Rapolas Ivanauskas will miss the 2016-17 season due to injury.

STORY: https://t.co/Y2xvTWt4CC pic.twitter.com/HZzrwhMmfS

— NU Men’s Basketball (@NUMensBball) October 10, 2016

For the second time in two seasons, the Wildcats have lost a potential wing contributor to injury before the season.

Freshman Rapolas Ivanauskas will undergo shoulder surgery and miss the 2016-2017 season, the Wildcats announced Monday. Ivanauskas, who is expected to make a full recovery in four to six months, is the second Wildcat in as many years to miss the season with a shoulder injury.

Vic Law will undergo shoulder surgery and will miss the 2015-16 season. https://t.co/fH3P6f8hNN pic.twitter.com/m8LQHGYB6N

— NU Men’s Basketball (@NUMensBball) November 11, 2015

 Ivanauskas, a Barrington, Illinois native, attended Barrington High School for three years before playing his high school senior season at New Hampshire’s Brewster Academy. Ivanauskas was ranked as the 97th-best player in the class of 2016 by Rivals, the website’s highest-rated incoming Wildcat. 

The Wildcats have plenty of returning talent at both forward slots, with Law returning after missing last season and Sanjay Lumpkin, Aaron Falzon, Scottie Lindsey, Nate Taphorn, and Gavin Skelly all back as well.

Northwestern opens the regular season November 11th against Mississippi Valley State at Welsh-Ryan Arena.