THIS WEEK
The fifth-ranked University of Iowa field hockey team continues Big Ten play Friday at No. 9 Maryland beginning at 4 p.m. (CT). The Hawkeyes will then travel to No. 16 Penn State for their last regular season away game beginning at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
FOLLOW LIVE
• Both games will be broadcast on B1G+.
• Iowa field hockey fans can follow all contests via live stats on hawkeyesports.com. Game updates are also available on X/@iowafieldhockey.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
• Iowa is ranked No. 5 in this week’s NFHCA poll. The Hawkeyes were ranked No. 1 for four weeks straight (Sept. 5 – Oct. 2) for the second time in program history (2021). Iowa has been ranked in 79 consecutive polls dating back to the 2016 season.
• The Hawkeyes lead the nation in scoring margin (2.86). Iowa ranks second in shutouts (8), shutouts per game (.57), goals against average (0.64), and save percentage (.830), third in goals (49), goals per game (3.50) and scoring average (3.50), fourth in goals allowed (9), and fifth in points per game (9.43) and winning percentage (.857).
• Freshman Dionne van Aalsum was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week for the third time this season (Sept. 11, Sept. 18) after tallying two goals in a top ten win over No. 5 Louisville this past weekend. The Castricum, Netherlands, native has also been named NFHCA Offensive Player of the Week on September 13 and Big Ten Freshman of the Week three times this season (Aug. 26, Sept. 5, Sept. 11). Van Aalsum leads the nation with 24 goals, 54 points, 1.79 goals per game, and 3.86 points per game.
• Sophomore Mia Magnotta has only allowed nine goals this season and has recorded 43 saves. She has been in goal the duration of the season including all of Iowa’s eight shutout victories.
Forty-Fort, Pennsylvania native, was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on August 29 and NFHCA Division I Defensive Player of the week on August 30.
• Iowa has defeated the top-ranked team in three straight seasons (3-1 vs. No. 1 North Carolina in 2021, 2-0 vs. No. 1 Northwestern in 2022 and 3-2 vs. No. 1 North Carolina in 2023).
• The Hawkeyes’ win over No. 5 Louisville this past weekend was their fifth win against a ranked opponent this season. Iowa previously downed No. 12 Wake Forest, No. 1 North Carolina, No. 19 UAlbany, and No. 14 Michigan. Iowa is 5-2 against ranked foes.
• The Hawkeyes return seven starters and 14 letterwinners from a team that finished 12-8, advancing to the Elite Eight for the 21st time in program history in 2022.
• The Hawkeyes made their fifth straight and 27th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history — the most of any team as a member of the Big Ten Conference.
• Head coach Lisa Cellucci is in her tenth season at the helm of the Hawkeye field hockey program and her 24th season overall. Cellucci has been a part of 289 Iowa victories and in 2020, she led the program to the Final Four for the 12th time — the first since 2008. Iowa has posted double digit win totals in eight of her ten seasons. The Hawkeyes have won three Big Ten titles (2019, 2019 (BTT), 2021) under her watch.
NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
• The Hawkeyes are 29-27 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
• Iowa has qualified for five straight NCAA Tournaments — the longest streak since making a school record 15 consecutive tournaments from 1982-96.
CELLUCCI REACHES MILESTONE
Head coach Lisa Cellucci — the three-time reigning Big Ten Coach of the Year — earned her 100th career victory on Aug. 26, 2022 when the Hawkeyes downed No. 20 Wake Forest in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The tenth year head coach is the fourth Hawkeye head coach to reach this 100-win milestone.
• Cellucci earned her third straight Big Ten Coach of the Year honor in 2021. She is the first coach in Big Ten history to be named Coach of the Year in three consecutive seasons.