No. 12 Hawkeyes Face Purdue, Minnesota

 THIS WEEK
The No. 12 University of Iowa women’s soccer team travels to Purdue on Thursday, Sept. 18 where the match is set to kick-off at 6 p.m. (CT). The Hawkeyes then return home to host Minnesota on Sunday, Sept. 21 at 1 p.m. (CT).

 WATCH/FOLLOW LIVE
- Both matches will be streamed live on B1G+ (subscription required).
- Links to streaming and live stats can be found at the gameday page on hawkeyesports.com.
- Fans can follow the Iowa soccer program on X (@HawkeyeSoccer) for live in-game updates.

 SCOUTING THE BOILERMAKERS
 - Purdue comes into the match with a 4-3-2 overall record and 1-0-0 start to Big Ten play after picking up a victory over No. 23 Wisconsin (2-1) on the road.
- Senior Chiara Singarella leads the Boilermakers offensive attack with six goals on the season. The senior has fired 22 shots putting 12 on goal. She has recorded two game winning goals on the season. Singarella ranks second individually in the Big Ten in game-winning goals (2), total goals (6), and total points (13). 
- Purdue’s 17.4 shots per game rank 35th nationally and third in the conference.
- The Boilermakers are 1-0 against ranked opponents this season and 2-1-1 when playing at home.
- Junior goalkeeper Emily Edwards has started in eight of nine games for Purdue this season. Edwards has posted 27 saves on the season allowing seven goals. The junior has a save percentage of .794 to go along with a goals allowed average of .89. Edwards has posted two shutouts on the season.
- Purdue was picked to finish 11th in the preseason soccer poll. They had three players on the Big Ten players to watch list; junior Megan Santa Cruz (MF), junior Zoe Cuneio (D), and Edwards.

 SERIES HISTORY - PURDUE
The Hawkeyes lead the all-time series between the Boilermakers, 11-8-5. Iowa is 4-5-2 when playing Purdue on the road. The last meeting between the two programs came on Sept. 28, 2023, when Iowa shutout the Boilermakers 4-0, in West Lafayette. The first meeting between the two teams came on Oct. 15, 1999, when Iowa took down Purdue, 6-3. Head Coach Dave DiIanni is 5-2-2 in his time at Iowa against Purdue.

 SCOUTING THE GOLDEN GOPHERS
- Minnesota heads into the week at 4-2-1 overall and 0-0-1 in Big Ten play after drawing with Nebraska, 2-2, in Lincoln. The Golden Gophers play host to Rutgers on Sept. 18 prior to traveling to Iowa City to take on the Hawkeyes.
- The Hawkeyes will be the first ranked team Minnesota takes on this season. The Golden Gophers are 1-0-1 on the road this season, picking up a win at Brown and drawing with Nebraska.
- Minnesota has a balanced offensive attack with three players co-leading the team with three goals while three players also have two goals. Junior forward Paige Kalal and redshirt sophomore forward Caroline Birdsell co-lead Minnesota in shots with 19. Kalal has put 10 shots on goal while Birdsell has nine.
- Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Sarah Martin has started in all seven games for the Golden Gophers. Martin has allowed nine goals while posting 36 saves. She leads the conference in saves per game (5.14) and total saves.
- Minnesota’s 17.6 shots per game rank 33rd nationally and second in the conference. 
- The Golden Gophers were picked to finish 10th in the conference in the preseason poll. Their three Big Ten players to watch were junior Paige Kalal (MF), senior Tatianna Cunningham (MF), and sophomore Ashley Thurk (D).

 SERIES HISTORY - MINNESOTA
Iowa trails Minnesota in the all-time series, 7-16-5. The Hawkeyes last win against the Golden Gophers came on Oct. 21, 2021, when they won, 1-0, at the Iowa Soccer Complex. The most recent matchup between the two programs came on Oct. 27, 2024, when Minnesota defeated the Hawkeyes 2-1, in the regular-season finale. The first meeting between the two came on Sept. 28, 1997, when Iowa fell, 6-0, on the road. The Hawkeyes are 2-8-2 all-time when playing the Golden Gophers at home. DiIanni is 4-6-1 in his time at Iowa against Minnesota.

 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Sofia Bush, Millie Greer, and Liana Tarasco were named Big Ten Players to Watch. The Hawkeyes were picked sixth in the Big Ten Preseason Poll. Bush was also named a midfielder to watch by Top Drawer Soccer.
- Iowa is filled with veteran leadership, rostering eight graduate students and three seniors. 
- Meike Ingles (lower leg injury), Eva Pattison (redshirt), and Abby Warner (redshirt) will be out for the rest of the 2025 season.
- Iowa’s No. 13 preseason ranking was the highest preseason ranking in program history. It also marked just the second time Iowa earned a preseason ranking.
- The Hawkeyes No. 7 ranking in Top Drawer Soccer’s poll earlier this season marked the highest ranking in program history.
- The Hawkeyes graduated the program’s all-time winningest goalkeeper in Macy Enneking. Enneking defended the goal for Iowa in each of the last three seasons.
- Kenzie Roling, Greer, and Bush were voted team captains.

 THE DIIANNI FILE
- DiIanni signed a contract extension on Feb. 27, 2025, that extended the programs all-time winningest coach through 2029.
- DiIanni is 3-2 in his Iowa career against opponents ranked sixth or higher. Before his arrival, Iowa was 0-7 in those games and was outscored, 29-4.
- Entering this season, DiIanni is the second active winningest D1 coach in the country by percentage, with a win percentage of .753. He only trails Paul Ratcliffe of Stanford at .784.
- DiIanni entered 2025 with the 19th most wins amongst active D1 coaches.
- DiIanni is the 41st winningest coach of all-time based of win percentage. He is the sixth winningest D1 coach of all-time.
- DiIanni has won all four NCAA Tournament matches in program history. 

 PRO FACTORY
Five members of Iowa’s 2024 senior class went on to sign professional contracts.
- Macy Enneking: Fimleikafelag Hafnarfjardar
- Rielee Fetty: Rio Ave FC
- Maya Hansen: Fimleikafelag Hafnarfjardar
- Maggie Johnston: Spokane Zephyr FC
- Madison Wilson: Calgary Wild FC

 HAWKEYE FAITHFUL
- After hosting five home games at the Iowa Soccer Complex, Iowa’s average attendance of 2,092 fans ranks seventh in the country and second in the Big Ten, only trailing Michigan State.
- Iowa’s home match against TCU marked a program regular season crowd attendance record with 2,382 fans.
- The year prior to DiIanni’s arrival, in 2013, the Hawkeyes averaged an attendance of 522 fans per game. Their attendance ranked 76th in the country and eighth in the Big Ten.

 QUICK HITTERS
- Graduate student Price Loposer’s 86 games played in her career are tied for the second most games played amongst active players.
- Greer has played and started in every game. She has also played the full 90 minutes in seven of eight games this season and leads Iowa with 667 minutes.
- Tarasco’s shot accuracy of .706 ranks sixth nationally and first in the Big Ten.
- Taylor Kane is 15-2 in her collegiate career as the starting goalkeeper.
- Kane’s .500 goals against average ranks 27th nationally. Her three shutouts are the fourth most in the conference.
- Bush’s four assists are the third most in the Big Ten. The single-season program record for assists is nine set by three different Hawkeyes.
- Iowa ranks amongst the top 30 nationally in assists per game, shutout percentage, and total assists. 
- As a unit, Iowa ranks third in the Big Ten in assists per game (2.50), points per game (6.8), shots on goal per game (7.50), total goals (17), and win percentage (.750).

2024 BREAKTHROUGHS
- At 15-3-4 the Hawkeyes tied the program record for most victories in a season. Iowa won 15 games in 2013 and 2019.
- Iowa advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time in school history a season ago.

 2 FOR THE MONEY
Iowa’s record is 59-3-3 in its last 65 games when scoring two goals or more, which dates back to October 2017. 

SINCE 2019, IOWA...
- Won a pair of Big Ten Tournament Championships in 2021 and 2023
- Won all four NCAA Tournament matches in program history
- Made four out of the five NCAA Tournament appearances in program history
- Advanced to their first Sweet Sixteen in program history
- Has earned 12 postseason wins
- Has posted 58 shutouts
- Defeated 11 ranked opponents, nine top 15 opponents and two top five opponents
- Saw Coach DiIanni surpass 300 career wins and become the winningest coach in program history
- Set a new home attendance record (2,629); the overtime win over Bucknell in 2023 was the first NCAA Tournament game hosted at the Iowa Soccer Complex
- Set a home average attendance record (1,479); in the 2024 season. Iowa’s attendance in the 2024 season ranked 13th nationally and second amongst Big Ten teams.

UP NEXT
Iowa starts the week traveling to Wisconsin on Sept. 25 where things will get underway at 7 p.m. (CT). Iowa stays on the road traveling to Nebraska where the match is set to start at 1 p.m. (CT) on Sept. 28. Both matches will be streamed live on B1G+ (subscription required).