THIS WEEK
The No. 4 University of Iowa field hockey team (10-4, 5-3) will face No. 9 Maryland (8-6, 5-3) this week in the Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals in Iowa City, Iowa, at Grant Field. As the fifth seed in the tournament, the Hawkeyes take on the fourth-seeded Terrapins on Wednesday, April 21 at 1:30 p.m. (CT).
FOLLOW THE HAWKEYES
- Iowa fans can follow all contests 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.
- All Big Ten Tournament games will air live on Big Ten Network and can be streamed via the web, smartphones, tablets, and connected devices through Fox Sports Go and the FOX Sports App.
(HAWK)EYES ON THE SEASON
- No. 2 Iowa is 10-4 overall and 5-3 in conference — its only losses were against Michigan (March 12), No. 12 Maryland [April 2], and No. 8 Northwestern [April 15 and 17].
- 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 eight goals, 27 shots on goal, and 54 overall shots on the season. Iowa’s offense has posted 20 goals, 91 shots on goal, and 168 total shots on the season.
- Senior Maddy Murphy leads the Hawkeyes with 14 points on the season off seven goals, shooting 20.6 percent. 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 MARYLAND
- No. 9 Maryland is 8-6 overall and 5-3 in the conference; with wins over Michigan State, Penn State and Indiana and Rutgers, twice.
- Marlyand is led by seniors Brooke Deberdine and Noelle Frost, juniors Riley Donnelly and Bibi Donraadt and sophomore Emma Deberdine.
- Donnelly and Donraadt lead the Terrapins with six goals, three assists, and 15 points this season and five goals, five assists and 15 points, respectively. Frost has registered 64 saves with a .771 save percentage so far this season.
- B. DeBerdine and Donnelly earned first team All-Big Ten honors, and Donraadt earned second team All-Big Ten honors for the 2020-21 season.
- Head coach Missy Meharg, is in her 33rd season with Maryland. She was voted National Coach of the Year nine times, and has lead the Terrapins to seven national titles, 26 conference titles, 18 appearances in the NCAA Semifinals, 12 of those making it to the NCAA Finals.
VS. MARYLAND — THE SERIES
- Earlier this season, the Terrapins and Hawkeyes split the series. Maryland won the first match, 1-0. Iowa came back dominating the second match, 3-0 — Iowa’s first win over Maryland since 1994.
- Iowa recorded its seventh shutout win of the season with the win over Maryland on April 4.
2019 BIG TEN CHAMPIONS
- Iowa kicks off the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday as the reigning Big Ten Champions.
- During the 2019 Big Ten Tournament, the Hawkeyes defeated Ohio State in the quarterfinals, followed by a victory over Northwestern in the semifinals, and clinched the Big Ten Tournament Title with a win over Penn State.
- In the 2019 quarterfinals, Iowa defeated Ohio State, junior Lokke Stribos tallied two goals off assists from seniors Maddy Murphy and Ellie Holley. Sophomore Esme Gibson also found the back of the net with an unassisted goal.
- The Hawkeyes outscored Northwestern, 2-1, in the 2019 semifinals with a goal from junior Makenna Maguire assisted by Murphy and the other from junior Ciara Smith with an assist from junior Leah Zellner.
- The single goal of the Big Ten Championship game was credited to Murphy with an assist from Zellner.
RANKED AMONG US
- The Big Ten is represented by six teams in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) 2021 Poll, including No. 2 Michigan, No. 4 Iowa, No. 5 Northwestern, No. 8 Rutgers, No. 9 Maryland, and No. 14 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.
THEY’RE KIND OF A B1G DEAL
- Junior Anthe Nijziel was named Big Ten Player of the Year and Big Ten Defenseive Player of the Year, First Team All-Big Ten the conference announced April 19.
- These honors are the first of Nijziel’s career and the first Hawkeye to earn both awards in program history.
- Nijziel also earned first team All-Big Ten honors along with senior Ellie Holley. Senior Maddy Murphy was also named to the All-Big Ten second team. Senior Nikki Freeman was honored as Iowa’s recipient for the Big Ten Sportsmanship award.
- Head coach Lisa Cellucci was named Co-Big Ten Coach of the Year along with Rutgers’ Meredith Civico. The honor is Cellucci’s second in as many years.
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.
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.