Iowa field hockey goalie Mia Magnotta was in a tough situation last season.

While she possesses the talent to start at a lot of other programs, she found herself behind fifth-year senior and National Field Hockey Coaches Association second-team All-American Grace McGuire at Iowa.

“Honestly she could have been the starting goalkeeper at any other university last year. That’s how good of a goalkeeper she was,” Iowa head coach Lisa Cellucci said. “We just had an All-American in front of her.”

Before the Hawkeyes competed at the 2022 Big Ten Championships, McGuire got injured and could not start for the first time in 55 contests.

Magnotta got the nod and made her second collegiate appearance and first career start for the Hawkeyes in the conference tournament.

“At first I was definitely nervous because I feel like it’s big pressure,” Magnotta said. “With Grace McGuire, the previous goalkeeper, I had really big shoes to fill.”

Despite the 3-0 loss to No. 6 Michigan at the Big Ten Tournament, Magnotta showed promise of how well she could perform later down the line.

Entering the NCAA Tournament, Magnotta was still named the starting goalkeeper. In the last two contests of the season, she showed how much talent she really had.

In the first-round game against No. 5 Virginia, Magnotta helped the No. 11 Hawkeyes pull off an upset with one of the best performances of her career.

The Forty-Fort, Pennsylvania, product held the Cavaliers to one goal in the 45th minute of play. Her two saves led the then-first year to her first career win as a keeper.

In the Elite Eight, Magnotta played even better. Against the No. 3 Northwestern Wildcats, Magnotta only allowed one goal and recorded four saves on the day.

“It gave her an invaluable experience to be able to have to step into a Big Ten Tournament and then an NCAA Tournament,” Cellucci said. “To put herself in that pressure situation you just can’t replicate something like that. I think it really accelerated her readiness to step in this year.”

Magnotta was named the 2023 season starter in front of the cage. Expectations were high for Magnotta, but she was just ready for the opportunity to see the field.

“Personally, I was just excited to play field hockey with my friends, that’s the expectation every year,” Magnotta said. “These girls are my teammates, but also my great friends on and off the field. Mainly I was just ready to compete and grow and learn.”

So far this season Magnotta has shown off her talent. She has only allowed three goals this season with 14 saves. Her four shutouts in six games are the best out of any Big Ten goalie.

“First of all, she’s a super athletic and fast goalkeeper,” Cellucci said. “She is very diligent about her preparation which I love, being a former goalkeeper myself. She’s asking questions and is doing a great job organizing the defense, which is one of her main roles.”

The three goals Magnotta has allowed places Iowa at the top of the conference in defense, tied with Northwestern. The defense has been one of the strongest elements of the Iowa field hockey squad and Magnotta has been a big factor in that success.