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Iowa Set For Big Ten TournamentIowa Set For Big Ten Tournament
Field Hockey

Iowa Set For Big Ten Tournament

Nov. 1, 2010

Big Ten Tournament Notes Tournament Bracket

THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa field hockey team travels to Evanston, Ill. to compete in the 17th annual Big Ten Tournament. Iowa, the No. 7 seed, will battle second-seeded Michigan Thursday at approximately 12:15 p.m at Lakeside Field on the campus of Northwestern. The winner will face top seeded and fifth-ranked Ohio State Friday at noon. Friday’s match will be televised by the Big Ten Network. Both times are central.

TOURNAMENT SUCCESS
The Black and Gold have won three of the last four Big Ten Tournaments. Iowa is one of four schools who has claimed four championships (1999, 2006, 2007, 2008), joining Penn State and Michigan. Penn State is the only other school to win three straight titles. Iowa is 22-12 (.647) all-time in conference tournament play, owning the most wins all-time and the best winning percentage. The last time the tournament was held at Northwestern was in 2004. Iowa was the No. 2 seed after sharing the regular season championship with Michigan and Michigan State. The Hawkeyes advanced to the championship match before falling to the top-seeded Wolverines, 3-2.

2009 BIG TEN TOURNAMENT
Iowa, the No. 4 seed in last year’s tournament, downed fifth-seeded Michigan 5-3 in the first round at East Lansing, Mich. The win marked the tenth-straight Big Ten Tournament win for the Hawkeyes, breaking Penn State’s record of nine-straight wins held from 1995-98. Iowa then fell to top-seeded and eventual champion Michigan State in the semifinals, 5-1.

TOURNAMENT RECORDS
Iowa holds a number of Big Ten Tournament records. Anne-Marie Thomas and Vicki Sax are tied for the most goals (4) in one game. Thomas holds the record for most points (9) in one game. As a team, the Hawkeyes hold the mark for most goals in a game (8, against Indiana in 2007) and most goals in a tournament (15, in 2007).

HAWKEYES AGAINST THE BIG TEN
Iowa (3-13, 0-6) concluded conference action last Saturday against No. 5 Ohio State. The Hawkeyes are 211-82-6 against current Big Ten teams and lead every series: (Indiana: 13-6), (Michigan: 39-15), (Michigan State: 45-12-1), (Northwestern: 50-18-4), (Ohio State: 41-13), (Penn State: 23-18-1). Iowa has claimed 11 Big Ten regular season titles in school history and four Big Ten Tournament championships.

SCOUTING MICHIGAN
Michigan is 12-6 overall and 0-1 in neutral contents. They finished 5-1 in conference play, earning a share of the regular season Big Ten championship. The Maize and Blue are ranked 12th nationally in the latest Kookaburra/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll. The Wolverines are coached by Marcia Pankratz. She is in her second stint at Michigan head coach. Pankratz previously coached Michigan from 1996 to 2004, guiding the Wolverines to the 2001 National Championship.

FAMILIAR FACE
Michigan Head Coach Marcia Pankratz is no stranger to the Hawkeye field hockey program. Pankratz, an Iowa letterwinner from 1982-85, is tied for third on Iowa’s career goal list with 76. A two-time All-American, Pankratz led Iowa in goals and points in 1984 and 1985. She was twice honored as Iowa’s Female Athlete of the Year and as a Honda Sports Award finalist. Pankratz, the 1986 Big Ten Medal of Honor award winner, was named to the Big Ten’s First Team All-Decade Team of the 1980’s and was inducted to the University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001.

SERIES HISTORY
The Hawkeyes lead the all-time series against the Maize and Blue, 39-15. Michigan downed Iowa during the regular season in Iowa City, 2-0. Last year, the Hawkeyes won at Michigan during the regular season (3-2) and in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament (5-3).

THANKS SENIORS
Chelsea Miller and Sarah Pergine will be playing in their final Big Ten Tournament this weekend. Both were members of Hawkeye teams that won two Big Ten Tournament championships, appeared in two NCAA Tournaments and advanced to the 2008 NCAA Final Four. Collectively, the duo has started 87 career games.

IN THE RANKINGS
Iowa has played seven teams ranked in the NFHCA top 20 this season. In addition, the Hawkeyes faced six teams receiving votes in the latest poll. The Big Ten Conference currently has four teams ranked in the top 20. Ohio State sits at fifth in the latest rankings. Joining the Buckeyes is Penn State (No. 9) Michigan State (No. 11), and Michigan (No. 12). Northwestern and Indiana are receiving votes.

IOWA AT GRANT FIELD
2010 marks the sixth year Iowa has played on the new Grant Field. Iowa owns an overall home record of 127-41, a conference record of 57-22 at home and an 11-2 record in NCAA Tournament games played in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes have gone undefeated on their home field in six separate seasons, including a 40-game home winning streak. Iowa finished 2-4 at home this season.

BEGLIN NAMED TO 22ND IOWA HALL OF FAME CLASS
Former Hawkeye Head Coach Beth Beglin was inducted by the National Iowa Varsity Club and the University of Iowa Athletics Department into the Athletics Hall of Fame. A member of the 22nd class, she was honored Sept. 5 at Grant Field at the conclusion of Iowa’s game against Miami (OH).

Beglin was the Iowa field hockey coach from 1988 to 1999. She led the Hawkeyes to 10 NCAA Tournaments, including seven Final Fours and runner-up finishes in 1988 and 1992. Beglin guided the Black and Gold to seven conference championships and the 1994 Big Ten Tournament Championship. She was named conference coach of the year seven times, Midwest Region Coach of the Year five times and National Coach of the Year in 1992. In addition, Beglin coached 39 All-Americans, 67 All-Conference selections, 16 U.S. National Team members and two members of the 1996 USA Olympic Team.

FOLLOW THE HAWKEYES ON FACEBOOK
Become a fan of the official Iowa Field Hockey fan page by going to facebook.com/iowafieldhockey to follow the Hawkeyes on Facebook.