The Iowa field hockey team has made it clear this season is as important as many of the seasons before it, but this season marks a new chapter. Just before the season began, head coach Lisa Cellucci was inducted into the University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame as part of its 36th class.
A former Hawkeye and who enters her 26th season on the coaching staff and 12th as head coach, Cellucci left an impact both on the field and sidelines.
Cellucci’s legacy began in goal, where she earned a multitude of honors for her commitment and performance. She is a three-time National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-American), a four-time All-Big Ten honoree, and Iowa’s all-time leader in career saves with 592.
Following her graduation in 1998, Cellucci spent time with the US National Team and spent a year as an assistant coach at James Madison before returning to her alma mater.
One person who’s been by her side every step of the way is associate head coach Michael Boal, now in his 12th season. Boal had high praise for Cellucci’s leadership, both on and off the field.
“First off all the best quality that Lisa has is being good at nurturing her players, making sure they grow as individuals on and off the field.” Boal said. “I think that is a real skill that not many people see, a lot of people obviously know the results but not many people know what goes on outside of the first whistle and last whistle.”
Cellucci has indeed helped many players over the years. The list of talent includes 20 NFHCA All-Americans, 37 NFHCA All-West Regional selections, and 28 All-Big Ten selections.
Her impacts can not only be seen in the players but in her development of the program as a whole. From her first days as head coach, Cellucci has taken on the challenge of growing Iowa’s field hockey program well beyond what was possibly imagined.
“She has taken it from trying to maintain it to trying to grow it,” Boal said. “Grow it in a way that she wants it to be known, put her stamp on things, and take it in a direction that promotes a high performance environment.”
Consistency has been a hallmark of Cellucci’s approach, both as a player and a coach. Throughout wins and losses, runner-up finishes and championships, she’s built a culture where each game is a stepping stone toward the next goal.
Boal saw the formation of this culture back in 2019. The team was on a plane ride back from Penn State as Big Ten tournament champions. Cellucci sat next to the trophy buckled in beside her, and Boal captured the moment with a photo. At first glance, the image presents a victorious coach basking in celebration, but for Boal, that frame didn’t reflect reality.
“But what isn’t in the picture is the conversation that she was having, it wasn’t about where we were and what we had already achieved,” he said. “She was already onto how we can get to the next big thing. I remember saying, ‘Can we just celebrate this a little?’ And she’s like, ‘No, we got to focus on what’s next and prepare and be ready for what’s to come.’”