When some of our athletes have finished their Northwestern careers, that doesn't necessarily mean that they are done with the sport for good. We checked in on a few former Wildcats to see how they're doing.
Drew Crawford (Played basketball 2009 to 2014, now age 23)
by Andrew Simpson
Drew Crawford, who is Northwestern’s second all-time leading scorer, is currently signed to a non-guaranteed contract with the Orlando Magic. After going undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft, Crawford went on to play in this year’s NBA Las Vegas Summer League with the New Orleans Pelicans, where he averaged 2.0 points and 11.3 minutes over five games.
On Sept. 16, Crawford signed with the Magic, who also signed former college players Peyton Siva, Seth Curry and Kadeem Batts to non-guaranteed contracts. This gives Orlando a 19-man roster, while the NBA allows only a 15-man team once the season begins. It is expected these four recent signees are competing for a single spot on the Magic’s roster, and the three who are cut will be released or assigned to the NBA Development League.
Jake Goebbert (Played baseball 2007 to 2009, now age 27)
by Andy Brown
He only played two full seasons for the 'Cats, but they were a dominant two years. His career batting average of .343 led him to a second-team All-Big Ten selection in 2008. His 2009 season ended after just 30 games, when he suffered a season-ending injury against Minnesota.
Goebbert saw major league playing time this season for the first time in the outfielder’s young career. After the Houston Astros drafted him in the 13th round in 2009, he spent three years moving up from low-A ball to AAA within their system, before being traded into the Oakland Athletics’ farm system. This year, Goebbert was traded to the San Diego Padres’ system for power hitting major league first baseman Kyle Blanks.
When the Padres’ Yonder Alonso went down with an injury on June 19, Goebbert received his first call up to “The Show.” He appeared in 51 games, mostly off the bench; in 101 at bats, he hit .218 with one home run – numbers to be expected from a rookie. What jumps off the stat sheet, however, are his three triples. Dee Gordon led the majors this year with 12 in 609 at bats, and Goebbert had three in just a little over 100. That’s not to say the former Wildcat will be challenging Gordon to a race anytime soon, but that statistic combined with his strong AAA power numbers make it clear that he has serious MLB potential. On a young Padres team, he could see dramatically increased playing time next year if he continues to improve.
Venric Mark (Played football 2010 to 2013, now a redshirt senior at West Texas A&M)
by Ellen Schmitz
Remember Venric? Sure, it’s been awhile, and the ‘Cats have Justin Jackson now. He was the electric kick returner and running back who helped spark the Northwestern offense during his time as a Wildcat. He was named an All-American kick returner after the 2012 season when he returned two punts for touchdowns and was a wildly successful runningback. That season, he finished only 29 yards short of the school record for all-purpose yards after accumulating 2,166 via returns, rushes and receptions.
Venric Mark, former Northwestern running back transferred to (West) Texas A&M this August to avoid missing the first two football games his senior year. The now-former Wildcat was banned for a violation of team rules.
Ironically, it looks like Venric has only played twice, and in the only two games West Texas A&M has lost this season, to Colorado State-Pueblo and Tarleton State. Venric is in a whole new world, and it’s nothing like the Big Ten.
In his two starts, he’s rushed the ball 32 times for 146 yards and no touchdowns. He also has returned two punts and six kickoffs in those two games.
Mike Kafka (Played football 2005 to 2009, now age 27)
by Austin Siegel
One of the most accomplished quarterbacks in Northwestern history, Mike Kafka is still chasing his NFL dream.
Kafka played for the Wildcats from 2006 to 2009, but he really became a star during his redshirt senior season, when he lead the ‘Cats to the Outback Bowl in Tampa. While we all know how that one ended (#Fumblerooski), Kafka can hardly be blamed, as he broke two Outback Bowl records for both pass completions and passing yards in an overtime loss to Auburn.
Drafted in 2010 by the Philadephia Eagles, Kafka has bounced around the NFL for a few seasons, but may have finally found a home with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While Kafka is only a third-string QB, coaches have praised his work ethic and leadership. And as the Bucs continue to search for a franchise quarterback, perhaps Kafka will finally get a long-deserved opportunity to show what he can do.
Kristen Kjellman (Played lacrosse 2004 to 2007, now age 30)
by Daniel Hersh
This lacrosse player helped kick-start the Northwestern dynasty. She burst onto the scene in 2004, when she started every single game as a true freshman, en route to being named Freshman of the Year by Inside Lacrosse. That year, she also led the team with 53 goals, which was sixth most all-time in a single season in NU's history. Her dominant draw controls helped the 'Cats to three consectutive national championships (2005 to 2007).
After her collegiate career, she played for the US National Team, where she continued her prowess on draw controls. She made her her World Cup debut in 2009 in Prague, where the United States took home the gold. In the final match, she had a goal and an assist. She was then named to the All-World team. She retired from lacrosse in 2011 at the age of 26 as one of Northwestern's most decorated athletes ever.
J.A. Happ (Played baseball 2002 to 2004, now age 31)
by Andy Brown
Happ's Northwestern career lasted three seasons, boasting a career ERA of 2.88 and a record of 16-11. He was drafted by the Phillies in the third round of the 2004 MLB draft after being named first team All-Big Ten as a starting pitcher.
From there, Happ just finished off his eighth season in the MLB, his third for the Toronto Blue Jays and his second as a full-time member of their starting pitching staff. He’s had a bit of a strange career, bouncing between roles as a long relief man and a starter, but having some difficulty sustaining success.
In 2009, mostly as a starter for the Philadelphia Phillies, he played a large part in a National League Championship run, going 12-4 with a 2.93 ERA. He also pitched respectably in the World Series that year, striking out four Yankees in 2.2 innings with a 3.38 ERA.
But just two years later, he struggled mightily for the Houston Astros, posting a 6-15 record with a 5.35 ERA in a full-time starting role. Since coming over to the Blue Jays, he’s found a happy medium between those two extremes, with a 19-20 record and a 4.39 ERA overall. This past season, he was 11-11 with a 4.22 ERA. Nobody will ever confuse Happ for Sandy Koufax given a large sample size, but he’s a solidly average back-of-the-rotation-type starter, and as long as he continues to ride out the mean, there will be a spot for him in the league.