After reaching the Women’s College World Series for the first time in 15 years, Northwestern softball is reloading for another ride.
Five key seniors — ace Danielle Williams, catcher Jordyn Rudd, outfielder Skyler Shellmyer, shortstop Maeve Nelson and first baseman Nikki Cuchran — will all return to Evanston for a fifth year, the team announced via Twitter on Thursday evening.
The news is undoubtedly a positive development for Kate Drohan’s squad, which, after an exhilarating 2022 season that featured a Big Ten title, a dominant Evanston Regional performance and a memorable win in the Tempe Super Regional, will lose only one key contributor from the starting lineup — reigning Big Ten Player of the Year Rachel Lewis, who has already maximized her eligibility.