Hawkeyes Host Illinois

THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa women’s soccer team (5-2-2, 0-1-1 Big Ten) hosts Illinois (3-1-4, 0-1-1 Big Ten) on Friday at 5 p.m. (CT) at the Iowa Soccer Complex. Admission is free.

WATCH/FOLLOW LIVE
- Friday’s match will be streamed live on B1G+, a paid subscription service.

-  Live statistics will be available on StatBroadcast and can be accessed at hawkeyesports.com.

- Fans can follow the Iowa soccer program on X (@HawkeyeSoccer) and Instagram (@HawkeyeSoccer) for live in-game updates.

OF NOTE...
- The Hawkeyes return seven starters and 17 letterwinners this season while adding 11 newcomers, including eight transfers.

- Iowa returns four players who earned All-Big Ten honors in 2025: second-team selections Sofia Bush and Millie Greer, along with Big Ten All-Freshman Team honorees Liana Tarasco and Elle Wildman.

- The Hawkeyes’ seven goals against Milwaukee set a program record for goals scored in a season opener.

- Iowa’s 12 goals through its first two matches were the most in the first two contests of a season in program history, surpassing the 10 goals scored to open the 1999 season.

- Iowa opened the season with consecutive shutouts for the first time since 2023.

- Iowa has scored 23 goals through nine matches, with 10 different Hawkeyes finding the back of the net.

- Ten different Hawkeyes have recorded assists this season.

- Berit Parten has recorded at least one point in every match in which Iowa has scored this season.

- Freshman goalkeeper Braelynn Galt has posted five shutouts with 21 saves across her first nine collegiate matches.

- Iowa has outshot its opponents 201-65 this season.

- The Hawkeyes have limited their opponents to just 7.2 shots per match.

- Iowa wrapped up nonconference play with a 5-1-1 record for the second straight season.

- Iowa held Missouri State to just one shot attempt. The last time the Hawkeyes held an opponent to one shot was Sept. 10, 2023, at George Mason.

- Seven different Hawkeyes have gone the distance, playing the full 90 minutes this season.

SCOUTING ILLINOIS
- Illinois enters Friday’s match with a 3-1-4 record and a 0-1-1 mark in Big Ten play. The Fighting Illini opened conference play with a scoreless draw against No. 14 Wisconsin before falling to Michigan, 2-0, on Sept. 13.

- The Fighting Illini have recorded five shutouts through eight matches, including four clean sheets from Aug. 23 through Sept. 10.

- Cayla Jackson leads the Illini with three goals and seven points.

- Goalkeeper Izzy Lee has recorded 30 saves and five shutouts this season. She was named Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week twice during the nonconference season.

- Illinois was picked to finish ninth in the Big Ten according to the 2026 preseason poll.

- The Fighting Illini finished the 2025 season with a 13-6-2 overall record and a 5-4-2 mark in Big Ten play. Illinois advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013.

- Iowa trails Illinois in the all-time series, 12-15-3. The Hawkeyes won the last meeting, a 2-1 victory on Sept. 22, 2024.

NEW HEIGHTS
- Reilly Heman’s five goals match her career high for a season.

- Kylie Cino had one goal in her previous two seasons before netting three in 2026.

- Elle Wildman’s nine points this season mark a career high.

ON THE LEADERBOARD
As a team, Iowa ranks...

- Third nationally in shots per game (22.3) and third in shot attempts (201).

- Third nationally in shots on goal per game (9.78) and third in total shots on goal (88).

- Second nationally with 83 corner kicks.

- Thirteenth nationally with a +18 goal differential.

- Twenty-third nationally with 23 goals.

- Twenty-third nationally in total points (67).

- Twenty-second nationally in total assists (21).

Individually...
- Braelynn Galt is tied for third nationally and tied for first in the Big Ten in shutouts (5).

- Berit Parten is tied 18th nationally and second in the conference in assists (5).

- Berit Parten is tied for third in the Big Ten in points (13).

- Reilly Heman’s five goals are tied for fourth in the Big Ten.

PLAYING THE BEST
Iowa’s 2026 schedule features eight opponents that advanced to the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The Hawkeyes will face Milwaukee, Wake Forest, Illinois, Penn State, Ohio State, Washington, UCLA and Wisconsin during the 2026 campaign.

PROTECT THE COMPLEX
Iowa holds a 13-1-4 record in its last 18 home games.

BRACE FOR IMPACT
The Hawkeyes have recorded three individual braces through nine matches in 2026.

- Berit Parten and Berkley Binggeli scored two goals apiece in Iowa’s season-opening victory over Milwaukee.

- Reilly Heman recorded her first career brace against UNC Greensboro.

ON THE WORLD STAGE
Liana Tarasco, Iba Oching and Léa Larouche were selected to represent Canada at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.

NEW YEAR, NEW STAFF
The Iowa soccer program enters the 2026 campaign with a new coaching staff, led by head coach Dean Ward following two seasons at Xavier.

- Ward has nearly two decades of collegiate coaching experience and owns a 36-10-6 career record as a head coach at the Division I level.

- Assistant coach Kelly Altman joined the staff following three seasons at Florida. Altman completed his 19th season in coaching following the 2025 campaign, working at multiple levels, including NCAA Divisions I and III, high school and club soccer.

- Assistant coach Meghan Gill joined Iowa after three seasons as associate head coach at Richmond.

- Assistant coach Noah Smith joined Iowa following two seasons at Xavier, where he worked with the goalkeepers.

- Director of soccer operations Josie Durr returned to Iowa after playing for the Hawkeyes for six seasons from 2017-22. 

LOOKING BACK AT 2025
- The Hawkeyes qualified for the Big Ten Tournament for the fourth consecutive season, marking their 16th appearance all-time.

- Iowa earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 5 seed. It marked the program’s third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, setting a program record. Iowa also hosted an opening-round contest for the third consecutive season.

- Iowa defeated South Dakota State, 1-0, in the first round to advance to the second round for a third consecutive season. The Hawkeyes were one of 11 programs to advance to the second round in each of the last three seasons, joining Florida State, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Arkansas, Michigan State, North Carolina, Texas Tech, Penn State, Georgetown and Stanford.

TURNING HEADS
- Elle Wildman, Sofia Bush and Millie Greer were named Big Ten Players to Watch for the 2026 season.

- Millie Greer, Iba Oching and Sofia Bush received 2026 United Soccer Coaches Women’s Players to Watch recognition.

- Bush and Greer were ranked 57th and 72nd, respectively, in TopDrawerSoccer’s Preseason Women’s National Top 100.

- Bush and Greer were selected to the 2026 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List.

2 FOR THE MONEY
- Iowa is 69-3-4 in its last 76 matches when scoring two or more goals, dating to October 2017.

- The Hawkeyes are 5-0-0 this season when scoring at least twice.

SINCE 2019, IOWA HAS...
- Won two Big Ten Tournament championships, claiming titles in 2021 and 2023.

- Won five NCAA Tournament matches.

- Made five of the program’s six NCAA Tournament appearances.

- Advanced to the first Sweet 16 in program history.

- Earned 13 postseason wins.

- Posted 68 shutouts.

- Defeated 12 ranked opponents, nine top-15 opponents and two top-five opponents.

- Set a new home attendance record (2,639) in the overtime win over Bucknell in 2023, which was the first NCAA Tournament game hosted at the Iowa Soccer Complex.