Whiskers: about the Northwestern Women’s Soccer Wildcats

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We are the Northwestern Wildcats Women’s Soccer Team. We’re here to talk about the ’Cats as well as all things Northwestern and living our best Student-Athlete life.

  1. May 12

    Inside the 'Cats Attack: Secrets of Scoring from 3 of the Best

    Send us Fan Mail Today, we explore the fine art of creating and scoring goals with 3 tremendous attacking players who have all had an impact at the college level. And they all bring something different to the table.  So join us for a fun discussion about the most exciting and entertaining part of the Beautiful Game.  We have Senior Megan Norkett from Naperville, Illinois, who is a demon dribbler and creates danger with her magical left foot.  Junior Alex Fallon from Atlanta, Georgia, who is a triple threat with her dribbling, passing and shooting from the midfield.  And Junior Kennedy Roesch, from San Diego, California, a traditional number 9 that possesses a lethal shot with either foot.  We are excited to discuss some attacking soccer.  Join Host Ava Goodin and Coach Rich Manning as we explore some attacking secrets.  You will find out: Attacking players they model their games afterWhat they want opponents to feel when playing against themSkills they've developed that were the hardest to learnTheir favorite training methods and drillsAttacking chemistry between teammatesMindset secretsTheir advice for young attacking playersBefore we jump in - a reminder to please follow, subscribe and give us a positive review on the platform of your choice.  Help us grow the Whiskers Nation.  We are grateful for your support – Thank you! Megan Norkett's Player Profile VIDEO:  Check out Megan's Favorite Goal (vs. USC in the BIG10 Tournament) Alex Fallon's Player Profile VIDEO: Check out Alex's Huge Goal (vs. Iowa) (We don't have video of Alex's favorite goal, but this was a GOOD ONE!) Kennedy Roesch's Player Profile VIDEO:  Check out Kennedy's Favorite Goal (vs. TCU) Ava Goodin's Player Profile Instagram - @NUWSoccer Twitter - @NUWSoccer Web Site - NU Sports Women's Soccer

    24 min

  2. Apr 13

    The Truth about Recruiting - with Ava and Coach Manning

    Send us Fan Mail Hi everyone! Whiskers is back!  After a short pause for Winter Final Exams and Spring Break, we are locked in and ready to fill your cup with wisdom, fun and ear candy from the 'Cats! Recruiting is the topic of the day.  And you will hear two perspectives.  Sophomore Ava Goodin shares her recruiting story - how she went about finding the right place for her and why it ended up being Northwestern. Then Ava turns the interview around and asks Coach Rich Manning what college coaches are looking for and how recruits can best make themselves known to school they are interested in. So download and tune in.  If you are a youth soccer player looking to go to college, you will learn some valuable insights.  If you are just a fan of college soccer, you will love hearing how we find the next group of 'Cats to root for. TIMELINE 0:30 - Ava's Recruiting Story  - Her mindset -Her advisors  Why Northwestern? 4:30 - Ava's recruiting process  - Her timeline - how making videos helped her process - how she picked schools she was interested in - when she found time to work on communication -ID Clinics -Enjoying and managing her emotions through the process -The highlights of her recruiting process 12:45 - Ava's "Book" on How to Get Recruited to a Great School and Program!! - CH 1: Self-Scout - CH 2: People over Programs - CH 3: Reality Check - CH 4: Your Digital Highlight Reel - CH 5: From Clinic to Commitment BONUS:  Ava's Special Tip for ID Clinics (It is a good one!) 26:00 - Rich Gives a Coach's View on What He is Looking for - What Rich is looking for - What you should know as you start the recruiting process -How to communicate with college coaches Instagram - @NUWSoccer Twitter - @NUWSoccer Web Site - NU Sports Women's Soccer

    32 min

  3. Mar 10

    Behind the Tape with Stef - Meet our Athletic Trainer

    Send us Fan Mail We want you to meet Stef Zavala.  She is our Athletic Trainer, one of the most critical people within our team.   Her job encompasses so much.  Yes, she tapes ankles and prepares ice and drinks for training. But she also develops programs that both keep us healthy and get us back from injury and illness. She manages our players' return to play.  She coordinates appointments and treatment with doctors and with our High Performance Team (coaches, strength coach, sports psychologists, sports dietitians.  And she is basically available day or night when we need something. Listen up and learn more about a trainer's life.  And, more importantly, how a soccer player can maximize her potential by following some simple advice. 1:50 Stef's Trainer Origin Story and Role Models 4:30 A Typical Training Day 6:00 A Typical Game Day 7:20 Coming to Northwestern 8:30 The 2 Important Things Athletes Don't Know about a trainer's craft 11:00 One new and exciting innovation in her world 13:20 Building Trust with Athletes 16:15 RAPID FIRE with Stef (Including why Northwestern Soccer is special to her, her secret talent, her favorite morning beverage, her favorite Chicago restaurant, unusual injuries and MORE) 22:00 Stef's advice for aspiring athletic trainers 22:45 ONE THING athletes can do to stay healthy and ready to perform Episode Intro by Quinn Erim Whiskers Theme by Gabriel Moynihan Instagram - @NUWSoccer Twitter - @NUWSoccer Web Site - NU Sports Women's Soccer

    23 min

  4. Mar 2

    Our GK's G-SLAY!

    Send us Fan Mail Meet our Dynamic Duo of GK's. Junior CJ Roy is an East Coast native, coming from Washington D.C. First-year Nyamma Nelson is from the West Coast, growing up on Portland, Oregon They have forged a great relationship while helping the 'Cats build an excellent defense.  We had a great discussion about all things Goalkeeping, their relationship and being a part of a high-level Division 1 soccer program.  This is a good one and an emotional roller coaster! 0:45 - Their Goalkeeping Origins (hint:  mom's played a big role) 6:00 - Goalkeeper Role Models 7:45 - The biggest challenges of the position 9:00 - Finding the right mindset 15:00 - Supporting each other while competing for the position 17:45 - What they have learned from each other 19:30 - What they admire about each other! (Hint: Some hugs and tears here) 23:00 RAPID FIRE Time We include favorite music, superstitions, PK strategy, favorite save, personal mascots, treats and more! 30:00 The advice they would give to younger GK's "The way we frame it is...competing to help the team be better..."  CJ Roy Instagram - @NUWSoccer Twitter - @NUWSoccer Web Site - NU Sports Women's Soccer

    30 min

  5. Feb 16

    Emma Phillips Chases her Pro Soccer Dreams!

    Send us Fan Mail You may know Emma Phillips - Northwestern legend, all-Big10 Defender, scorer of incredible set-piece goals and so much more.  Well, after graduating in December of 2025, she spent the past year starting to realize her dream of playing PRO SOCCER.  She spent the season playing at Grindavik in Iceland and then had a training stint with AFC Toronto in Canada's Northern Super League.   We caught up with Emma as she prepares for season 2. She will take you behind the curtain.  You'll hear about her pro soccer dreams, her experiences abroad, how Northwestern soccer prepared her and things she will do differently after her 1st-year experience. If you want to know what it's like to make it as a pro soccer player, then this episode if JUST FOR YOU! 1:00 - What her first year was like... 3:00 - Emma outlines her Pro Soccer dream  3:30 - The beauty (and wind) of ICELAND 6:00 - The 1st steps to becoming a pro 10:00 - The difference between college and pro soccer 11:30 - Finding her voice - What was challenging and how she will attack it 14:00 - How Northwestern prepared her 16:00 - Preparing for Canada 18:00 - RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS - Find out more about Emma 25:00 - Emma's guaranteed, fool-proof secret for a college player to make it in the pros Watch Emma's Legendary Bicycle Kick goal at Kansas State See Emma's Northwestern Profile Page SHOUTOUTS:  Kayla Sharples, Hannah Davison, Gwen Zimmerman, Annette Corbin and so much more! Instagram - @NUWSoccer Twitter - @NUWSoccer Web Site - NU Sports Women's Soccer

    27 min

  6. Feb 9

    Meet Christine: The New Coach in Town!

    Send us Fan Mail Well, 2026 is here and the 'Cats have a new assistant coach.  Her name is Christine McBeath.  Christine was a stalwart defender for St. John's University in New York.  She comes to Northwestern after coaching stints at Stanford, Utah and George Mason.  We are so excited to have her join the program. Join Ava Goodin and Rich Manning for a first conversation with Coach Christine as we learn all about her and what she brings to the program. 1:00 - Her soccer origins 2:45 - 1st impressions of Northwestern 5:00 - Her coaching story 6:50 - How Christine describes herself 7:30 - Her most important thing about coaching 8:45 - Her coaching mentors 10:45 - Something she is still focused on in her coaching 11:45 - What coaching has taught her 13:45 - RAPID FIRE TIME - Coach Christine on the Hot Seat! 18:00 - Christine's sure-fire coaching advice for young players Click here for a tour of WALTER Athletics Center. Instagram - @NUWSoccer Twitter - @NUWSoccer Web Site - NU Sports Women's Soccer

    21 min

  7. Feb 2

    Captain Brooke Returns!

    Send us Fan Mail Senior Brooke Miller returns to Whiskers! Most of you know Brooke as a standout player AND the co-host of Whiskers. She just finished her senior season in November and what a season it was! Brooke was one of our 3 captains that led the 'Cats to a 6th-place finish in the BIG10 and the NCAA Tournament.  She was named 2nd team All-BIG10. The Journalism major in the world-famous Medill Journalism School  Northwestern is spending the current term as an intern at WBEZ Chicago radio station and getting ready to play professional soccer after graduation in June. Listen in for some great stuff: 2:25 When it hit Brooke that her career was ending and her proudest moments 5:00 What the small things were a secret to team success and the lessons from her college soccer career she takes with her 6:45 Her internship at WBEZ Chicago radio station 9:45 What Brooke's day-to-day looks like now 13:00 How being a college athlete helps her to be successful 16:00 Why professional soccer coaches and directors should recruit her for their team 18:00 Shoutouts to some great 'Cats 19:00 RAPID FIRE questions - including her new hobby and her support system at WBEZ 23:00 One LAST SHOUTOUT Click here for Brooke Miller profile page Click here for the WBEZChicago In The Loop Show with Sasha-Ann Simons Click here for the WBEZChicago Say More Show with Mary Dixon and Patrick Smith Instagram - @NUWSoccer Twitter - @NUWSoccer Web Site - NU Sports Women's Soccer

    24 min

  8. Jan 26

    Eileen knows Books and Ball!

    Send us Fan Mail Our 3rd season of Whiskers starts now! We are off to talk more about life at Northwestern University and with the 'Cats Women's Soccer team.  Co-hosts Ava Goodin and Rich Manning will take you behind the curtain for the inside scoop. Today we are talking with Eileen O'Rourke, the Associate Athletic Director of Academic Services.  Eileen is a former Division 1 athlete - she played rugby at Eastern Illinois University.  She specializes in helping our players register for classes, pick a major, get some tutoring...and sometimes motivates them to stay on top of things!   1:00 - Eileen's journey to becoming a D1 athlete 4:30 - How her experience as an athlete informs her advising 7:00 - The most fun parts of her job 9:00 - the WORST excuse she has ever heard 15:30 - What Eileen tells recruits about Northwestern 18:00 - Eileen's #1 tip to CRUSH college! As you listen, you will learn how Eileen uses her magic to help us keep our grades high and our eyes on the future.  Get to know Eileen and how we succeed a top institution like Northwestern! CLICK here for Eileen's Profile page at Northwestern Athletics WHISKERS theme song written by Gabriel Moynihan. Instagram - @NUWSoccer Twitter - @NUWSoccer Web Site - NU Sports Women's Soccer

    20 min
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We are the Northwestern Wildcats Women’s Soccer Team. We’re here to talk about the ’Cats as well as all things Northwestern and living our best Student-Athlete life.

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