No. 18 Hawkeyes Prepared for Indiana, Pacific

Oct. 8, 2013

Weekly Release

THIS WEEK
The 18th-ranked University of Iowa field hockey team continues action with a pair of games at Grant Field this weekend. The Hawkeyes will first face Indiana on Friday at 3 p.m. (CT), followed by a match against Pacific on Sunday at 1 p.m. (CT). Both contests can be seen live on the Big Ten Digital Network. A neutral site contest will be played between Indiana and Pacific on Saturday at 2 p.m. (CT) at Grant Field.

IOWA IN THE RANKINGS
The Hawkeyes (6-5, 0-2) are ranked 18th in the 2013 Penn Monto/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division I poll heading into this weekend. Iowa has been ranked each week (27 weeks) in the poll dating back to Sept. 6, 2011.

SCOUTING INDIANA
Indiana heads into Iowa City with a 6-5 overall record and 0-2 conference mark. The Hoosiers have lost three-straight, most recently falling to Lousiville, 3-0. Indiana is led by head coach Amy Robertson. Robertson, a former assistant coach at the University of Iowa (1989-91), is in her 13th season at the helm of the program. On the field, the Hoosiers are led by Audra Heilman, who leads the team with 20 points. Iowa is 16-6 all-time against Indiana.

SCOUTING PACIFIC
Pacific is currently 3-8 with a 1-2 conference record. The Tigers have split their last two games, defeating California, 4-2, then falling to Stanford, 6-1. Pacific is led by first year head coach Andy Smith. On the field, the Tigers are led by senior Emily Tregoning, who leads the team with nine points. Iowa is 7-0 all-time against Pacific.

HAWKEYES DOWN MISSOURI STATE, 7-1
Iowa defeated Missouri State, 7-1, on Monday at Grant Field. The Hawkeyes improve their record to 6-5. Iowa has won 23-straight contests against Missouri State, dating back to 1984. Iowa has outscored the Bears, 127-10, during its winning streak. The home team (3-2 at Grant Field) controlled the tempo early and struck first with two goals in the opening seven minutes. Iowa controlled the tempo throughout on its way to equaling a season-best with seven goals. Five Hawkeyes scored and two (Aubrey Coleman, Dani Hemeon) posted two goals. Iowa recorded 25 shots and 13 penalty corners, while limiting the Bears to three and five, respectively. Freshman Alexandra Pecora made her first career start at goalkeeper in place of senior Kelsey Boyce, who did not play due to injury.

HAWKEYES FALL TO NO. 19 MICHIGAN
The Hawkeyes fell at No. 19 Michigan on Oct. 5 at Ocker Field, 3-2. The Hawkeyes wasted no time opening up the scoring just 4:27 into the game. After the Michigan goalkeeper made the initial save off a Hawkeye corner, freshman Stephanie Norlander scored off the rebound to put the Hawkeyes up 1-0. The Hawkeyes didn’t stop there as moments later sophomore Natalie Cafone scored on the back hand to put the Hawkeyes up by two with 27:46 to go in the first. Michigan battled back towards the end of the first, scoring twice in under three minutes to tie the game at two. Emy Guttman cut the lead in half, scoring off a rebound. Shannon Scavelli then scored off a feed from Rachael Mack to tie the game at two. Michigan scored the lone goal in the second half as Rachael Mack scored off a corner feed from Leslie Smith to put the home team up, 3-2, four minutes into the period.

CAFONE NETS HAT TRICK
Sophomore Natalie Cafone netted her first hat trick of the season against Kent State on Sept. 22. The hat trick was the first by a Hawkeye since Aubrey Coleman on Sept. 9, 2012, in a 6-0 victory over Pacific. Cafone also added an assist in the game.

CAFONE NAMED B1G PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Natalie Cafone was been named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 24. The weekly honor marks the second for the Hawkeyes in as many weeks, and the second accolade of Cafone’s career. The Fairfield, N.J., native earned the accolade after registering a hat trick and an assist in Iowa’s win at Kent State on Sunday.

NORLANDER WINS BIG TEN HONOR
Iowa forward/midfielder Stephanie Norlander was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Sept. 17. The honor marked the first of Norlander’s career. The North Vancouver native earned the accolade after a two-goal performance in Iowa’s 7-1 victory over Central Michigan on Sept. 13. Norlander is the first Hawkeye to earn Freshman of the Week honors since Natalie Cafone on Oct. 23, 2012.

3 HAWKEYES COMPETE IN PAN AMERICAN CUP
Iowa freshman Stephanie Norlander and former Hawkeye All-Americans Jessica Barnett and Meghan Beamesderfer competed in the 2013 Pan American Cup, Sept. 21-28, in Mendoza, Argentina. Norlander and Barnett represent edCanada, while Beamesderfer played for the United States National Team. Beamesderfer earned a silver medal as the United States placed second, while Norlander and Barnett received bronze medals for a third place finish with Team Canada. Norlander was the youngest player on Team Canada.

HAWKEYES DANCING AGAIN
Iowa garnered an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament for the second-straight season last year, earning back-to-back bids for the first time since 2007-08. The Hawkeyes fell in the first round of the tournament at No. 7 Virginia, 3-2.

HAWKEYES ON BTN
The Big Ten Network will be airing at least two Hawkeye contests this season. Iowa appeared on BTN on Sept. 27 at Northwestern. The Hawkeyes host Penn State, Oct. 25, at 2 p.m. (CT) at Grant Field in another BTN game. In addition, home matches against Stanford (9/15), Missouri State (10/7), Indiana (10/11), and Pacific (10/13) can be seen on the Big Ten Digital Network.

IOWA IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
The Hawkeyes were selected to the NCAA Tournament last year for the sixth time in nine years, and for the 22nd time in program history — the most of any school as a member of the Big Ten Conference. The Hawkeyes are 26-23 all-time in tournament play, including 9-5 in first round match-ups and 11-6 in second round contests. Iowa has advanced to 11 NCAA Final Fours, winning the 1986 national championship. The Hawkeyes 26 tournament victories and 11 NCAA Final Fours are the most of any school as a member of the Big Ten Conference.

IOWA NEWCOMERS
The Black and Gold feature six freshmen on the 2013 roster. Jessy Silfer and Chanlder Ackers have both see action in the backfield. Ali Campos, Stephanie Norlander, and Sophie Plasteras have contributed to the Hawkeye forward line. Freshman goal keeper Alexandra Pecora rounds out the Hawkeye newcomers.

LOOKING AHEAD
The Hawkeyes will travel to Ohio to take on Big Ten foe Ohio State on Oct. 18 at 2 p.m. (CT), followed by a game at Miami (Ohio) on Oct. 20 at 11 a.m. (CT). The game against Ohio State will be played in Columbus while the Miami (Ohio) matchup will take place in Oxford.

HAWKEYES ON WATCH LIST
Three University of Iowa field hockey players — Karli Johansen, Niki Schultheis, and Marike Stribos — appear on the 2013 Big Ten Field Hockey Players to Watch List.

Johansen, a senior from North Vancouver, Canada, has played in 57 career games and made 52 starts for the Hawkeyes. She was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament team as a sophomore and junior. Johansen was selected to the Canadian Women’s National Team in April. Johansen, who served as captain of the Canadian Junior World Cup Team in July, is one of eight Big Ten field hockey standouts also named to the list last season.

Schultheis, a senior from Hamburg, Germany, enters her fourth year as a starter for the Hawkeyes. Schultheis started all 21 games and posted a career-high 10 assists in 2012. The 10 assists marked the second-highest total on the team and ranked 10th in the Big Ten. Schultheis is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a three-time NFHCA National Academic Squad member.

Stribos, a senior from Brussels, Belgium, has played in 62 career games for the Hawkeyes with 61 career starts. Last season as a junior, Stribos was named a Longstreth/NFHCA First Team West Region All-American, in addition to being a second team All-Big Ten selection. She is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a three-time NFHCA National Academic Squad member.

DR. GRANT SELECTED TO NFHCA HALL OF FAME
Former University of Iowa women’s athletic director Dr. Christine H.B. Grant has been selected to the NFHCA Hall of Fame. Grant joins Virginia head coach Michele Madison, a former Iowa assistant (1982-89), and Ursinus College head coach Laura Moliken in the Class of 2013.

A pioneer in intercollegiate athletics in the United States, Grant became the first women’s athletics director at the University of Iowa in 1973. In her 27 years at the helm of a separate Women’s Athletic Department, Grant helped coaches develop highly competitive teams at the national level and at the conference level where they won 27 Big Ten Conference titles. A native of Scotland, Grant has earned national acclaim for her dedication to gender equity in athletics. She has testified on Title IX and Gender Equity before several U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittees and has served as an expert witness in many Title IX lawsuits. She served as President of both the AIAW and the NACWAA.

She was given an Honorary Doctorate of Humane letters by Luther College and also by the University of Northern Iowa and named one of the 100 Most Influential Sports Educators in America by the Institute of International Sport.

Iowa’s home facility — Grant Field — is named in honor of Grant, the founder of Iowa field hockey.

FOLLOW THE HAWKEYES ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER
Become fans of the official Iowa Field Hockey fan page by going to facebook.com/iowafieldhockey to follow the Hawkeyes on Facebook. Fans can also follow the Black and Gold on Twitter and Instagram (@iowafieldhockey).