Happy Thanksgiving to our U.S. readers! Before we all disperse to celebrate with our families, the Inside NU staff decided to share what they are thankful for in terms of Northwestern sports and the experiences
covering them.
Yanyan: I would make this about Northwestern field hockey again, but I’m gonna switch it up a bit and talk about my appreciation for getting to lead this publication and club alongside Harris and Miguel. Being the EIC of Inside NU is actually my first-ever leadership position anywhere, so I’ve gotten a ton of new experiences from it. I’ve been part of INU for over two years now, but my work was mostly limited to the editorial side until becoming EIC. But since then, I realized that more than writing itself, I love getting the opportunity to foster a community and environment for other writers to learn and grow, and I’ve loved meeting new people through helping them learn how to cover Northwestern sports.
This past weekend, I sent a long GroupMe message thanking every single person who took live coverage of an action-packed NU sports weekend that included field hockey, football and basketball games. That message was not only an appreciation for writer’s efforts, but also a representation of the community that runs behind the scenes of all the articles we put out for you to see. Also, I quite enjoyed reading all the responses below me — they make me realize that the work that we do absolutely doesn’t go unnoticed.
Matt: I’ve gotta be thankful for the past two weeks of Northwestern athletics being absolute cinema, whether the ‘Cats emerge the victors or the losers. Of course, we witnessed two overtime wins from field hockey that secured Northwestern’s first NCAA title of the 2025-26 school year, but that same weekend, football came from behind to beat Minnesota, and men’s basketball played two closely contested games against Virginia and South Carolina at the Greenbrier.
The week before, we were treated to two rivalry basketball games against DePaul that came down to the final minute, and saw David Braun’s defense force five turnovers against Bryce Underwood and the Michigan Wolverines – all while women’s soccer earned its keep in the NCAA tourney and took No. 8 Alabama all the way to penalties in the first round. It’s been gratifying to consume college sports as a Northwestern fan this month.
Patrick: It’s hard to believe that I am saying this, but as a senior, I can really feel the end of my time in Evanston looming. Looking back at all the different clubs, classes and publications that have shaped my overall experience as a Northwestern student, writing for Inside NU has always been near the top of that list. Whether it’s because of the friends I’ve made within this publication or the opportunity to cover games in unique environments such as Wrigley Field, I am proud to say I have been a part of Inside NU since my first month on campus.
With all of that being said, I’ll shortly summarize what I’m thankful for by just saying thank you to Inside NU for improving my experience at Northwestern to an extent that I could have never imagined when I first stepped on campus, and giving me so many opportunities to cover all of my favorite college sports.
Miguel: I would say that I’m most grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given here at Northwestern in pursuing my passion of sports journalism. Coming in as a freshman, it felt surreal to be able to be in-person at press conferences and on the sidelines or press box for games. Now as a junior, I catch myself feeling desensitized to it. I think it’s important to remember and be grateful for the opportunities we’re afforded as sports journalists to cover our favorite teams and be the voices for audiences who rely on our coverage and input.
Speaking of, a big shoutout to all the people who read and comment on Inside NU. Whether you love or hate my writing, if you came to the site to read up on Northwestern as a rival fan or if you bleed purple, we appreciate your support. Without you guys, none of this would happen.
Drew: I’m very thankful for everyone I’ve met since coming to Northwestern this September. Having just transferred over from the University of Kansas (Rock Chalk), I didn’t know anyone coming in and had no idea what to expect. Luckily, all my peers and faculty I have met have made the transition super great, but nothing has helped me more than when I joined Inside NU. I’ve only just started, but the opportunities and work I’ve been given have been super beneficial to not only my growth as a writer but as a member of the NU family.
Big shoutout as well to everyone who reads and comments on the site. Seeing everyone get together and talk about everything NU is super encouraging and challenges me to become a more well-rounded writer and fan in general. Thank you for an amazing first two months!
Charlie: I’m thankful for all the opportunities Inside NU provides. From writing my weekly film reviews to doing Around The Big Ten every week and covering games at Wrigley Field or at the Lakeside Field or from my bed or at Welsh Ryan Arena, the amount of possibilities with this club are endless. I’ve not only learned how to write well in this club, but I’ve enjoyed it too. If you were to have told my 16-year-old self that I’d like writing, I’d think it was crazy.
And that brings me to my next point. Thank you to all of those who consume our content at Inside NU. Being a Northwestern sports fan has its ups and downs, and there are consistently loyal fans who always come to this site to get their NU sports news. Thank you to all of you! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!
Calvin: I’m thankful for the talent this men’s basketball team has. Yes, the rebounding woes have been brutal (so far), but it’s truly been fun to watch the wide variety of playmakers Northwestern has this season. As many of you have summarized in the comments, it’s hard to remember a recent NU team that has this much depth and high-end scoring ability along with a center as versatile and athletic as Arrinten Page. Perhaps this squad still doesn’t end up in the NCAA Tournament this year, but it’s looking like it has a real chance to make some noise down the stretch.
Also, I’m thankful for all of our readers who follow the Wildcats in any sport! I’ve really enjoyed getting to cover such a wide variety of teams for Inside NU, and I look forward to continuing to do so.
Sai: While on a tour of Northwestern Medill in my junior year of high school, there was one statement a student made that stood out to me — NU gives journalists the opportunity to cover games from the get-go and emulate professional journalists across the sports industry. Knowing that the best way to learn is by doing, that tour sold me on applying Early Decision to Northwestern and joining Inside NU just days after moving into McCullough Residence Hall (shoutout north campus kids).
That decision is what I’m most grateful for this Thanksgiving. During the past four quarters, I’ve offered and taken advantage of all the opportunities I was promised on that tour. I don’t take for granted my experiences covering games at both college and professional arenas (sitting in the press box at Wrigley field remains the most surreal moment of my time at Northwestern). I also appreciate writing for a site that prioritizes both informative and engaging content on Wildcat sports while also valuing creative freedom. The latter is something particularly unique to Inside NU and what I love most about this publication. I can’t wait to continue churning out content (and reading the amazing articles from my fellow writers) for the next ⅔ of my time at Northwestern!
Kevin: I’m thankful to the INU family for welcoming me and giving me the opportunity to cover NU sports. It’s been incredible covering soccer this fall, especially when I wrote a deep and passionate recap of women’s soccer losing to Alabama after a penalty shootout in the NCAA First Round earlier in November. I also fondly recall covering the men’s basketball season opener at Welsh-Ryan Arena (my first time!) and women’s basketball against DePaul at Wintrust Arena, which is very close to my home.
Being a graduate student at NU’s Chicago campus is a bit challenging when it comes to covering sports on the Evanston campus, but I appreciate my dedication to the game I love. I will never forget the three-hour commute for each coverage, and the story of a guy traveling from Cermak-Chinatown on the CTA Red Line to Noyes on the Purple Line, sometimes taking the shuttle bus, continues.
Ascher: I’m grateful for the opportunity to cover Northwestern sports with Inside NU. I’m a senior, and this is my last year with the site, so I’ve been reflecting on how meaningful this experience has been. I’ve appreciated every chance to write about so many different teams including football, men’s and women’s basketball and men’s and women’s golf. One of my favorite moments was covering and live tweeting a women’s golf national championship for the first time, something I never imagined I would get to do.
Even though I’m one of the few non-journalism students in the club, I have always loved sports and I’m grateful that Inside NU gave me the space to grow as a writer and improve my reporting skills. I’ve also loved getting to cover games at Wrigley Field, Northwestern Medicine Field and Welsh Ryan Arena, each with its own atmosphere and energy.
Most of all, I appreciate the readers and commenters who make Inside NU such a special community. It has been great to be part of a place where Northwestern fans can come together, share insights and enjoy the teams we care about.
Brendan: My goodness, I could go on for the length of an entire article (I think my tally is well into triple digits by now). My time at Northwestern is far closer to its ending than its beginning, so I will certainly be looking at this prompt with nostalgia-tinged eyes. I actually started at Inside before I even started classes at Northwestern — my first article, from all the way back on August 24, 2022, was written nearly three weeks before I moved into my beloved Willard Hall. Since that article, which was about Pat Fitzgerald’s Northwestern taking on Scott Frost’s Nebraska in Ireland, I’ve covered four Final Fours, two national championship victories, numerous media days and player availabilities, a new athletic director’s introduction, and several players and coaches with fantastic arguments to end up on Northwestern athletics’ Mount Rushmore.
That being said, I’m so incredibly thankful for the ability to do what I love in what’s arguably been the most compelling era of athletics in this school’s history. I came to Northwestern with a total of zero field hockey or women’s lacrosse games watched, and I’ve watched both of those teams celebrate national titles from the press box. I was there at the old Ryan Field when football stormed back to beat Minnesota in 2023, and I was on live tweeting duty when the Josh Dix half-court heave went in in 2024 (look, they can’t all be winners). I would like to thank the coaches and athletes who have trusted me with their stories and their insights, all the wonderful writers and editors I’ve been privileged to work with, and of course, all the readers who have helped keep this site clicking. Most importantly, I have to thank my family, who have done a wonderful job at supporting me on my path to ramble about sports to people that aren’t them.
