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Division I · Big Ten Conference

Northwestern University Softball

Evanston, IL · the Wildcats · Northwestern University overview
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20
Roster
room for 5 under the cap of 25
$2.9M
Team budget
90th percentile in Division I
$145,522
Per roster spot
median $46,727
4
Coaches
1 head · 3 assistant
992
APR
99% of players retained
7%
Admitted
top 10% for selectivity

Northwestern University fields a softball team in the Big Ten Conference (NCAA Division I). In 2024–25 the roster carried 20 players, below the median of 23, with 1 head coach and 3 assistants. Team expenses were $2,910,446, well above the median of $1.1M — $145,522 per roster spot, top 10% of Division I softball programs. That leaves room for 5 under the Division I roster cap of 25 in force from 2025-26. The team's multi-year Academic Progress Rate is 992, about the median of 989, with 99% of players retained year to year. The school gave $13,049,548 in athletic aid across its women's teams, about $57,997 per roster spot.

Among Division I softball programs

Where this program sits against its 305 peers (percentile; the tick is the median).

#32Team budgetof 305 · Division I#26Spend per playerof 305 · Division I#243Roster sizeof 305 · Division I#109APRof 305 · Division I
Team budget$2.9M
Spend per player$145,522
Roster size20
Coaching staff4
APR992

Team budgets across the division

$234k$8.2M
this programevery Division I softball program

Roster sizes (cap 25)

1435
this programevery Division I roster

The program

  • Roster20 2024–25 season
  • Division I roster cap25 room for 5
  • Coaching staff1 head, 3 assistant
  • Team expenses$2,910,446 for the year
  • Operating expenses$460,972 game-day and travel
  • Spend per roster spot$145,522 division median $46,727
  • Academic Progress Rate992 multi-year; 982 latest
  • Players retained99% year to year
  • Eligible99% of player-terms
  • Athletic aid, women's teams$13,049,548 school-wide
  • Aid per roster spot$57,997 across women's teams
  • Recruiting spend, women's$611,188 school-wide

Coaching staff

NameTitleEmail
Kate Drohan head coachHead Coachnot on file
Caryl DrohanAssociate Head Coachnot on file
Lauren EbsteinPitching Coachnot on file
Andrea FillerDirector of Softball OperationsOn file · sign in
Christine ChristopoulosDirector of Player Developmentnot on file
Jordyn RuddAssistant Coachnot on file
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Recruiting timing

  • Coaches may first contact youSeptember 1 of junior year
  • Your own emailsAny time the rule limits what coaches send back
  • High-school softball players338,315 2024-25
  • Division I roster spots7,038 305 programs
  • Odds of a spot1 in 48 2.1% of high-school players hold a Division I roster spot

General NCAA rule for Division I; the softball recruiting guide has the date for each grad year, the eligibility checklist and what to put in a first email.

About the school

What an athlete asks first — each panel opens the full picture.

Campus

Full picture →
9,157undergraduates · 23,203 students in all
Women 55% Men 45%
Setting
City
Type
Private · Research university
Affiliation
None

Getting in

Full picture →
7%admitted · of 51,769 applicants
SAT middle 50%1490 – 1560
ACT middle 50%33 – 35
Test scores
Test-optional
Graduate in 6 yrs
96%

Softball

Full picture →
20on the roster · 2024–25 season
Roster vs the D-I cap of 2520
room for 5
Academic Progress Rate992
99% of players kept year to year
Team expenses
$2,910,446 $145,522 per roster spot · top quarter of Division I
Coaches
1 head · 3 assistant
Athletic aid, women's teams
$13,049,548
Recruiting spend, women's
$611,188

Cost

Full picture →
$23,341net price · after grants, aided first-years
Sticker price$91,290
Average net price$23,341
Net price by family income
$0–30k$1,243
$30–48k$3,373
$48–75k$6,485
$75–110k$14,059
$110k and up$48,837
Tuition & fees
$65,997

Campus safety

Full picture →
0.52violent offences per 1,000 · students a year, 2022–2024
Violent0.52
Property3.72
In residence halls
6 burglaries · 24 sex offences over 2022–2024
Residence-hall fires
2 over 2022–2024

Majors

Full picture →
16%of bachelor's degrees in engineering · 24 fields · Bachelor's, Doctorate, Master's
Engineering347 · 16%
Social sciences340 · 16%
Communication & journalism310 · 14%
Biological sciences247 · 11%
Computer & information sciences231 · 11%

Research Northwestern University

School pages built around what an athlete needs to know — the program's money and roster room, admissions fit, what a family really pays, majors, campus life and safety.

Softball program20 on the rosterPeers, percentiles, nearby programs, comparisonsRankingsWhere it standsEvery list this school is on, nationally and in its divisionAdmissions7% admittedSAT/ACT ladders, test policy, graduationCost & aid$23,341 net priceSticker vs net price by family income, athletic aidMajorsEngineering · 16%Every field and program with degrees awardedCampusCity · 9,157Setting, who is on campus, housing costs, servicesCampus safety0.52 violent / 1,000Three years of reported offences against the divisionAthleticsEvery teamThe whole department: every team, staff and aid

Softball programs within 150 miles

Northwestern UniversityLoyola University Chicago · 4 miNorth Park University · 5 miDePaul University · 12 miRoosevelt University · 12 miConcordia University Chicago · 12 miUniversity of Illinois Chicago · 12 miDominican University (Illinois) · 13 miLake Forest College · 16 miElmhurst University · 17 miUniversity of Chicago · 19 miWheaton College (Illinois) · 25 miBenedictine University (Illinois) · 29 mi
SchoolMilesRosterBudgetAPRAdmitted
Loyola University Chicago Division I · Atlantic 10 Conference418$1.2M98681%
North Park University Division III · College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin522$187k—73%
DePaul University Division I · BIG EAST Conference1220$1.6M99774%
Roosevelt University Division II · Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference1221$568k—94%
Concordia University Chicago Division III · Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference1223$225k—93%
University of Illinois Chicago Division I · Missouri Valley Conference1222$1.1M99679%
Dominican University (Illinois) Division III · Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference1329$231k—80%
Lake Forest College Division III · Midwest Conference1624$162k—59%
Elmhurst University Division III · College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin1729$133k—76%
University of Chicago Division III · University Athletic Association1919$264k—5%
Wheaton College (Illinois) Division III · College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin2518$181k—90%
Benedictine University (Illinois) Division III · Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference2956$500k—77%

Other softball programs in the Big Ten Conference

SchoolRosterBudgetPer playerAPRCompare
University of Nebraska-Lincoln 2 over cap27$4.4M$164,016997vs
University of Washington room for 520$4.4M$218,581997vs
University of Oregon room for 223$4M$174,240962vs
University of California, Los Angeles room for 223$3.9M$171,560977vs
University of Michigan at cap25$3.2M$128,3081000vs
Northwestern University room for 520$2.9M$145,522992vs
University of Wisconsin-Madison 2 over cap27$2.6M$97,8961000vs
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities room for 520$2.6M$129,274993vs
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick room for 520$2.6M$128,751997vs
The Ohio State University room for 322$2.5M$113,577988vs
Indiana University, Bloomington room for 619$2.5M$131,482997vs
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 2 over cap27$2.4M$87,934994vs
University of Iowa 1 over cap26$2.3M$90,354976vs
Pennsylvania State University room for 421$2.3M$108,807984vs
Purdue University room for 124$2.3M$94,818969vs
Michigan State University room for 124$2.1M$88,810988vs
University of Maryland, College Park room for 520$1.8M$89,544990vs

Every Big Ten Conference softball program · Softball budgets ranked