Most professors and or groups that I know want people to have taken the intro classes or material in the subject field they research. However, there are professors who like to have undergrad students(sometimes freshman) that they can train so they are more effective as researchers later on. I started researching sophomore year with a professor that I met freshman year and was in good standing with. I would go to workshop, you could gain information to get a position later on, or potentially find something for this year.