Point Guard:  Nadia Bibbs returns as the starting point guard.  In her first year of eligibility after transferring from Boston University, Bibbs was adequate in the spot.  That was something of a disappointment.  Going into the season, she was counted on to do more than she did.  She did not provide the Wildcats with the offense they had hoped as she only shot 31% from the field.  While she averaged just under 4 assists a game, she finished the season with one more turnover than assist.  But she did not have a bad year, and she was not surrounded with a lot of talent.  She is a good ballhandler and passer and she appears to understand Combs’ offense.  Bibbs has two more seasons to grow into her role and she should be improved this season. 

She will again be backed up by Erin Dickerson.  Dickerson is a slightly better offensive player than Bibbs but is not as good a ballhandler.  She is adequate as a back-up. 

Wings.  Both starting wings return for the Wildcats and they form the strength of the team.  Shooting guard Sarah Stutz is a solid all-around player.  She was third on the team in scoring, but she only averaged 7.6 points on 35.7% shooting.  She’s a better player than those numbers would indicate.  She will need to improve her offense if the Wildcats are to improve in 2006. 

A J Glasauer returns as the team’s starting small forward.  In 2005, Glasauer was one of the most improved players in the Big 10.  Although she shot a poor 35% from the field, she averaged 11 points a game and is the team’s leading returning scorer.  Glauser is an excellent passer and finished second on the team with 3.4 assists a game.  She has also developed into a solid individual defender.  She also appears to have developed into the team’s on-court leader.  She does that as much with hustle as with words.   

Stutz and Glasauer will not be stars in the Big 10.  But they are both solid Big 10 players and that is a commodity in short supply in Evanston. 

Behind those two are sophomore Kristen Cartwright and freshman Lakiyia Hicks   Cartwright consistently improved throughout her freshman year.  Hicks is an athletic player who will help make up for the loss of the graduated Ifeoma Okonkwo.  Both of these players will push for minutes.  The four are a solid group that should provide decent offense for the Cats. 

Posts:  If Combs is going to improve the Wildcats, she has to have a better post game.  The Wildcats were about the smallest team in the Big 10 last year and they had one of the most ineffective post games.  In conference games they were outrebounded by almost 9 a game and their posts combined to average less than 10 points a game. 

Melissa Miller is the best of the posts that return.  She’s a scrappy 6’1 player who averaged 5.5 rebounds and 5.9 points a game in 2005.  She will get help from Combs’ top recruit, 6’ Kaitlyn McInerney.  McInerney is ranked among number 144 by the All Star Girls report.  She’s a solid all-around player who will help defensively and should put some points on the board.  More importantly, she will be the only addition who can help on the boards.  She will be needed there more than as a scorer or defender. 

The only true center on the team is 6’2 Julie Bielawski.  As a freshman she averaged 3.7 points in 11 minutes a game.  If she could improve enough to earn more minutes it would make a major difference for the Cats, but it’s not clear if she has the potential to do that. 

Combs has signed a transfer from Air Force, Ellen Jaeschke, who should help in the 2007 season.  This will again be the weakest area for Northwestern.  Until Combs can improve the play in the post considerably, her team will have limited potential to improve. 

Summary:  The 2006 Wildcats have more overall talent than any of their recent predecessors.  That should translate to a more competitive team.  Whether or not that means more wins will depend largely on whether or not they can get a bigger contribution from their post players.  They should be better offensively but not by enough to make up for their weakness around the basket.