Around the Big Ten: field hockey
After a 2020-21 spring season, the Big Ten field hockey teams are poised to have a strong season in the fall of 2021.
Iowa midfielder Ellie Holley gives a heart to the fans before the Big Ten field hockey tournament quarterfinals against No. 4 Maryland on Wednesday, April 21, 2021 at Grant Field. Holley scored Iowa’s first goal of the game at four minutes into the first quarter with an assist from forwards Leah Zellner and Maddy Murphy. The Hawkeyes defeated the Terrapins, 3-0. No. 5 Iowa will go on to play No. 1 Michigan tomorrow afternoon.
July 11, 2021
After an unconventional 2020-21 spring season, field hockey programs around the Big Ten will play a typical 2021-22 fall season starting in August.
The 2021 NCAA championships only allowed three at-large bids in a 12-team field. Three Big Ten teams — Iowa, Northwestern, and Michigan — notched overall bids, making it the most representative conference at the championships.
With Big Ten programs poised to have another strong season, here’s a look at the conference’s teams heading into the fall.
Iowa
The Hawkeyes made the 2021 NCAA Tournament Final Four after receiving an at-large bid. Iowa finished the season with a 12-6 record after a 3-0 loss to No. 1 North Carolina.
As previously reported by The Daily Iowan, all of Iowa’s seniors from last season have decided to use their additional year of eligibility in the fall. The Hawkeyes will return forward Maddy Murphy, who was the team’s leading scorer in the spring with eight goals.
The team will also return goalkeeper Grace McGuire, who played every game last season as a junior. McGuire allowed less than a goal per game.
Lisa Cellucci will return for her eighth season as head coach. She has led the program to three NCAA Tournaments.
RELATED: Iowa field hockey returns entire roster for 2021-22 season
Indiana
The Hoosiers struggled in the spring, going 1-14 overall and losing all eight conference games, being outscored, 49-7.
Midfielder Mary Kate Kesler led the team in 2020-21 with three goals and seven assists as a junior. Freshman defender Emma Marin was second on the team in points with five.
Indiana played two goalkeepers in 2020-21, including freshman Shannon McNally for 10 games.
Kayla Bashore has been the head coach of the program for the past two seasons and has accumulated a 6-26 record.
Maryland
The Terrapins went 8-7 in the spring with a 5-3 conference record.
Defender Riley Donnelly led the team with six goals, along with forward Bibi Donraadt, who led the team with 15 points. Both players will return for their senior seasons in the fall.
Goalkeeper Noelle Frost played all 15 games in the spring gave up 22 goals, and she’ll return in the fall for her sixth season.
Missy Meharg will be entering her 34th season as the Terrapins head coach, and she has led the program to seven national titles.
Michigan
The Wolverines won the Big Ten regular season title and tournament and finished runner-up in the NCAA Tournament in the spring, accumulating with a 15-3 record.
Sarah Pyrtek, a forward/midfielder, led the team with seven goals and 17 points as a sophomore. Three other players also recorded 10 or more points.
Goalkeeper Anna Spieker played 17 games as a junior and gave up 11 goals.
Marcia Pankratz, an Iowa graduate, has been the head coach of the Wolverines for 21 seasons. She won a national championship in 2001 during her first season as Michigan’s head coach.
Michigan State
The Spartans went 2-14 overall in 2020-21 and 1-7 in conference play.
Forward/midfielder Isa van der Weij led the team with three goals and seven goals during her junior year.
Michigan State played two goalkeepers last season — Jade Arundell and Monique Jardell — and both will return for their senior seasons in the fall.
Northwestern
The Wildcats made the NCAA Tournament as an at-large bid and fell to Iowa in the Elite Eight, finishing the season 12-6 and 5-3 in conference play.
Forward Bente Baekers led the team with 15 goals and 35 points — tied for first in the conference — during her sophomore season.
Annabel Skubisz had 65 saves in her first season as goalkeeper with four shutouts.
Tracey Fuchs has been the head coach since 2009 and has guided the team to the NCAA Tournament four times.
Ohio State
The Buckeyes finished 7-9 in 2020-21 with a 2-5 conference record.
Ohio State will lose forward Mackenzie Allessie, who transferred to Penn State for the 2021-22 season. Allessie had 15 goals and 35 points in the spring.
Abby Danson played 13 games at goalkeeper and gave up 25 goals as a freshman.
Jarred Martin has been the head coach for the Buckeyes for the past four seasons and has finished at or above .500 in three of them.
Penn State
The Nittany Lions finished last season 7-7 with a 5-2 conference record.
As a freshman, forward Sophia Gladieux led the team with 12 goals and 26 points.
Brie Barraco was the only goalkeeper that played last season, giving up 20 goals in 14 games.
Charlene Morett-Curtiss has been the program’s head coach since 1987 and made the NCAA Tournament 28 times with Penn State.
Rutgers
The Scarlet Knights ended their spring campaign 9-6 with a 5-3 conference record.
Milena Redlingshoefer led the team with six goals and 17 points as a junior forward.
At goalkeeper, Gianna Glatz played all 15 games and gave up 15 goals. Glatz was named first-team All-Big Ten and will return as a fifth-year senior in the fall.
Meredith Civico has been the Scarlet Knights’ head coach since 2012 and led the team to the NCAA Tournament in 2018.
