As we continue our Northwestern softball 2026 positional previews, it’s time to take a look at the outfielders. NU returns some top talent in the outfield this season, and it has also added some newcomers who will seek to make an impact. Let’s take a look.
Kelsey Nader, Senior
Put simply, Nader is a franchise cornerstone. She started every single game for Northwestern last season, batting .340 and putting up a team-high .454 on-base percentage. Last year proceeded an incredibly-prolific 2024 where she finished eighth
in the Big Ten with a .375 batting average.
Nader is also reliable in center and right field, with no errors in each of the past two seasons, and she’s started nearly 150 games in her illustrious Wildcat career. She can be counted on as a steady lineup presence in 2026.
Isabel Cunnea, Junior
After a quiet first-year season where she started seven games and batted .250, Cunnea exploded onto the scene as a sophomore, hitting a team-high .360 and starting in 47 of her 48 appearances. The junior outfielder doesn’t hit for quite as much power as many of her Wildcat teammates, but she makes up for it with speed and efficiency, and her .928 OPS was still good for third on the team among regular starters in 2025.
The Wildcats are also fortunate to have Cunnea’s presence back in left field, as she has not yet committed an error in her career. Nader and Cunnea are likely locks to hold down the fort in two of the outfield spots.
Avery Garden, Sophomore
Garden has the versatility to play almost anywhere in the field, and she showed that in 2025, making 34 starts in her first-year campaign. She wasn’t as efficient of a hitter as Nader or Cunnea, batting .245 overall, but there’s still plenty of potential for rapid growth in her sophomore season, as shown by Cunnea’s rapid rise last year.
The ‘Cats are fortunate to have Garden’s presence, as she gives them the outfield flexibility they need. Wildcat coach Kate Drohan could opt to give Garden time all over the field, and she could theoretically slot in at right field if Nader sees regular time in center. Because Northwestern’s infielder group is extremely deep in 2026, fans should expect to frequently see Garden as an outfielder or designated player.
Kate Dowden, Sophomore
Dowden made one start as a designated player last year, and barring an unexpected turn of events, she will likely be the fourth outfielder or a pinch-hit option for the ‘Cats in 2026. Dowden could still see playing time depending on where Garden slots in consistently, but the former will certainly have work to do to crack the starting lineup. The good news for Dowden is that she was efficient despite few plate appearances last season, picking up four hits in eight at bats (including a double and a triple).
Kate Renschen, First-Year
Renschen has a high-level bat and blazing speed, and she showed it in her senior season at Lake Central High School, racking up a .510 batting average and 36 stolen bases without committing a single error. Because of the depth that Northwestern has in the outfield, Renschen may struggle to gain initial playing time, but she certainly has the potential to jump into that third outfield spot at some point this year.
Abby Harvey, Graduate Transfer
Harvey is listed as a catcher/outfielder on Northwestern’s website, so she may not see a ton of time in the outfield, but she did show a lot of potential at Indiana Wesleyan in the NAIA, batting .426 in her senior season. The lone transfer in Drohan’s upcoming class of newcomers, Harvey adds much-valued experience to this Wildcat squad, but it remains to be seen just how well she is able to adjust to Big Ten play.
