IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa field hockey seniors Maddy Murphy, Anthe Nijziel and Lokke Stribos were named to the Big Ten Players to Watch List for the second consecutive season, it was announced Wednesday by the Big Ten office.
The trio led Iowa to a 12-6 record in 2020, which included the program’s 12th Final Four appearance.
Murphy, a fifth-year forward from Riana, Tasmania, earned her third NFHCA second-team All-America recognition in 2021. She started all 17 games, recording team highs in goals (8), assists (18), points (37) and shots (38).
Nijziel, a senior defender, returns following a junior season where she was the Big Ten Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first Hawkeye to earn both accolades in the same season. The Eindhoven, Netherlands, native started all 18 games, tallying two goals, three assists and 25 shots. Nijziel was also a NFHCA first-team All-American, a NFHCA first-team All-West Region honoree and an NCAA All-Tournament Team selection.
Stribos earned first-team NFHCA All-West Region and Big Ten All-Tournament team honors as a junior. The Brussels, Belgium, native started all 18 games in 2021, registering two goals, two assists, and 28 shots.
The Hawkeyes open the regular season Friday, hosting the B1G/ACC Challenge at Grant Field with three of last year’s Final Four teams in attendance.
No. 3 Iowa will host No. 11 Wake Forest on Friday at 3:30 p.m. (CT) and No. 1 North Carolina on Sunday at 11 a.m. (CT). National runner-up Michigan will also face both teams. Admission is free to all games.
