The Northwestern Wildcats will honor eight of the athletic program's biggest shining stars against the Scarlet Knights.
The Northwestern Wildcats and coach David Braun are preparing to open the 2026 college football season at home against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits on Sept. 5 in Evanston and it's expected to be an eventful evening.
The Wildcats will play their first two home games at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium before transitioning to the new Ryan Field starting Oct. 2 vs. Penn State.
On Thursday, Wildcats fans were updated on a group of players from eight different sports (including one Olympian) who will be honored at the football team's Oct. 24 home tilt with Rutgers.
All eight are being inducted into the Northwestern Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2026 and represent a diverse group of sports and skillsets.
Crawford, Jackson Among Wildcats to Be Honored
The list of eight athletes includes a former Wildcats hoops star, Drew Crawford, and a former Wildcats football star, Justin Jackson.
Crawford, a guard/forward, played five seasons with the Wildcats and was named the 2009-2010 Big Ten Rookie of the Year.
Jackson, a running back, racked up 5,440 yards during his NU career and had a career best 15 touchdowns in 2016.
Additional Wildcats Honorees
Other legendary Wildcats being honored include NU women's soccer's Lauren Clem, women's golf star Hannah Kim, men's golf star David Lipsky, swimmer Jordan Wikimovsky, women's softball coach Sharon Drysdale, and track & field star Pat Ryan, Jr.
Clem became the Wildcats' first All-American in program history and posted school records in consecutive starts (89), minutes played (8,493), and goals against average (0.63).
She played from 2014-2017 and finished her college career with 49 shutouts ranking third in NCAA history.
Kim is a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year honoree who made the WGCA (Women's Golf Coach Association) first team All-America team in 2016.
Lipsky joined the PGA in 2011 and has earned over $7.8 million during his professional golf career. He finished 38th in the NCAA Championships in 2010-2011 and was the NU golf team's top performer two straight years.
Wilimovsky won the 2015 Big Ten title in the 1,650-yard freestyle and holds a World Championship gold medal along with other international medals.
Drysdale compiled a 640-512-3 record as the Wildcats' women's softball coach, retiring as the program's all-time winningest coach (surpassed by Kate Drohan).
The Wildcats and their fans are hoping for a memorable season and Oct. 24 is expected to be a big part of it.
Expect the new Ryan Field to be rocking in preparation for what should be an exciting weekend in Evanston, Ill.
