Hawkeye Fan Shop — A Black & Gold Store | 24 Hawkeyes to Watch 2018-19 | Hawk Talk Monthly — October 2018
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Three University of Iowa field hockey student-athletes – Maddy Murphy, Katie Birch, and Sophie Sunderland – earned All-Big Ten honors, the conference announced Wednesday.
Murphy is a first team All-Big Ten selection, while Birch and Sunderland are named to the second team. Senior Riley Kniptash is Iowa’s Sportsmanship Award honoree.
Murphy, a sophomore forward, leads the team in goals (13), points (33), and game-winning goals (4) to earn her second All-Big Ten award of her career. Murphy’s 13 goals and 33 points are both career highs and rank third best in the Big Ten. The Raina, Tasmania, native recorded her first career hat trick against No. 6 Penn State in a 3-2 Iowa victory to earn Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors. Her sophomore campaign also featured a seven-point performance with three assists against Dartmouth on Aug. 31 and two stretches where she scored a goal in three straight games.
Birch, a junior miedfielder, registered a team-leading and a career-high nine assists and seven goals for 23 points, while leading the team in shots attempted (50) during the regular season. Birch’s nine assists are the fourth most in the conference. She recorded her fourth career hat trick against Dartmouth on Aug. 31. The York, England, native has played a crucial role on Iowa’s defense that has only allowed a Big Ten best 0.91 goal per game. This year marks Birch’s third straight she’s earned All-Big Ten accolades.
Sunderland, a junior midfielder, garnered the first All-Big Ten honors of her career after recording the third most goals (6) and points (16), both of which are career highs. The Ipswich, England, native recorded her first career hat trick in Iowa’s 7-1 win against Ball State on Sept. 2. All of Sunderland’s seven goals have come in Hawkeye victories.
The Hawkeyes continue postseason play in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament on Friday at 2:30 p.m. (CT) against second-seeded Michigan in Evanston, Illinois.
2018 All-Big Ten Teams
First Team
Maddy Murphy, So., F, IOWA
LINNEA GONZALES, Sr., M, MD
Bodil Keus, So., D, MD
Guadalupe Fernandez Lacort, Jr., M, MICH
Emma Way, Sr., F, MICH
Puck Pentenga, Sr., M, NU
Kelsey Nolan, Sr., M, OSU
Gini Bramley, Sr., M, PSU
Cori Conley, Sr., D, PSU
Gianna Glatz, So., GK, RU
Daphne Groothuis, So., M, RU
Second Team
Katie Birch, Jr., M, IOWA
Sophie Sunderland, Jr., M, IOWA
Nike Lorenz, Jr., D, MD
Maggie Bettez, Sr., D, MICH
Madison O’Neill, Sr., M, MSU
Eva van Agt, Sr., M, NU
Esther Clotet Alsina, Jr., M, OSU
Katie Dembrowski, Sr., D, PSU
Moira Putsch, Sr., F, PSU
Jenny Rizzo, GK, Sr., PSU
Linde Van Schaik, Sr., M, RU
Player of the Year: Linnea Gonzales, Sr., M, MD
Offensive Player of the Year: Emma Way, Sr., F, MICH
Defensive Player of the Year: Bodil Keus, So., D, MD
Freshman of the Year: Bibi Donraadt, Fr., F, MD
Coach of the Year: Jarred Martin, OSU
Sportsmanship Award Honorees
Taylor Swope, IND
Riley Kniptash, IOWA
Olivia Reiter, MD
Anna Spieker, MICH
Bailey Higgins, MSU
Erica Hootstein, NU
Courtney Daniels, OSU
Emily Klingler, PSU
Nicole Profita, RU
Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS
