Q&A | Iowa field hockey midfielder Gia Whalen

The second-year field hockey athlete talks about pregame rituals, game preferences, and more.

Jake Olson, Sports Reporter

September 3, 2024

Iowa midfield Dionne van Aalsum attempts a goal up the field during a field hockey match between No. 1 Iowa and Michigan State at Grand Field in Iowa City on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. The Hawkeyes will face Miami University at Grant Field on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024.

The Daily Iowan: What is your favorite thing about field hockey?

Gia Whalen: I think my favorite thing about field hockey is just the community that it brings. Me and my teammates are all best friends. It just gives me a sense of friendship that I know will last a lifetime. And it is also fun — I think field hockey is a super fun sport.

What is the coolest place you have traveled to because of field hockey?

I like to play in front of a home crowd, so I would just say playing in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania — playing in front of a big home crowd was also really fun. I got to play with some of my old club teammates for the U.S. U18 team, so that was awesome.

Other than Grant Field, what is another field you love playing on?

We unfortunately don’t get to play USC. I would say Michigan. Michigan has an awesome atmosphere, and I am really excited to get there this weekend. The stadium is awesome.

If you weren’t playing field hockey, what other sport do you think you could be good at?

I think women’s basketball. I used to play AAU growing up, and that was something I was really interested in. And now that the sport is evolving, it would be really cool to get into.

What kind of music do you and the rest of the team like to listen to before games and practices?

Our team is a big Rihanna team. We love Rihanna. It gets us hyped up. I think also I like country music, but that’s not a big hype-up for a game.

What is your favorite part about playing field hockey for the University of Iowa?

I think it is just putting on the Iowa jersey every day. It just gives me a sense of pride. It was a dream of mine to come play at a top Division I school, so it just means everything to me. Being a little girl who chases her dreams to play field hockey, this is the school to be at. Women’s athletics here is an epicenter, so to play for something special like that is just everything.

What is your favorite memory so far with this team at Iowa?

I would say beating North Carolina last year. I was a freshman, but playing in their home stadium was something really awesome. It started off our season strong and gave us momentum going forward.