After last season’s loss against Maryland in the Big Ten tournament, all eyes turned not to the newcomers on the team but to the two remaining seniors of the squad.
Mia Magnotta, a goalkeeper from Forty Fort, Pennsylvania, and Milly Short, a midfielder from Worcester, England, experienced the highs and lows of last season and are back for another ride.
The duo has dual purposes in life. Iowa’s nine wins last season was its lowest since 2017-18. Magnotta and Short aim for immediate improvement but also look to guide the new generation in the right direction.
“After reflecting on the 2024 season Milly and I did come together,” Magnotta said. “One thing we wanted to both focus on was fostering a better connection and culture in this team — playing with joy and having everybody have a smile on their face. That really helps with resiliency on and off the field.”
Short said a key piece of culture building is establishing a democracy where everyone’s voice matters.
“We are very encouraging of allowing everyone to speak up and lead in their own way,” Short said. “We want ideas to come from everyone, not just the seniors or older players on the team. This all helps them build confidence as players.”
The Hawkeyes lost their streak of six NCAA tournament appearances in a row last year. Restarting that pattern is obvious, but to the seniors, this season is just like
every other.
“We have our traditions here at Iowa that we like having every season, but almost one third of our team is new, and we have different people every year,” Short said. “So, we are just trying to play into strengths and skills.”
A roster with new faces can still compete for a championship, Magnotta said. For Short, the key is responding to adversity, and the seniors will be an example.
“Nothing is going to go your way, and you’re going to make mistakes but get comfortable being uncomfortable. We all then can just go out and play,” Short said.
Whether it’s on or off the field, both field hockey seniors look to make their new teammates feel comfortable, whether it’s sharing smiles and laughs while on the field during practices or even when trailing in games. They look to help produce young leaders — ones that don’t lead because they are expected to but because they want to help those around them.
After a 1-1 opening weekend against a pair of ranked foes in North Carolina and Wake Forest, Iowa has a foundation to build on. Head coach Lisa Cellucci said the squad has a “clear picture” on what they need to improve on. For the seniors, it’s their job to turn that image into reality.