When Northwestern coach Kelly Amonte Hiller recruits, she knows she has a select group of high schools on which to focus.
Nine of NU's players competed alongside a fellow Wildcat before coming to college.
"I think it's great," Amonte Hiller said. "To be able to get one great player from a high school is a bonus, but to get a couple or even a pipeline, it makes things easier."
In her seventh year as coach, Amonte Hiller has found a hotbed of lacrosse players that are willing to make the trek west to NU in Westwood High School in Westwood, Mass., and Brighton High School in Rochester, N.Y.
Westwood produced former NU player and two-time Tewaarton trophy winner Kristin Kjellman and current Cats Meredith Frank, Ali Jacobs and Sara Harrington.
Junior Hilary Bowen currently has a 31-game goal scoring streak and has been a formidable part of the team's offense this season alongside her high school teammate, sophomore Danielle Spencer. The Brighton duo has accounted for 92 of NU's 222 goals this season.
Star power is not the only reason Hiller pursues athletes from these schools.
"The kids start to get familiar with your school," Hiller said. "At places like Brighton or Westwood you really know what you are getting because you have great high school coaches, and the kids are really disciplined and really fit into my style of coaching."
And potential recruits have been impressed with Amonte Hiller and the Cats' recent success.
"I think it's definitely unique," Frank said. "I don't think many schools have what we have and our high school instilled the qualities that Kelly looks for. I think we are fortunate that we have girls that are determined to play at this level and it's very exciting."
Other high schools with more than one current Cat are Upper Arlington in Upper Arlington, Ohio, and Hinsdale Central in Hinsdale, Ill.
Due to NU's successes, other teams are starting to look at Brighton and Westwood to find the next Bowen or Kjellman.
2008 Woodie Awards
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