A driving force departs Evanston.
For our final women’s basketball player review, we’re looking at senior Caileigh Walsh, who reached 1,000 career points in her final season at Northwestern.
The Good
For the past four years, Walsh has helped define the Wildcats. Her final season in purple and white exemplified that trend.
Walsh was an offensive force for the ‘Cats this season. As the team’s leading average scorer, she averaged 12.4 points per game, a number consistent with years prior. She had 19 games with double-digit points while also joining an exclusive club — she surpassed 1,000 career points against DePaul on December 4, 2024.
But Walsh’s defensive efforts and improvements are not to be overlooked. She led the team in blocks, averaging 1.1 per game. Her turnover rate has also lowered, despite it seeming like a cause for concern coming into the year. Plus, there are the intangibles — the forward undoubtedly stepped into a leadership role this year as a graduating player.
Walsh concluded her Northwestern career on a bittersweet note. Despite the team’s 98-77 loss to Nebraska in the final game of the season, Walsh notched a season-high of 22 points in her final game as a Wildcat. Even through the rocky season and past four years, she found moments to shine.
The Bad
Foul trouble and staying on the floor were worries for Walsh coming into the season. She led the team in personal fouls this year. Still, her 71 personal fouls didn’t stop her from dominating the ‘Cats’ offense, and the number was certainly less concerning than the 2023-2024 season’s 109.
In a similar vein, Walsh’s field goal percentage saw a slight dip from 44.7% in 2023-2024 to 39.8% in 2024-2025. The latter number almost matches that of her sophomore season in 2022-2023, which saw significant growth for her as a Wildcat.
While this year’s FG% doesn’t change Walsh’s leading scoring efforts, it’s just a bit underwhelming for a player who indicated potential for an offensive leap.
The Bottom Line
Most of Walsh’s Northwestern career coincided with a rough patch for the ‘Cats under longtime coach Joe McKeown. The team secured just nine wins in each of the past three seasons. Nonetheless, Walsh managed to reach that coveted 1,000 career points, lead the Wildcats’ offensive charge and serve as a leader for the squad.
Walsh’s departure, along with McKeown’s retirement and fellow senior Melannie Daley’s graduation, sets the stage for both familiar and new faces to contribute. As the ‘Cats continue their rebuild, players can definitely strive to follow Walsh’s example.