IOWA CITY, Iowa – For the third consecutive season, five University of Iowa field hockey student-athletes earned National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-West Region recognition. The NFHCA made the announcement on Tuesday.
Four Hawkeyes were voted to the first team: Ellie Holley, Maddy Murphy, Anthe Nijziel, and Lokke Stribos. Esme Gibson was honored on the second team.
The accolade is the fourth of Murphy’s distinguished career and third first-team selection. The senior becomes the fifth Hawkeye, and second in as many years (Katie Birch, 2016-19), to garner four consecutive All-West Regional honors.
It is Murphy’s third career All-West Region honor and second first-team All-West selection. The Raina, Tasmania, native amassed team bests in goals (8), points (18), and shots (38) this season. A second-team all-conference honoree, Murphy shared the team lead with two game-winning goals.
Nijziel, a native of Eindhoven, Netherlands, earned her third career All-West honor after being named to the first team in 2019 and second team in 2018. Nijziel was voted the 2021 Big Ten Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, and was also recognized on the 2021 NCAA All-Tournament Team. Nijziel was a key cog in Iowa’s defense that allowed one goal or less in 15 of 18 games, including eight shutouts. She had two goals and three assists in 18 starts as a junior.
Stribos, who tallied two goals and two assists in 2021, earned her second career All-West regional honor. A native of Brussels, Belgium, Stribos was a key defender on an Iowa defense that allowed one goal or less in 15 of 18 games, including eight shutouts. The junior is a two-time All-Big Ten Tournament Team honoree (2018, 2021).
Holley, a midfielder from Bristol, United Kingdom, recorded two goals on 17 shots, seven assists – tying for second in the conference — and 13 points this season. She was a first-team all-league honoree and voted to the 2021 NCAA All-Tournament Team. In Iowa’s NCAA Tournament run, Holley recorded two shots and one assist against Northwestern in the quarterfinals, helping Iowa defeat the nationally-ranked Wildcats, 3-1, to advance to the program’s 12th Final Four.
Gibson recorded two goals and two assists as a sophomore in 2021. She was honored on the 2021 All-Big Ten Tournament Team. In Iowa’s quarterfinal match against Maryland, Gibson pushed the pace of the game for the Hawkeyes, leading them to a 2-0 victory over the nationally-ranked Terrapins.