Nov. 11, 2011
NCAA Tournament Practice Photo Gallery
- 2011 Media Guide
- USA Field Hockey
- Download your Iowa Hawkeye iPhone app!
- Iowa and the Big Ten Network
- Big Ten Network: Free Hawkeye Video
- 24 Hawkeyes to Watch
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — The Hawkeye field hockey team held a team practice and team meetings Friday in preparation for Saturday’s first round NCAA Tournament game. The practice was held at the Maryland Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex in College Park, Md., the site of Saturday’s game.
“We had a really good day of preparation today,” said head coach Tracey Griesbaum. “We had an opportunity to watch film one more time and meet as a team. Overall, practice was awesome. The girls are really excited.”
Iowa (15-4), ranked 12th nationally, will face No. 4 Maryland (15-4) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Saturday on the Terrapins’ home turf. The match is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. (CT).
No. 3 Syracuse (18-3) and Richmond (16-6) will also play in College Park on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. (CT). The winner of both contests will play Sunday at 1 p.m. (CT) to advance to the Final Four.
The Hawkeyes have been road warriors of late. The Black and Gold have played seven of their last eight games away from Iowa City. Iowa is 7-1 during the stretch. The Hawkeyes are 9-3 away from Grant Field this season, 5-1 at road sites and 4-2 at neutral sites.
Maryland and Iowa have met in numerous big games over the years. The two have played 12 times, including five times in the NCAA Tournament. The Terrapins won the last match in 2008, 2-1, a double overtime contest at the NCAA Final Four.
Iowa has enjoyed great success in the NCAA Tournament. The Hawkeyes have now appeared in the NCAA Tournament 21 times, reaching 11 Final Fours (both are the most of any Big Ten program). The Hawkeyes are 26-21 all-time in the tournament, owning the most wins of any Big Ten team in NCAA Tournament play. Only six teams in the country have made more tournament appearances, only four have won more tournament games, and only three teams have made more NCAA Final Four appearances than Iowa. In addition, Iowa won the 1986 National Championship. Iowa has appeared in the NCAA Tournament five of the last eight years.
In their last tournament appearance in 2008, the Hawkeyes reached the NCAA Final Four after defeating Louisville and Michigan State in the first and second rounds. Iowa lost to Maryland in the NCAA semifinals in double overtime. Louisville will host the NCAA Final Four this year. The last time Louisville hosted the Final Four was 2008.
Iowa field hockey fans can follow the Hawkeyes with live stats (Gametracker) on hawkeyesports.com. Click on the `GT’ link found on both the front page and the field hockey schedule page. In addition, a live stream will be provided. Click `Watch Live’ on the schedule to page to view.