Nov. 4, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format
THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa field hockey team (13-4, 4-2) travels to Bloomington, IN, to compete in the 15th Big Ten Tournament. Iowa is the No. 2 seed in the tournament. The Hawkeyes will face seventh-seeded, and host school, Indiana Thursday at 9 a.m. (CT). The winner will advance to the semifinals to face the winner of third-seeded Michigan State or sixth-seeded Northwestern. That match will begin at 11:15 a.m. (CT) Friday.
IOWA VS. BIG TEN FOES
Iowa defeated Indiana 6-1 in Bloomington during the regular season. The Hawkeyes are 11-5 all-time against the Hoosiers and are 4-2 at neutral sites.
Iowa against Big Ten opponents:
Opponent All-Time NeutralNorthwestern 48-19-4 5-1Michigan 38-12 8-1Michigan State 43-9-1 12-0-1Penn State 22-18-1 7-6Ohio State 40-10 10-1
IOWA AT BIG TEN TOURNAMENT
The Hawkeyes have claimed three Big Ten Tournament titles in their history. Iowa claimed the title in each of the last two seasons and in 1994. Penn State and Michigan lead the conference, having each claimed the title four times. At 18-11 overall, the Hawkeyes have the second best winning percentage all-time in the tournament. Iowa (.621) trails only the Nittany Lions (.630) in all-time winning percentage.
HAWKEYES GOING FOR THIRD STRAIGHT
Iowa will be looking to defend its back-to-back Big Ten Tournament championships this weekend. The Hawkeyes were crowned champions in 2006 and 2007 and have won six-straight games in the tournament. Only one other team has ever captured three-straight tournament titles — Penn State won four straight from 1995-98.
IN THE RANKINGS
The Hawkeyes are ranked eighth in the latest STX/NFHCA rankings. Iowa is ranked seventh in Women’sFieldHockey.com’s latest poll. Iowa has played nine of the STX/NFHCA top 20 this season. In addition, the Hawkeyes have played five of the teams receiving votes in the latest poll. The Big Ten Conference currently has four teams ranked in the top 20. Joining the Hawkeyes is Penn State (No. 9), Michigan State (No. 10), and Ohio State (No. 17). Michigan and Indiana are receiving votes in the latest rankings. The Hawkeyes have been ranked in the top 20 of the NFHCA Division I Coaches Poll for 21-straight weeks, dating back to 2006. In 2007 and 2008, the Hawkeyes have yet to fall out of the top 10.
MILESTONE REACHED
The Iowa Hawkeye field hockey program reached its 500th all-time victory with a win over American Friday, Sept. 5. With the 4-1 victory at Grant Field, Iowa reached the plateau with an all-time record of 500-177-25.
ON THE TUBE
The semifinal matchups on Friday (9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.) will both be televised live by the Big Ten Network (HD). Leah Secondo, Karen Weaver and Kara Lentz will call the action.In addition, the trio will call the championship game live at 11 a.m. (CT) Sunday.
HAWKEYES GARNER ANOTHER BIG TEN WEEKLY HONOR
The Big Ten Conference Monday named University of Iowa junior back Meghan Beamesderfer Defensive Player of the Week for her play in Iowa’s victory over Michigan last Sunday. This is Beamesderfer’s third career Big Ten weekly honor and second this season. It marked the second-straight week a Hawkeye was honored and the seventh for the season. The seven weekly honors ties a school record set in 1996.
Sunday, the Lititz, PA, native led the Iowa defense as the Hawkeyes shutout Big Ten rival Michigan, 3-0. The Iowa defense allowed only two shots and two penalty corners throughout the entire match. In addition, Beamesderfer recorded an assist and played every minute in the contest.
“Meg played a solid game versus Michigan,” said Head Coach Tracey Griesbaum. “She has been a very consistent player for the team this season. We ask her to be an integral part of our defensive stops and we also ask her to provide a lot of our attacking play as well. In order to do this, she has to be in outstanding physical condition. Meg is a true competitor and has been vital to our success.”
IOWA DOMINATES BIG TEN WEEKLY HONORS
Iowa earned seven weekly honors this year, including a four-week stretch where a Hawkeye was honored each week. Iowa leads the Big Ten in weekly honors earned.
Caitlin McCurdy Sept. 1 OffensiveCaroline Blaum Sept. 15 OffensiveM. Beamesderfer Sept. 22 DefensiveRoz Ellis Sept. 29 DefensiveLauren Pfeiffer Oct. 6 DefensiveLauren Pfeiffer Oct. 27 OffensiveM. Beamesderfer Nov. 3 Defensive="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/pre%3E%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPFEIFFER%20JOINS%20DISTINCT%20GROUP%3C/strong%3E%3Cbr%3E%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20Senior%20%3Ca%20href="/roster.aspx?rp_id=3408" class="imported_story_link" oldlink="/sports/w-fieldh/mtt/pfeiffer_lauren00.html">Lauren Pfeiffer recorded two goals in Iowa's 4-3, overtime victory at Michigan State on Oct. 25. In the process, Pfeiffer scored career goals 46 and 47 and moved into 10th place all-time on Iowa's career goals list. She passed Kris Fillat who lettered at Iowa from 1988-92. Fillat had 46 career goals. Pfeiffer trails Diane DeMiro for ninth place. DeMiro finished with 48 career goals.
Career Goals1. Kristy Gleason (89-93) 1322. Anne-Marie Thomas (79-82) 883. Marcia Pankratz (82-85) 76 Erica Richards (86-89) 765. Liz Tchou (84-87) 756. Ellen Egan (80-83) 687. Kerry Lessard (95-98) 648. Kelly Flanagan (77-80) 629. Diane DeMiro (93-96) 4810. Lauren Pfeiffer (2005 - ) 47="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/ahref="http:>="https://hawkeyesports.com/http:%3E%3C/pre%3E%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EHAWKEYE%20RECORDS%20AT%20TOURNEY%3C/strong%3E%3Cbr%3E%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20Iowa%20holds%20a%20number%20of%20Big%20Ten%20Tournament%20records.%20Anne-Marie%20Thomas%20and%20Vicki%20Sax%20are%20tied%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20for%20the%20most%20goals%20(4)%20in%20one%20game.%20Thomas%20holds%20the%20record%20for%20most%20points%20(9)%20in%20one%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20game.%20As%20a%20team,%20the%20Hawkeyes%20hold%20the%20mark%20for%20most%20goals%20in%20a%20game%20(8,%20against%20Indiana%20in%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%202007)%20and%20most%20goals%20in%20a%20tournament%20(15,%20in%202007).%3C/p%3E%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ETWO%20HAWKEYES%20NAMED%20NFHCA%20ALL-STARS%3C/strong%3E%3Cbr%3E%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20Two%20members%20of%20the%20University%20of%20Iowa%20field%20hockey%20team%20have%20been%20named%20NFHCA%20Division%20I%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20Senior%20All-Stars.%20Senior%20back%20%3Ca%20href="/roster.aspx?rp_id=3408" class="imported_story_link" oldlink="/sports/w-fieldh/mtt/pfeiffer_lauren00.html">Lauren Pfeiffer has been named to the squad while senior goalkeeper Lissa Munley has been picked as an alternate.
Pfeiffer, a native of Mt. Laurel, NJ, was named a NFHCA second team all-American in 2007 and was named all-Big Ten last season. Pfeiffer has also been named academic all-Big Ten the last two seasons. She has 31 total points on the season (14 goals, 3 assists) and has scored three goals in a game twice this year.
Munley, a native of Mountain Top, PA, won the 2007 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. She has been named academic all-Big Ten each of the last two seasons. The senior goalkeeper has recorded six shutouts this season.
“Lissa and Lauren have been phenomenal performers within the Iowa field hockey program,” said Head Coach Tracey Griesbaum. “Their work ethic and consistency have helped the team be successful on so many fronts. They take their role as a student-athlete very seriously. It will be a huge honor to represent Iowa at the senior all-star game.”
The 2008 NFHCA Division I Senior All-Star game will be played November, 22, at the University of Louisville. The game will begin at a 6:30 p.m. (CT).
GRIESBAUM WINS 100TH
Head Coach Tracey Griesbaum celebrated her 100th win at the University of Iowa with a 3-2 victory at Stanford Sept. 13. She has a record of 105-60 all-time at the helm of the Hawkeye program. Griesbaum won her 100th game as a head coach last season.