When it comes to field hockey, it probably couldn’t have been a better couple of weeks for former Hawkeye player Caroline Blaum.

Shortly after being named to this year’s national squad, Iowa head coach Tracey Griesbaum announced Wednesday that Blaum will join her coaching staff after spending the past five years in a Hawkeye uniform.

As a player, the Wilkes-Barre, Pa., native was a team captain on four occasions and started all 83 games she played in for Iowa. Blaum was also named All-Big Ten three times, and last season, she was the Hawkeyes’ assists leader.

“Caroline will be a tremendous addition to our coaching staff,” Griesbaum said in a statement. “She has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to this program as a student-athlete, and we are excited to have her bring that to the coaching side of things. Caroline has been a part of championship seasons here, and now she can work hard to maintain that level of excellence within the program.

“She will be a huge asset in recruiting, as well as helping to raise the level of our offensive production.”