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THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa soccer team opens NCAA Tournament play Saturday, facing third-seeded Kansas at 5 p.m. (CT) at Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence, Kansas. It is the Hawkeyes’ second NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.
WATCH/FOLLOW LIVE
• This contest will be streamed online via ESPN3 with Josh Klingler and Huw Williams on the call.
• Live stats for this contest will be available on hawkeyesports.com.
• Fans can follow the Iowa soccer program on Twitter (@HawkeyeSoccer) for live game updates.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
• The Hawkeyes are making their second NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and the first under head coach Dave DiIanni. Iowa made its lone appearance in 2013.
• Iowa is 2-2-1 in games against the current NCAA Tournament field, winning road games at NC State and Notre Dame, dropping games vs. Rutgers and at Penn State, and battling Wisconsin to a draw in Madison.
• Iowa’s 15 wins are tied for the most in a single season in school history. It is the second 10+ win season under DiIanni; the Hawkeyes won 14 games during DiIanni’s first season in 2014.
• All 15 of Iowa’s wins came during the regular season. Iowa needed two postseason wins as the No. 7 seed in the Big Ten Tournament to set the previous school record in 2013.
• The Hawkeyes posted seven Big Ten victories, which are tied for the most in a single season in school history. Iowa also won a school-record seven Big Ten games in 1999 and 2014.
• Iowa’s fifth place Big Ten finish is tied for the second-highest finish in program history.
• The Hawkeyes are receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches poll, sitting at 36th with seven points. Iowa is fifth in the United Soccer North Region rankings.
• Senior Claire Graves won her 37th career game in Iowa’s road win at Minnesota, making her the winningest goalkeeper in school history. Graves has 38 career victories.
• Iowa tied a school record, winning its first nine games of the 2019 season. The Hawkeyes also started 9-0-0 in 2013.
• The Hawkeyes had three All-Big Ten honorees in 2019, tied for the most in a single season in program history.
• Iowa has scored a Big Ten-best 45 goals through 20 games. The figure is 20th nationally. Iowa is four goals shy of tying the school record of 49 goals, set in 1999.
NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Iowa earned an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament during the 2013 season after advancing to the Big Ten Tournament championship game. The Hawkeyes lost 4-1 at Notre Dame.
• The Hawkeyes are one of five Big Ten Conference teams in the NCAA Tournament in 2019 along with Wisconsin, Rutgers, Penn State, and Michigan.
WITH A WIN…
• The Hawkeyes would set a program record for single-season victories.
• Iowa would notch its first NCAA Tournament victory and meet the winner of the Virginia Tech-Xavier game.
• The Hawkeyes would record a win over the second-highest ranked opponent in program history.
B1G HONOREES
• Iowa tied a school record with three All-Big Ten selections. The Hawkeyes also had three honorees in 2002, 2008, and 2011.
• Senior Natalie Winters earned second-team All-Big Ten honors to become the first Hawkeye to earn Big Ten postseason recognition all four seasons. She was an All-Freshman team honoree in 2016 and third-team All-Big Ten in 2017 and 2018.
• Senior Devin Burns earned her first career All-Big Ten honor, garnering third-team honors. She is tied for the team lead with six goals.
• Freshman Gianna Gourley was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team after scoring five goals during the regular season. She is Iowa’s first All-Freshman team honoree since Winters in 2016.
• Sophomore Riley Whitaker was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament team, while senior Claire Graves was named Iowa’s Big Ten Sportsmanship honoree.
DRKULEC, HAUS EARN ACADEMIC HONORS
Seniors Hannah Drkulec and Kaleigh Haus were named first-team CoSIDA Academic All-District 6 selections for a second straight season. Both players were Academic All-Americans as juniors.
IOWA TIES SINGLE-SEASON WINS RECORD
Iowa has 15 victories this season, which are tied for the most in a single season in program history. The Hawkeyes won a school-record 15 games in 2013, the year the program made its first NCAA Tournament appearance.
DYNAMO DEVIN
Senior Devin Burns has registered a point in nine of Iowa’s 20 games this season. She scored her team-leading sixth goal in the Hawkeyes’ 3-0 win over Michigan State on Oct. 6, giving her 20 goals for her career. The total is sixth all-time in program history.
• Iowa is 16-0-1 in games in which Burns has scored in her career.
GRAVES GETS IT DONE
• Senior Claire Graves has posted 14 victories in goal this season, which are the second-most in a single season in program history.
• The Indiana native has posted 7.5 shutouts, a career high. The figure is third in a single season in program history.
• Graves is 14-4-1 with a 0.726 goals against average this season. She has made 45 saves.
OF NOTE…
• Senior Isabella Blackman scored her first goal of the season — a game-winner — in Iowa’s 4-0 Senior Day victory over Maryland on Oct. 13. It was the midfielder’s first goal since the second game of her career — a game-winner in a road win at Missouri in 2016.
• Sophomore Riley Whitaker scored her second career goal, bending in a strike off a corner kick against the Terrapins. She is the 16th Hawkeye to score this season.
• Emma Tokuyama assissted on both goals on Oct. 20 against Minnesota. She now leads the team with five assists.
DEJA VU: BACK-TO-BACK 110TH-MINUTE STRIKES
Sophomore Samantha Tawharu achieved the improbable in back-to-back games, propelling the Hawkeyes to their 14th and 15th wins. The forward scored a golden goal with 26 seconds left to give Iowa a 2-1 double-overtime victory at Minnesota on Oct. 20. A week later, Tawharu scored a golden goal with six seconds left in double OT to send the Hawkeyes past Ohio State, 2-1.
• Tawharu scored is second on the team with five goals, including three game-winners. She is also tied for the team lead with five assists.
DRKULEC DOES IT ALL
Senior Hannah Drkulec earned her four Big Ten weekly honors during the regular season. She was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on Aug. 27, Sept. 10, and Oct. 8 and the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 17.
• Drkulec became the third Big Ten student-athlete all-time to garner Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week honors in the same season (Lisa Grubb, Ohio State, 2001; Izzy Rodriguez, Ohio State, 2018).
• Drkulec’s four weekly honors match Britta Vogele for the most in a single-season in school history.
• The defender was also named to TopDrawerSoccer’s National Team of the Week on Sept. 17.
• Drkulec has a career-high five goals in 2019. She scored her second career game-winning goal in the road win at Michigan State on Oct. 6.
A PROGRAM FIRST
The Hawkeyes debuted in the United Soccer Coaches poll on Sept. 17, coming in at No. 19. It was Iowa’s highest ranking in school history and the first time the program has been in the United Soccer Coaches poll (previously NSCAA).
• Iowa also joined TopDrawerSoccer’s Top 25 for the first time since 2014, when the Hawkeyes were ranked 25th.
ADDITIONAL HAWKEYE HONOREES
• Senior Claire Graves was named the Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week on Sept. 10 after posting back-to-back shutouts of No. 14 NC State and UNC Greensboro. She was also named honorable mention on TopDrawerSoccer’s National Team of the Week on Sept. 10.
• Freshman Gianna Gourley was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Oct. 8 after scoring the game-winning goal in the home win over Nebraska.
• Iowa had six Big Ten weekly honors during the regular season — the most in school history.
AMONG THE NATION’S BEST
The Hawkeyes rank among the top 30 in the nation in nine categories. Iowa is tied for first in penalty kicks (1.000), 20th in goals (45), scoring offense (2.25) and shots on goal per game (8.30), 22nd in points (128) and points per game (6.40), 28th in assists (38), 29th in shots per game (16.65), and 30th in assists per game (1.90).
B1G LEADERS
• The Hawkeyes are leading the Big Ten in four offensive categories — goals (44), points (126), shots (333), and goals per game (2.20), while ranking second in assists (38) and assists per game (1.90).
• Senior Devin Burns and Natalie Winters are tied for 10th in the Big Ten with six goals.
• Devin Burns is sixth in the conference with 49 shots and tied for seventh in shots per game (2.45).
• Senior Natalie Winters and sophomore Samantha Tawharu are tied for eighth in game-winning goals with three.
IOWA’S DEFENSE HAS…
• allowed seven or fewer shots in 12 of its 20 games. Iowa allowed just two shots in three games — wins over Western Michigan, Northern Iowa, and Northern Colorado — and three shots in the road loss at Purdue.
• posted eight shutouts, including back-to-back-to-back against No. 14 NC State, UNC Greensboro, and Northern Colorado. Four of Iowa’s seven Big Ten wins came via the shutout.
OFFENSIVELY SPEAKING
• Iowa is out-shooting its opposition, 333-148, and the Hawkeyes have an 116-63 advantage in corner kicks. The Hawkeyes have 20 or more shots in six games.
• Nine different Hawkeyes have scored a game-winning goal this season, including career firsts from: Hannah Drkulec, Gianna Gourley, Samantha Tawharu, Emma Tokuyama, and Sara Wheaton.
• The Hawkeyes have scored three or more goals in eight games this season.
I SCORE, YOU SCORE, WE ALL SCORE
The Hawkeyes have scored 45 goals in 20 games (Iowa scored 20 total goals in 2018) and 16 different players have found the back of the net. Seventeen different players have tallied a point this season.
• Iowa has an NCAA-leading 16 different goal scorers in 2019.
• Freshmen Gianna Gourley, Sara Wheaton, and Samantha Cary, sophomores Samantha Tawharu, Skylar Alward, Jenny Cape, and senior Emma Tokuyama have scored their first career goals this season.
• Iowa scored six goals in its 6-1 victory over Northern Iowa on Aug. 25 — the most for the program since 2017. The six goals (and six assists in the game) are tied for the most in a single game in the Big Ten this season.
DOWN GOES NO. 14
• The Hawkeyes’ 1-0 victory at No. 14 NC State was the program’s third-highest ranked victory in its history and the highest ranked opponent since 2013.
• Iowa defeated No. 7 Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals in 2013. The program also knocked off 12th-ranked Wisconsin in 1999.
PERFECT PK
Senior Natalie Winters has scored six goals — with four coming on penalty kicks. She is a perfect 8-for-8 in her career in penalty kicks.
HOME COOKIN’ AT THE ISC
The Hawkeyes home unbeaten streak came to an end Sept. 29 in an overtime loss to Northwestern. Iowa was riding a 16-game unbeaten streak that dated back to Oct. 21, 2017.
• Iowa is 16-2-3 dating back to the start of the 2018 season, which includes an 9-2 record at home this season. The nine wins are a school record for home victories.
HAWKEYE TIDBITS
• The Hawkeyes are 6-2-1 on the road this season, a year after going 1-7-0 away from Iowa City. The six road wins are tied for the most in a single season in school history.
90-MINUTE CLUB
Iowa has five position players that are a part of the 90-minute club. The club includes: Riley Whitaker (16 games), Hannah Drkulec (12), Sara Wheaton (12), Samantha Cary (9), and Isabella Blackman (1).
QUICK ATTACK
• The Hawkeyes’ offense has come out fast, scoring in the game’s first seven minutes in four contests — (UNI (6:58), Illinois State (0:47), UNC Greensboro (3:52), Northern Colorado (6:09).
• Iowa has scored first in 14 of 19 games this season. The Hawkeyes fell behind in the road win at Notre Dame, but responded by scoring three times in a 10-minute stretch in the 3-2 victory.
• Out of 1,776 total minutes this season, Iowa has only trailed for 198 minutes and 30 seconds.
EXPERIENCE GALORE
• The Hawkeyes boast a roster featuring 12 seniors and 14 total upperclassmen. The 12 seniors are believed to be the most by a team in the nation.
• The 12 seniors have combined to start 442 games in their collegiate careers.
• Iowa has played 76 games since the senior class arrived in 2016. Nine seniors have appeared in 50 or more games in their careers.
• Senior Natalie Winters has started 75-of-76 career games and she has appeared in all 75 contests. Iowa’s senior class’s experience includes: Hannah Drkulec – 75-of-76 games (52 starts); Isabella Blackman – 74-of-76 (66 starts); Claire Graves – 71-of-76 (70 starts), Kaleigh Haus – 68-of-76 (50 starts); Devin Burns – 69-of-76 (56 starts), Olivia Fiegel – 59-of-76 (17 starts); Leah Moss – 59-of-76 (40 starts); Emma Tokuyama – 55-of-76 (4 starts).
GRAVES TIES CAREER WINS RECORD
Senior Claire Graves became Iowa’s career wins leader in Iowa’s 2-1 double overtime win at Minnesota on Oct. 20. Graves currently ranks in the top-four in three categories — first in career wins (38), second in career shutouts (24.5), and fourth in career saves (236).
Shutouts
1. Hannah Clark, 26
2. Claire Graves, 24.5
Saves
1. Britta Vogele, 489
2. Emily Moran, 350
3. Hannah Clark, 321
4. Claire Graves, 236
BURNS AMONG CAREER LEADERS
• Senior Devin Burns has scored six goals during the 2019 season, giving her 20 career goals, which ar e the sixth-most in school history. Linzy Wolman is fifth with 21 goals.
• Burns is also tied for third all-time with nine career game-winning goals.
• She currently has 52 career points, which is tied with Bri Toelle (52) for sixth place all-time.
HAWKEYE TIDBITS
• The Hawkeyes were picked to finish 10th in the Big Ten preseason poll.
• Seniors Hannah Drkulec and Isabella Blackman were voted the Hawkeyes’ team captains for the 2019 season.
SCOUTING KANSAS
• Kansas enters the NCAA Tournament on a nine game unbeaten streak, which includes three victories en route to a Big 12 Tournament title. The Jayhawks’ last loss came Oct. 3 against Oklahoma State in Stillwater.
• Kansas has a 5-0 record against Iowa’s common opponents. The Jayhawks have wins over Nebraska, Purdue, Northwestern, Western Michigan, and Iowa State.
• Katie McClure leads the Jayhawks with 14 goals, which ranks second in the Big 12. McClure also leads the team and is tied for fourth in the conference with eight assists.
• McClure’s six game-winning goals leads the conference, and ranks fourth in the NCAA.
• Goalkeeper Sarah Peters leads the conference with nine shutouts.
• Kansas is 2-2-1 against top 25 opponents this season and 5-3-3 against teams in this year’s NCAA Tournament.
• This is Kansas’ third trip to the NCAA Tournament in the last four seasons, and ninth in program history. Kansas is 6-8-0 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
SERIES RECORD
• Kansas and Iowa have split their only two meetings. The Hawkeyes were victorius in the last meeting, winning 5-1 during the 1998 season.
• The Hawkeyes and Jayhawks played an exhibition game in Lawrence to kickoff the 2017 season. Iowa won, 1-0.
