THIS WEEK
The No. 2 University of Iowa field hockey team (10-2, 5-2) will face No. 8 Northwestern (8-4, 4-3) this weekend in Evanston, Illinois. The Hawkeyes take on the Wildcats on Thursday, April 15 at 4 p.m. (CT), followed by a match on Saturday, April 17 at noon (CT).
FOLLOW THE HAWKEYES
- Iowa field hockey fans can follow all contest via live stats on hawkeyesports.com. Click on the “Live Stats” link found on the field hockey schedule page to access the feed. Fans can also follow @IowaFieldHockey on Twitter for live in-game updates.
- A live is available via BTN+, which requires a paid subscription. Monthly subscriptions are available for $9.95 for a school pass and gives you access to all Hawkeye events that are streamed on BTN+ or aired live on Big Ten Network.
(HAWK)EYES ON THE SEASON
- No. 2 Iowa is 10-2 overall and 5-2 — its only losses were against Michigan (March 12) and No. 12 Maryland [April 2] .
- Last weekend, Iowa split the two game series against Maryland in Iowa City, falling 0-1 to the Terrapins in the first game and then defeating them, 3-0, in their second matchup.
- Of the Hawkeyes 10 wins, seven have been shutouts.
- Iowa’s defense has only allowed five goals, 19 shots on goal, and 40 overall shots on the season. Iowa’s offense has posted 19 goals, 80 shots on goal, and 150 total shots on the season.
- Senior Maddy Murphy leads the Hawkeyes with 14 points on the season off seven goals. Senior Ellie Holly follows with 10 points off two goals and six assists.
- Senior goalkeeper Grace McGuire has posted 11 saves on the season and allowed only five total goals this season from opponents.
SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN
- No. 8 Northwestern is 8-4 overall and 4-3 in the conference; with wins over Michigan State, Indiana, Michigan and Maryland, twice.
- Northwestern is led by redshirt sophomore Bente Baekers and sophomore Ana Medina Garcia.
- The Wildcats return 18 athletes from the 2019 season.
- Baeckers and junior Kayla Blas earned 2021 All-Big Ten Preseason Watch List honors.
- Baeckers registered seven goals and five assists for 19 points so far this season. Medina Garcia follows with 13 points and six goals on 11 shots on goal, recording a .462 shooting percentage.
- Head coach Tracy Fuchs, enters her 12th season with Northwestern. Before coaching the Wildcats, Fuchs was an ssistant coach for Team USA when they won gold in the Pan American Games, earning an automatic bid to the 2012 Olympics in London. In 2014, she was inducted into the USA Field Hockey Hall of Fame. In her time at Northwestern, she has led the Wildcats to two Big Ten titles and three NCAA tournament appearances.
VS. NORTHWESTERN — THE SERIES
- Iowa leads the all-time series, 55-25-4, winning the last two match-ups.
- Of the last four meetings, Iowa split with Northwestern 2-2.
RANKED AMONG US
- The Big Ten is represented by six teams in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) 2021 Poll, including No. 2 Iowa, No. 3 Michigan, No. 6 Rutgers, No. 8 Northwestern, No. 12 Maryland, and No. 15 Penn State.
- Seven Big Ten teams finished the 2019 season ranked in the top-25 of the Penn Monto/NFHCA Rankings, including No. 3 Maryland, No. 6 Iowa, No. 11 Michigan, No. 11 Northwestern, No. 18 Rutgers No. 22 Penn State, and No. 24 Ohio State.
SHE’S KIND OF A B1G DEAL
- Junior Anthe Nijziel was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, the conference announced March 8.
- The defensive honor is the first of Nijziel’s career and the first Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for a Hawkeye since Katie Birch earned the award on Sept. 18, 2018.
- In matchups against Rutgers (March 5) and Penn State (March 7), Nijziel played the full 120 minutes, keeping the
- Scarlet Knights shotless and only allowing one shot on goal from the Nittany Lions. The Hawkeyes are undefeated this season, recording four 1-0 shutouts over Indiana, Rutgers and Penn State, twice.
- The Eindhoven, Netherlands, native scored the Hawkeyes’ lone goal in the win over Penn State off a penalty corner and assist from junior Leah Zellner.
ROSTER AT A GLANCE
- The Hawkeyes return 14 letterwinners from last season.
- Eight of Iowa’s 14 letterwinners saw action in all 22 contests during the 2019 season.
- Iowa welcomes seven freshman, including, Alex Wesneski, Sophia Mackrella, Sammy Freeman, Kelly Rose, Mary Jane McNary, Harper Dunne, and Amelia Williams.
IOWA IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
- The Hawkeyes have been selected to the NCAA Tournament 24 times in program history — the most of any school as a member of the Big Ten Conference.
- The Hawkeyes are 26-24 all-time in tournament play, including 9-6 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 NCAA tournament victories and 11 NCAA Final Fours are the most of any school as a member of the Big Ten Conference.
- In 2019, Iowa faced UNC in the second round of the NCAA tournament, falling 1-2. North Carolina would go on to beat Princeton and win the championship.
B1G PRESEASON HONORS
- Maddy Murphy, Ante Nijziel and Lokke Stribos earned preseason All-Big Ten recognition, announced by the conference on Feb. 24.
- Murphy, a senior forward from Riana, Tasmania, earned NFHCA second team All-American recognition after starting all 22 games and recording team highs in goals (12) — tied for third most in the Big Ten, assists (10) — the fourth most in the Big Ten, and (37) points — tied for second most in the Big Ten. She recorded 55 shots to tally 37 points. This is the fourth straight year she has earned preseason honors by the Big Ten Conference.
- Nijziel, a senior defender, started all 22 games last year and recorded six goals and 13 points on 38 shots. The Eindhoven, Netherlands, native earned NFHCA first team All-West Region honors and second team All-Big Ten honors last season.
- Stirbos, a senior midfielder, started in all 22 games last season and earned NFHCA second team All-West Region honors. She is ranked second on the team and fifth in the conference in goals (10). She is also ranked fifth in the Big Ten in points per game (1.14). The Brussels, Belguim, native, recorded five assists and 25 points in Iowa’s 2019 season.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING — 2019 TEAM STATS
- Iowa scored 65 goals last season, while scoring four or more goals in seven games.
- Iowa’s 65 goals and 2.95 goals per game beat the averages in the 2018 season of 51 goals and 2.43 goals per game.
- The Hawkeyes had 41 assists and averaged 1.95 per game, which was the second most in the Big Ten.
- Iowa held its opponents to 27 goals on the season and allowed only 86 shots on goal..
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING — 2019 INDIVIDUAL STATS
- Second Team NFHCA All-American Maddy Murphy led the team in goals (12), assists (13), and points (37). Murphy’s 13 goals tied for third most in the Big Ten and 37 points tied for second most in the Big Ten. She also scored the 2019 Big Ten Tournament Championship game winning goal in overtime to claim the title for the Hawkeyes.
- Senior Maddy Murphy led the team in goals (11) on 34 shots and had a team high 37 points,. The NFHCA First Team All-West Regional selection had a team-leading three game-winning goals.
HOSTING THE BIG TEN
- This spring the Hawkeyes will host the Big Ten Tournament in Iowa City, Iowa, April 20-24, 2021.
- The Hawkeyes will play an eight week, 14 game conference-only season leading into the Big Ten Tournament. Last year, Iowa went 7-1 in the conference and defeated Penn State 1-0 winning the Big Ten Championship and tied for the Big Ten Regular Season Championship title.
NFHCA REGIONAL STAFF OF THE YEAR
- Lisa Cellucci, Michael Boal, and Roz Ellis were named NFHCA West Region Coaching Staff of the Year for the second consecutive season, the National Field Hockey Coaches Association announced Dec. 9, 2019.
- Led by sixth-year head coach Lisa Cellucci, the Hawkeyes went 17-5 (7-1) and qualified for the NCAA Tournament, reaching the Elite Eight.
- Cellucci was also name Big Ten Coach of the Year.
- Boal completed his sixth season along with former Hawkeye and two-time first team All-Big Ten selection Ellis who completed her second season as an assistant coach.
- The 2019 Hawkeyes are the first Iowa field hockey team to win the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles in the same season. The Hawkeyes were the fifth team in the conference to accomplish the feat.
- The Hawkeye coaching staff mentored three All-Big Ten, five All-West, and the NFHCA West Region Player of the Year.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Hawkeyes end its regular season this weekend before heading into the Big Ten Tournament starting Tuesday, April 20 through Saturday, April 24 in Iowa City, Iowa.