sudan to the Congo to Western Sahara to Palestine.

We stand in solidarity with Students for Justice in Palestine as we understand that all liberation movements are intrinsically linked. As long as our University is silent on the systematic killing of journalists in Gaza, silent on the deliberate targeting of hospitals, schools, churches and mosques, it is incumbent on us, the voice and heartbeat of this campus, to let our community know that Northwestern doesn’t represent us or our values.

Palestine has always served as a litmus test of our collective imagination of what freedom could look like. When we say from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free, we imagine a world free of Islamophobia, antisemitism, anti-Blackness, militarism, occupation and

apartheid.

From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.

Until liberation, 65 Northwestern organizations If you would like to respond publicly to this letter to the editor, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.

The Daily Northwestern Volume 145, Issue 17

Editor in Chief Avani Kalra Opinion Editor Colin Crawford

Managing Editors Ella Jeffries Selena Kuznikov Saul Pink Scott Hwang Laura Simmons

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR may be sent to 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208, via fax at 847-491-9905, via e-mail to opinion@ dailynorthwestern.com or by dropping a letter in the box outside The Daily office.

Letters have the following requirements: • Should be typed and double-spaced • Should include the author’s name, signature, school, class and phone number.

• Should be fewer than 300 words They will be checked for authenticity and may be edited for length, clarity, style and grammar.

Letters, columns and cartoons contain the opinion of the authors, not Students Publishing Co. Inc. Submissions signed by more than three people must include at least one and no more than three names designated to represent the group.

Editorials reflect the majority opinion of The Daily’s student editorial board and not the opinions of either Northwestern University or Students Publishing Co. Inc.

northwestern

David Braun now permanent head coach

#tagremoved #2 ben bryant

back under center

FINAL HOME GAME

Big Ten West rival

Is this the last game at Ryan Field?

Can the ‘Cats get back-to-back wins?

S enior Day

Will Northwestern play four full quarters of complementary

f o o t b a ll ?

"OUr guys know

what's on the

line"

NO V

, 18

‘Cats one game away from bowl eligbility

SAT.

PURDUE at

8 THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2023

What to watch for: nu hosts purdue

By ALEX CERVANTES

daily senior staffer @cervantespalex

It’s officially a new era in Evanston.

On Wednesday, Northwestern announced it had officially promoted David Braun to head coach, dropping the ‘interim’ label the University had tabbed him with on July 13 following the firing of Pat Fitzgerald. The announcement comes just days after Braun’s title was the subject of dozens of “#removethetag” posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, from Wildcats players and fans following a commanding 14-point victory over Wisconsin.

Now, Braun prepares to coach his first official game on Saturday helming NU. Hosting Purdue on Senior Day, the ’Cats look to nab back-to-back wins for the first time this season and secure bowl eligibility.

“This group has found ways to stare adversity down, take 100% responsibility on being solutions-based, and just getting to work and caring

about one another,” Braun said at a Monday press conference. “We’ve talked about writing our story; this group had an opportunity to write its own story. They’ve certainly done a great job with that so far.”

Here are three storylines to monitor ahead of NU’s clash with the Boilermakers.

conversations about how the team can carry its momentum into the third and fourth frames in the future.

“It’s something that I know our offensive staff is evaluating,” Braun said. “What do we need to do to start fast in the second half and close out games?”

1. Second half offensive momentum

2. On the precipice of bowl eligibility

In two of their last three games, the ’Cats piled on 24 first half points against Maryland and Wisconsin. Despite starting two different quarterbacks — graduate student Ben Bryant and junior Brendan Sullivan — offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian’s unit compiled 530 total yards and found the end zone six times in the pair of conference contests.

However, in the third quarter of both games, NU’s offense sputtered, amassing just 25 total yards and three points on six drives.

After explosive offensive displays in the first 30 minutes of action against the Terrapins and Badgers, Braun said the offense dove into

The ’Cats are one win away from playing in the postseason for the first time since 2020.

Although NU is well positioned to make a bowl game due to the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate, Braun’s squad has a pair of winnable matchups against Big Ten West foes to close the season.

For Braun and his team, the prospect of bowl eligibility remains front of mind following the win over the Badgers.

“The ultimate carrot for this team right now is understanding that we only have two guaranteed opportunities left to be with this group,” Braun said. “This group wants to battle to ensure that we get an extra opportunity to extend this season.

Our guys know what’s on the line.”

3. The (likely) last game at Ryan Field for several seasons Insert Titanic meme: it’s been 97 years.

The nonagenarian cathedral of football that has seen the likes of Otto Graham, Darnell Autry and more don the purple and white will soon be demolished in favor of a more modernized and sleek stadium.

Arguments between supporters and opponents of the construction of Ryan Field aside, it appears increasingly likely that Saturday’s matinee affair will be the finale for the near-century old stadium.

Braun said the ’Cats are motivated to commemorate the occasion with one final triumph.

“There’s so much history and tradition at Ryan Field,” Braun said. “It’s only fitting that we ensure that we hold up and play at our best and send it out the right way. … I know our guys are motivated to ensure that we do it right.” alexcervantes2024@u.northwestern.edu

GAMEDAY

Gameday Editor Lawrence Price

S TA N D I N G S EAST

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WEST

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Writers Alex cervantes jake epstein

(7-0, 10-0) (7-0, 10-0) (5-2, 8-2) (3-4, 6-4) (3-4, 6-4) (1-6, 3-7) (1-6, 3-7) (5-2, 8-2) (3-4, 5-5) (3-4, 5-5) (3-4, 5-5) (3-4, 5-5) (3-4, 5-5) (2-5, 3-7)

Designer Angeli Mittal Gameday is a publication of Students Publishing Co. A four-page issue is usually published on the Thursday prior to Northwestern home games and a two-page issue is published on the Thursday prior to Northwestern road games.

All material is © 2023 Students Publishing Co. Questions or comments should be sent c/o Gameday Editor Lawrence Price, 1999 Campus Dr., Evanston, IL 60208.

Angeli Mittal/Daily Senior Staffer

9 THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2023

Braun’s high-rising tale concludes interim chapter

Permanent head coach’s journey into the big ten

By JAKE EPSTEIN

daily senior staffer @jakeepste1n

Within the undulating hills and woodlands of western Waukesha County, the village of Wales, Wisconsin boasts a hardworking, tight-knit feel that defines small midwestern towns. With less than 3,000 residents, area children filter into the Kettle Moraine school district — where many dream of taking the field for the Kettle Moraine High School Lasers one day.

Forged on 55 acres of farmland, the school’s academic and athletic facilities blossomed from the ground up, building their foundations on the fundamentals of family.

After serving as head football coach at Kettle Moraine for 13 seasons, the school’s then-athletic director Mike Fink needed to fill a vacancy at the Lasers’ helm. For a coach who’d been around the football program for 23 years, Fink said he couldn’t bring forward a run of the mill candidate.

“The football program was struggling — we’d been through a couple of coaches,” Fink said. “I was looking for someone that could bring respect for the kids (and) stability.”

Fink’s search drove him right back to a player he described as another coach on the field. He called a familiar face — his former captain, twoway star and two-time all-conference player — and implored the young candidate who was just a few years removed from college to apply.

As he’d always done on the gridiron, Northwestern’s newly minted permanent head coach David Braun followed Fink’s command. He applied for the job and interviewed with the hiring committee. But despite the athletic director’s glowing endorsement, the committee went in another direction, citing Braun’s young age and inexperience.

Though outvoted, Fink stuck to his guns. With five wins and a mended culture centered around family under his belt in Evanston, Fink’s prophetic promise proves truer by the day.

“I kept telling the committee and the HR director, ‘you don’t understand, this guy is light years beyond his chronological age,’” Fink said. “At the meeting, I said to them, ‘I guarantee you he will be a head coach at a Big Ten program down the road, and we will miss the boat.’”

*** After his high school alma mater passed up on him, Braun returned to his collegiate roots, serving as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Winona State from 2011 to 2014. He made several more stops along the road in the following years, proving his pedigree at every turn.

FCS powerhouse North Dakota State handed Braun a chance too grand to pass up in 2019.

During his tenure in Fargo as defensive coordinator and safeties coach, the defensive guru gained national attention. He garnered Football Scoop’s FCS coordinator of the year honors in 2021 and a pair of national titles.

“Coaching for the past 15 years, pretty much everywhere he’s went, he’s done a tremendous job,” said Luke Radke, Braun’s former high school teammate, who now leads instruction and evaluation at the nation’s top recruiting resource for kickers, punters and long snappers. “He’s a high riser — very much a student of the game — and everywhere he goes there’s a large amount of respect.”

Opportunity once again came knocking in January 2023, when Braun made the jump to the Power Five ranks and accepted the Wildcats’ defensive coordinator position. But about six months later, NU and Braun’s fate flipped on his head.

The coach once considered too young for a high school gig now held the keys to a Big Ten Program — albeit a team in utter turmoil, at the crux of a hazing scandal that gained national attention. He’d never been the lead man throughout his college coaching career, but Braun has never been one to run from the fire, according to his high school co-defensive coordinator Jim LaVoi. “I never saw weakness (in) David Braun in my life,” LaVoi said. “Everything he did, he was competing.”

Less than two weeks into his official tenure as the team’s interim coach, Braun traveled to Indianapolis, where he stood alone in the national spotlight. Before NU’s athletic director or president had publicly addressed the summer that turned the program and University on its head, a recent hire with a child on the way formally introduced himself — and

the program — at Big Ten Media Days.

In two sessions that totaled an hour, Braun spoke of a program packed with self-belief and internal motivation. He said the ’Cats were ready to “write their own story” about overcoming adversity. Throughout his tenure, Braun has sustained his mantra of the team writing its own narrative with all of its goals in plain view.

“This opportunity is a dream come true to be a part of Big Ten Football,” Braun said. “The circumstances surrounding our family’s opportunity … were not dream-like scenarios. … They have crystalized our family’s purpose. (My wife) Kristin and I truly believe that football is the ultimate vehicle to have a positive impact on young men.”

*** Throughout his journey, players have consistently referred to Braun as the dictionary definition of a player’s coach — a figure who resonates with their experiences, on and off the field.

The former four-sport athlete and captain of Kettle Moraine’s football, baseball and track squads has walked in similar shoes to each of his players, balancing academic and athletic responsibilities with familial bonds. Radke noted how his former teammate took pride in making an impact, regardless of the role or situation.

Although he earned all conference honors on the baseball diamond, Braun’s true passion poured onto the football field, where he manned both ends of the trenches at offensive and defensive line.

Embodying the spirit of Braun’s play, Fink recalled a scrimmage against Homestead High School, where Braun began coughing profusely.

When the coach approached his defensive stalwart, he found Braun’s facemask smothered in “dog sh--.” Sure enough, Braun ran right back into his position for the next down.

“He was the leader of that squad defensively, able to get after the quarterback (and) put pressure on people,” Fink said. “He was able to sometimes get our kids to a level that maybe if he’s not there, they’re not able to do that. He’s the one (opposing teams) would gameplan to stop defensively.”

Facing off against the likes of Pro Football Hall of Fame tackle Joe Thomas, among other elite talents, Braun made his name known throughout the region as a force to be reckoned with.

LaVoi said the defensive end’s dominant play extended far beyond his physical gifts — his preparation and intelligence were unmatched on the field.

“His work ethic was second to none, and his preparation was phenomenal,” LaVoi said.

“He was a positive influence on everybody … and a great practice player, great teammate — all those things combined inserted success.”

Alongside Radke, Braun helped lead the Lasers to their first Wisconsin state playoff appearance in over a

decade in his senior season. While Kettle Moraine has become more of a powerhouse in recent years, LaVoi credits players like those two for building the foundation for success.

From the jump, Fink foresaw that the future Winona State commit was destined for something more. “(With) everything he did in the gym — and he was (also) outstanding in the classroom — to see the success he’s achieved does not surprise me at all,” Fink said. “He was a filmaholic … would understand everything that was going on (and was) always asking questions.”

*** After taking over NU’s program in July 2023, Braun needed to surpass an initial hurdle before he could even ponder hitting the recruiting trail.

With any head coaching change, players receive a 30-day window to depart a program in the transfer portal. Now thrust into the interim role, Braun needed to convince his players to stay put.

Despite every current ’Cats player having committed to former head coach Pat Fitzgerald and not Braun, all but five players opted to continue donning the purple and white this fall. LaVoi said it likely took Braun just one meeting to capture the ‘Cats’ belief.

“He’s an awesome individual — one of the most humble guys I’ve ever met,” senior linebacker Xander Mueller said. “Especially as a head coach, he’s a great leader for us and a great role model.”

Stabilizing his team’s core behind several savvy veteran leaders, Braun has shifted course back to building for his team’s future. He’s insisted he’s not after blue chip prospects that top recruiting rankings, instead he wants “warriors” who love the game of football.

With the interim title evoking a sense of uncertainty throughout the program, Braun didn’t know if he’d retain his role at the season’s end. Through it all, he maintained the commitment he and his wife, Kristin Braun, made when he accepted one of the nation’s toughest head coaching roles in July — controlling the controllables.

This story of truth, as Braun labeled it, veers over to the recruiting trail. He isn’t just tasked with convincing recruits to buy into the

“world class academics and Big Ten football” that’s been the team’s selling point for decades.

Instead, he helped paint a transparent picture of a fluctuant future.

“At the end of the day, recruiting is presenting a story and giving young men and their families thorough information,” Braun said. “The story that exists at Northwestern is a really special story to tell.”

Fink said Braun’s honesty and transparency is on full display whenever they interact on the recruiting trail.

The longtime high school football coach said he gives players and parents the same message about his former superstar.

“He’s one of the few coaches that you can trust every word he tells you,” Fink said. “He’s not gonna make you a promise and tell you something different, then just push it aside. He’ll take care of you as a young man and you’ll develop all the way through.”

*** Just four months into his head coaching tenure, Braun appears to grow in confidence and moxie with every game. As he’s always done, the coach leans on his wife, family and those around him at each step of the way.

He said building the foundations of success is all about people.

“It’s all about creating genuine relationships with players, staff and coaches,” Braun said. “This group is really shining through in terms of their character, their resiliency and their togetherness. … That’s what’s been so humbling about this opportunity.”

Though he’s experienced a steep learning curve in his transition from defensive coordinator to head coach, Braun has taken the challenge in stride.

The coach’s second major lesson from his tenure remains ever-apparent. There’s always more learning that must be carried out.

“You never have it all figured out,” Braun said.

“You just show up every day doing your best (and) continuing to have a mentality of humility and growth — a willingness to take input and constructive criticism and learn from those around you.”

Although Braun never lived every Wisconsin high school football player’s dream of reaching the state championship at Camp Randall Stadium, he coached in the storied venue for the first time last Saturday, leading the ‘Cats to a statement upset victory.

About 60 miles from his hometown, Braun added a final chapter to his interim tale, gaining ample ammunition to be hired as the team’s permanent head coach Wednesday. Though NU’s hiring search ended right where it began in July, the ‘Cats 2023 season story seems far from over, as Braun and company sit just one win away from bowl eligibility. jacobepstein2026@u.northwestern.edu

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2023

10

Angeli Mittal/Daily Senior Staffer

How the ‘Cats surprise success started in the trenches

By LAWRENCE PRICE

daily senior staffer @lpiii_tres

Northwestern’s defensive line was paper thin during spring ball.

With only four defensive tackles and four defensive ends available, getting a breather between reps seemed like slim pickings.

Although it meant more opportunities for the Wildcats that were suited up, the pool of candidates collectively didn’t have much collegiate appearance — the defensive tackle group included two walk-ons, a sophomore and a junior.

And, on a unit with more questions than answers after the 2022 season, that’s not something anyone wants to hear.

Besides surrendering the most rushing yards per game in the conference, the program fired former defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil and longtime defensive line coach Marty Long three days after the season’s end. Outside the plethora of defensive line exits after graduation, veteran defensive linemen in senior Sean McLaughlin and graduate student Jaylen Pate were still working their way back from injuries.

On paper, NU was looking at arguably its most concerning bunch entering the 2023 campaign.

“We were a very small group out there,” Pate said. “But … they really used it to grow and then now you’re seeing that in the season, it’s all really being woven together.”

Pate’s right — the battle-like scars obtained from spring and fall camp are gradually paying off. The ‘Cats have surrendered less than 120 yards on the ground in the last three contests.

Now, NU’s defensive line is playing its best brand of football yet, leading to two members of the room receiving scholarships and others gaining conference and national recognition.

“There were mistakes made, but through those mistakes, there’s growth,” coach David Braun said. “You’re starting to see some of those opportunities in fall camp and continued growth throughout the course of the season … really starting to pay off in the depth that’s shown up in that defensive line room.”

*** Outside of the ‘Cats’ chaotic summer off the field, NU faced another obstacle entering fall camp with only 103 players on roster — most Big Ten programs started with 120. Although the defensive line added a few transfers to the group, the deficit still bled into the room.

However, Braun and Smith flipped the situation on its head to write a new script.

They decided to double rep during fall camp and implement a defensive line rotation. This included splitting the team and coaching staff up onto two fields — the practice and soccer fields when outside, and cutting Ryan Fieldhouse in half when indoors. While the offensive starters competed against the scout defense, the scout offense would take on the defensive starters.

This was different from the program’s procedures in years past, where the first stringers received most of the reps and other players watched from the sidelines. Although it was a risk in cutting their numbers even thinner, it paid off.

“Those game repetitions, that’s really what

helps you get better,” Pate said. “You can watch so much film, look at schemes and stuff like that, but not actually getting the chance to do it over and over again and practice, it’s just harder to get better.”

Pate doesn’t mind the rest that the previous system afforded him as an older player. But for first-years like defensive lineman Michael Kilbane, the rotational system allowed him to get as many snaps as possible.

Junior defensive lineman Carmine Bastone, one of the four active tackles in the spring, said the cycle consisted of three to five quality reps in the game and the same number break wise.

For players like Bastone, who played in both the spring and fall, a surplus of reps accelerated his development in preparation for the upcoming season. And, with the addition of three transfers in Richie Hagarty, R.J. Pearson and Matt Lawson, the returns of McLaughlin and Pate and the rise of the youth, Braun’s system was beginning to pan out.

“Having a balanced rotation so that everybody is more fresh and just more ready to get off the ball and attack every play,” Bastone said. “(The system) helped us progress a lot quicker because we got more reps in practice, and sometimes more in practice than we would in games, which helped us go as fast as we can in games.”

*** On Sept. 3, NU was destroyed in the trenches against Rutgers.

Although the ‘Cats defense only surrendered 122 yards the entire contest, the Scarlet Knights put together a masterclass toting the rock. They possessed the pigskin for nearly 38 of the game’s 60 minutes.

The one-sided affair reflected NU’s offensive woes, a group that produced just 12 yards on the ground. More importantly, it represented the struggles that the defensive line faced at the line of scrimmage.

Additionally, the group lost Lawson for the rest of the year due to a lower-body injury.

The long, strain-filled days of competition in Evanston weren’t translating to the game yet.

“For you to rotate like that, it takes a bunch of guys that are there to serve the best interests of the team (rather) than their own personal stat line,” Braun said.

“There’s definitely a plan that all those guys are going to play and there’s going to be rotation. They’re not on a snap count by any means.”

These struggles continued to doom the ‘Cats defense early in the season, as teams like Dukeplundered the unit. In each of NU’s first three losses they gave up over 120 rushing yards.

However, with the implementation of a new system and players still continuing the gel, Braun knew it wasn’t going to be the smoothest road to success.

“Were we as comfortable with the plan in Week 1 or Week 2 (of ) fall camp? Absolutely not,” Braun said. “But, (improving) was an intentional effort by our staff, which wasn’t easy.”

As of late, that improvement has been

realized. Following the ‘Cats win over Maryland, NU limited Iowa to nearly 100 rushing yards on 41 carries. Most recently, Smith and his unit stifled Wisconsin’s rushing attack to 86 yards.

And it all started in the trenches.

“We got guys who grew up in a sense. They needed to and they did, and now you’re starting to see that,” Pate said.

While junior defensive lineman Aidan Hubbard secured Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week following the win against Maryland, former walk-ons senior defensive lineman P.J. Spencer and Bastone were placed on scholarship earlier in the season. Pate falls into this category as well, being named to Pro Football Focus’ College Football Team of the Week after the loss to Iowa.

The ‘Cats only had three missed tackles last Saturday versus Wisconsin, reflecting how much the defense, specifically at the line of scrimmage, has grown since the start of season.

And after starting the 2023 campaign with many questions surrounding its stability, depth and potential, the group has become one of the most impressive units Braun has helped herd together.

“I’ll take that group up against any offensive line in the country, I really would,” Braun said.

“It may not be the measurables, but the way that they’re gonna fight, scratch, claw and do whatever it takes to help our team win is something that I’m really appreciative of.” lawrenceprice2024@u.northwestern.edu

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2023

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

BRAUN

From page 1

Braun made history with Saturday’s victory, becoming the first first-year head coach in program history to win five or more games since Walter McCornack in 1903.

Following Saturday’s win, public calls for Braun’s promotion grew louder as NU players flooded social media with a “RemoveTheTag” hashtag in support of a permanent status for their head coach. Sixth-year quarterback Ben Bryant, one of the players that posted a tweet on X, formerly Twitter, with the hashtag, said he and teammates have been talking about it since Braun was tabbed as the interim head coach.

“Coach Braun has done such a good job of stepping into a really tough situation and … we’ve rallied around him,” Bryant said. “We want him to be our next head coach and he deserves the right to be named head coach and not just the interim anymore.”

In reaction to his team’s support and tweets, Braun conveyed his gratitude and love for the team.

“This is a group that continues to just pull together

COMMENCEMENT From page 1

opportunity to receive a college education while serving their prison sentence. There are currently around 100 students enrolled in NPEP across the Stateville Correctional Center for men and the Logan Correctional Center for women.

Founding director of NPEP and Philosophy Prof.

Jennifer Lackey noted the unique challenges faced by this year’s graduating class, who studied remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It is often said that education is transformative,” Lackey said. “I believe this even more wholeheartedly with each passing day in our community. But, I’ve also been powerfully moved by the way you all have transformed education. You have radically expanded what it means to be a Northwestern student. You have enriched Northwestern University in ways that will echo for decades to come. You have also profoundly transformed us, your educators.”

Lackey acknowledged the accomplishments of each student one-by-one, noting their individual traits and successes, and thanked the community members who contributed to the students’ education.

NU faculty instruct NPEP students in everything from literature to engineering, while undergraduate and graduate students volunteer to help with courses. The 16 graduating students each received a social science bachelor’s degree, an interdisciplinary major focused on the nature, politics and social structures of humankind.

Author Ta-Nehisi Coates addressed the graduating cohort in his commencement speech. Coates — who won the National Book Award in 2015 for his novel “Between the World and Me” and wrote Marvel’s “Black Panther” and “Captain America” comics series — is a former national correspondent for The Atlantic

and I take that as a sign of, I must be doing something right from a standpoint that they feel like they got a head coach that they believe in,” Braun said.

The move comes 126 days after Braun was tapped as the interim head coach just three days after former head coach Pat Fitzgerald was terminated in July. Before joining the staff in January, Braun was the defensive coordinator at North Dakota State from 2018 to 2022, where he was FCS Defensive Coordinator of the Year in 2021.

With two games left on the regular season schedule, Braun and the ‘Cats will welcome in Purdue in hopes of reaching bowl eligibility for the first time since the 2020 season.

“I am truly honored for the opportunity to continue leading Northwestern’s football program,” Braun said in a news release. “Over the past five months, having the chance to lead this group has been the opportunity of a lifetime. Moving forward, my mission is to build on this positive momentum, aiming to create one of the best experiences in college football for our student-athletes.” lawrenceprice2024@u.northwestern.edu and one of the nation’s preeminent advocates for racebased reparations.

Coates reflected on how his experience being arrested for the first time at 14 influenced his views on both education and incarceration.

“I think I can very safely, safely say that I will never in my life address a class as decorated as this,” Coates said.

Coates also commended the students on what he said was a “tremendous” accomplishment, noting that he never received a bachelor’s degree.

Also in attendance were Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, Medill School of Journalism Dean Charles Whitaker and Illinois Lieutenant Gov. Juliana Stratton. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker also shared remarks in a pre-recorded video message.

The ceremony also included a performance by the Black Oak Ensemble, a chamber ensemble currently serving as ensemble-in-residence at the New Music School in Chicago.

English Prof. Wendy Wall teaches her NPEP students “Far From Home: Journeys, Refugees and Homesickness,” a course about literature that relates to the structure of journeys. Wall said many of her students can identify with characters like Odysseus, the titular character of Homer’s “Odyssey,” who worry about whether their home still exists when they’re far away.

“Today is a time of joy to celebrate these people who are so impressive, because they have put their heart and soul into studying and do not take education for granted,” Wall said. “Every class they take, they throw themselves into it and appreciate that this is an opportunity for them. As one of my students said, ‘I want to show that I’m still a human being in a system that makes me feel less than human.’”

She added students have told her NPEP has been “indispensable” in helping them realize their own worth

11

Angeli Mittal/Daily Senior Staffer

David Braun claps while amped up on the sideline against Wisconsin. Northwestern is expected to promote him to the football team’s permanent head coach.

during the dehumanizing experience of incarceration.

McCormick Prof. Erik Luijten, McCormick’s associate dean for academic affairs, said it’s easy for people to “have quick judgments about people in prison,” but he feels the lasting impact of programs like NPEP is important.

“People are incarcerated here for a very long time,” Luijten said. “These are people who committed some crime a decade ago, or 15 years ago, and they’ll be here for another 10 years after this course finishes. To really reflect on that, that’s already very impactful. Those things, it’s easy not to think about that when you’re in the free world.”

Luijten said one of the most rewarding parts of the program is the opportunity to support his students’

characters or vouch for students’ work when they are up for parole.

Benard McKinley, one of this year’s graduates, thanked Lackey for her commitment to both the NPEP program and each one of the students.

McKinley became the first incarcerated person in the state of Illinois to take the LSAT and plans on becoming a civil rights attorney.

“As I prepare to reenter society in three months, this is one of the most beautiful moments that I’m proud to write in my story,” said McKinley. “But the story ain’t over — it’s just getting started.” noracollins2025@u.northwestern.edu

Nora Collins/The Daily Northwestern

“Today you’re officially placed on a pedestal –– the higher your place the more humble you must be,” said NPEP graduate Demetrice “D.C.” Crite.

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DAILY CROSSWORD Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Lewis

ACROSS 1 Smartphone software 5 Air Force hotshot 8 New Jersey city south of Paramus 12 Take risks 13 Club __ 15 “Climb aboard!”

16 #1 17 Forming a tight group 19 #2 21 One learning the ropes 22 Rebel, in a way 25 #3 26 E-file org.

27 Roger Rabbit and Bugs Bunny 28 Hindu sage 29 #4 30 Home of the NCAA’s Buckeyes 31 Hamilton notes 33 Smile that may be silly 35 Hurried, and what this puzzle’s word ladder literally did in eight steps?

40 Mata __ 41 Get (into) carefully 42 Wearable souvenir 43 #5 45 Careful phrasing, perhaps 47 Feature of some 42-Acrosses 49 Flight coordinators: Abbr.

50 #6 51 Crystal-lined stones 52 False testimony 54 #7 55 Metaphor for a fresh start 57 #8 61 All eyes and ears 62 North __ Sea: Kazakh lake 63 Desierto’s lack 64 Oodles 65 Useful Scrabble tile 66 Easy win

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11/16/23

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DOWN 1 Pitches 2 Intimate 3 Debate side 4 Attaches, as a button 5 Fancy neckwear 6 Future stallion 7 Dean’s email suffix 8 Petty of “Orange Is the New Black” 9 Stubbornly clinging to preconceived notions 10 Cabbage for tacos?

11 Gulp down 14 Wealthy New York family on HBO’s “The Gilded Age” 15 Furnace output 18 Farm structures 20 Sheen 22 On 23 Start of a Mozart opera title 24 ATM feature 25 Questionable 28 African grazer 29 Gloss recipient 32 Copy cats?

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11/16/23

48 Within walking distance, say 50 Pre-euro Irish coin 51 Iona University athletes 53 Disturbs 54 K-12 fundraising gps.

56 “__ you for real?”

58 Before now 59 Total 60 Activate, as a 24-Down

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MEN’S BASKETBALL

Barnhizer scores career-high 20 points in NU victory

By CHARLIE SPUNGIN

the daily northwestern @charliespungin

With just over nine minutes remaining in the second half of Northwestern’s Tuesday tilt with Western Michigan, junior guard Brooks Barnhizer notched a steal and took the ball coast-to-coast to convert a layup — his 20th point of the game.

The finish handed Barnhizer a career-high point total in the most Barnhizer-esque fashion of defense leading to instant offense.

During the Wildcats’ 3-0 start, the Indiana native has averaged 17 points per game, a steep improvement from 7.6 points during the 2022-23 season.

Coach Chris Collins said everything appears to be coming together for the 6-foot-6 junior.

“He’s just completely immersed into the competition of the game, and because of that, his activity is all over the floor,” Collins said. “His scoring, his rebounding, assists, steals, blocks.

He’s just doing a little of everything, and he’s just a really good all-around player that impacts the game in many ways.”

Midway through the first half, NU had registered just 12 points. Barnhizer made his first imprint on the scoreboard at this juncture, knocking

down a 3-pointer off graduate student guard Boo Buie’s assist.

With the offense struggling to find a rhythm, the ’Cats looked to Barnhizer to swiftly assume control. Barnhizer poured in 13 of NU’s final 23 points in the first half, getting his buckets in a multitude of ways. The junior put on an all around scoring clinic — from designed post-ups, attacking closeouts from a scrambling defense and from fastbreaks.

“Guys with my stats aren’t really going to outjump a lot of people, so I tend to use my strength and angles to try to get good looks for us,” Barnhizer said. “If I’m a post presence with our team, that opens up a lot of the perimeter, so I was really just trying to work on that. The more effective I can be in the post, the more effective our offense will be.”

Barnhizer made a number of quality passes from the post to create open 3-point looks for teammates, but the shots seldom sunk for the ’Cats. The team shot a collective 6-of-26 from three point range.

Entering the second frame with a seven-point advantage, it took Barnhizer just 14 seconds to convert an and-one on a fast break. He scored NU’s ensuing basket, extending his output to 18 points in a proverbial snap of a finger.

Although he only tallied two more

points down the stretch, Barnhizer’s impact resonated at both ends of the floor.

In addition to his first 20-point performance, Barnhizer recorded seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block. Buie picked up the second half scoring load, adding 13 second-half points to the equation.

Now averaging three steals and 1.3 blocks per game, Barnhizer may just be the next focal point of Collins’ defensive renaissance that began last season. After the ’Cats bought into a newfound defensive identity last season, spearheaded by Big Ten CoDefensive Player of the Year Chase Audige, NU reached soaring heights it hadn’t ascended to since the 201617 season.

With Audige graduated, Barnhizer has appeared to fill in as defensive stopper for the ’Cats — a role the junior said he’s ready to embrace.

“We’re just listening to our coaches.

I have my hands up and try to be active, try to get at the ball, but a lot of that is just because of the way we play defense,” he said.

Ultimately, the ’Cats narrowly escaped with a 63-59 victory over the Broncos in Barnhizer’s career night.

For a team that were the heavy favorites, the four-point victory didn’t necessarily live up to NU’s

VOLLEYBALL

expectations, which gave Barnhizer mixed feelings about Tuesday night’s game.

“It feels good,” Barnhizer said about reaching his career best in points. “My head was more in other places. It’s cool to see that, but it’s not really anything I’m really worried

about.”

The ’Cats will leave the comfort of Welsh-Ryan Arena this Saturday, traveling to Uncasville, Connecticut, to face Rhode Island in the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off. charliespungin2027@u.northwestern.edu

Anna Watson/The Daily Northwestern

Senior guard Ty Berry helps up junior guard Brooks Barnhizer. The junior scored a career-high 20 points against Western Michigan on Tuesday.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

‘Cats earn first sweep Scoring droughts lead to defeat

By PALOMA LEONE-GETTEN

daily senior staffer @pleonegetten

In its first sweep of the Big Ten season, Northwestern overpowered Iowa.

The Wildcats (12-14, 6-10 Big Ten) defeated the Hawkeyes on the road (8-20, 0-16 Big Ten) in straight sets Sunday.

“We knew it was going to be a battle. We knew it was going to be tough,” coach Shane Davis said. “So I’m just happy that we’re able to consistently take three sets.”

The quick match was punctuated by 15 kills from graduate outside hitter Julia Sangiacomo and an efficient .400 hitting percentage from sophomore middle blocker Kennedy Hill. Hill and graduate outside hitter Maddy Chinn led the team in blocks, tallying six apiece.

NU’s serving was inconsistent — the team lost eight points on service errors but dished out five aces. Sophomore outside hitter Averie Hernandez led the team from the service line and was responsible for three aces, alongside 11 kills and six digs throughout the match.

“Our misses were so deep, and we wanted to miss short,” Davis said. “So then once we started getting our misses short, then they started falling and just kind of finding their way there versus going for the ace.”

Set one was a battle from the first serve. The ‘Cats had trouble putting together a run, hurt by four service

errors and some offensive mistakes.

Eventually, a 3-0 run gave NU the lead, aided by kills from Hill and Sangiacomo.

The ‘Cats effectively countered a last-second comeback attempt by Iowa, punctuated by kills from senior settler Alexa Rousseau and Hernandez to take the set, 26-24.

The Hawkeyes began set two with a bang, taking a 10-7 lead on a 6-0 run.

Chinn’s five kills proved essential in the ‘Cats evening out the score. The set stayed close until a 5-0 run by NU, allowing the ‘Cats to take the set 25-21.

“We were making some errors that then were turned into points, and in set two we found ourselves missing a lot (of serves) which kept them in it,” Davis said.

NU and Iowa traded points to start set three, with senior middle blocker Leilani Dodson supplying three kills while Sangiacomo jumped into the action with eight. The ‘Cats eventually pulled ahead after 16 tie scores and 10 lead changes, finishing the match on two Sangiacomo kills, 25-21.

The win came days after NU took a set from No. 1 Nebraska, which Davis said was a motivator for the rest of the season.

“We’ve got four good matches left,” Davis said. “We go on the road for two of four. So I think there’s some belief in this group that they can do it.”

The ‘Cats will look to stay in the win column at Rutgers and Penn State next weekend. palomaleone-getten2026@u.northwestern.edu

Daily file photo by Taylor Hancock

By POOJA KANTEMNENI

the daily northwestern @poojakantemneni

Things went south in South Bend for Northwestern thanks to some stifling defense and a number of scoring shortages.

On Wednesday night, coach Joe McKeown’s squad fell to No. 16 Notre Dame in a 110-52 blowout. Sloppy ball control and lengthy scoring droughts contributed to the Wildcats’ 58-point demise at the hands of the Fighting Irish (2-1, 0-0 ACC).

NU (2-1, 0-0 Big Ten) suffered 10 droughts longer than one and a half minutes, enduring over 20 minutes of scoreless action. Three of these dry spells lasted over three minutes, with the longest coming in at a whopping 5:49.

The lack of scoring may have been

manageable had the ’Cats not consistently lost custody of the rock. NU averaged 2.2 turnovers per scoring drought and recorded 25 total turnovers, 10 more than its Irish foes.

Sophomore guard Caroline Lau contributed seven giveaways, including three consecutively in the first quarter.

To the punctual fans, it may have looked like the ’Cats were en route to a massive upset. NU started the game on an 8-0 run, holding the Fighting Irish scoreless for over two minutes.

Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey then called a regrouping timeout, which worked wonders. The Irish went on a 15-0 run, propelled by standout guard Hannah Hidalgo’s nine points.

Hidalgo, the reigning ACC Rookie of the Week, stuffed the stats sheet with 21 points, six boards, five assists and a game-high six steals. Before heading to the locker room with an

apparent leg injury, guard Sonia Citron also contributed an efficient 23 points on 64% shooting.

For the Wildcats, junior guards Hailey Weaver and Melannie Daley each supplied 11 points and provided the visitors’ only double-digit scoring boosts of the night.

From then on, the ’Cats were outscored 95-44, with an average point differential per quarter of 14.5. NU’s issues were exacerbated by senior forward Paige Mott’s early ousting at the end of the third quarter.

When Mott fouled out, NU lost the nation’s rebounding leader through the first two games of the season and proceeded to get outrebounded 17-6 the remainder of the game.

The ’Cats have a chance to get back on the wagon against Southeast Missouri State on Sunday. poojakantemneni2026@u.northwestern.edu

WRESTLING

Wildcats open season at MSU

By MICAH SANDY

daily senior staffer @themicahsandy

Northwestern’s 2023-24 season officially kicked off Saturday with two titles and nine podium finishes at the Michigan State Open.

Sophomore 141-pounder Joel VanderVere and freshman 157-pounder Jacob Bostelman grappled their way through their respective weight class brackets through points instead of pins. Vandervere, competing in the open division for his weight class, reached first place by three decisions following an opening bye.

Bostelman, who competed in his weight class’ freshman/sophomore division, marked his Wildcats singlet debut and the start of the tournament with two technical falls.

Although Bostelman allowed his first opponent two points, his second one struggled to catch up as Bostelman made shots towards a 16-0 win. Bostelman capped off his evening with two closer decisions and a title after a successful 4-3 end to a three-period match for first place.

From the various other wrestlers in the freshman/sophomore division, freshman 141-pounder Kolby McClain made the top-three with a second place finish. Despite falling short of a first-place match win by major decision against Central Michigan’s Jimmy Nugent, McClain proved himself a force to be reckoned with a quarterfinal pin five seconds before the end of the first period and a semifinal 7-1 tiebreaker victory.

NU saw two players claim podium finishes for the 197-pound weight

class’ open division: No. 20 sophomore Evan Bates and graduate student Jack Jessen. The two received byes before respective major decision wins in the quarterfinals.

Bates was able to mark a semifinal victory with a 5-2 decision win, but fell short by a major decision against Oklahoma’s No. 2 Stephen Buchanan in the title match. Just before the 197-pound finals match, Buchanan took Jessen from the championship bracket to the consolation bracket in the semifinals after a 19-2 win by technical fall.

The ‘Cats head to St. Charles, Missouri for the Lindenwood Open this upcoming Saturday, one of their three scheduled tournament appearances before their first dual-meet match of the season against Northern Illinois. micahsandy2026@u.northwestern.edu