Field Hockey Soccer

Hannah Kinson/The Daily Iowan Iowa forward Leah Zellner brings the ball into play during the fourth quarter of the Big Ten field hockey tournament semifinals against No. 1 Michigan on April 22 at Grant Field.

Familiar faces lead Iowa field hockey

Hawkeyes make history

Big Ten Player and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Anthe Nijziel and Big Ten Coach of the Year Lisa Cellucci will both return to Iowa for the Hawkeyes’ 2021-22 campaign.

After a strong 2019-20 campaign, Iowa field hockey found success again in 2020-21.

The Hawkeyes finished the 2020-21 regular season 10-4 and qualified for the NCAA Division I Women’s Field Hockey Championships.

The 2020-21 NCAA tournament field featured just 12 teams compared to its usual 16 because of COVID-19. Nine of the 12 available spots were filled by conference champions.

The Hawkeyes did not win the 2021 Big Ten Field Hockey Championships. So, Iowa earned one of 2020-21 NCAA tournament’s three available at-large bids.

Before the regular season concluded, Hawkeye junior Anthe Nijziel won both the Big Ten Player and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year awards.

Nijziel is the first Hawkeye to be named Big Ten Player of the Year since Kristy Gleason did so almost 20 years ago.

Hawkeye head coach Lisa Cellucci shared the 2020-21 Big Ten Coach of the Year award with Rutgers’ Meredith Civico. Cellucci has now won back-to-back Big Ten Coach of the Year awards.

While both Nijziel and Cellucci will be back in 2021-22, forward Maddy Murphy, midfielders Ellie Holley and Nikki Freeman, and goalkeeper Grace McGuire likely will not be.

Murphy, Holley, Freeman, and McGuire are eligible to return in 2021-22 because the NCAA granted all its athletes an additional year of eligibility during the 2020 season. Murphy, Holley, Freeman, and McGuire were, however, all seniors last year.

Among Iowa’s key returning athletes are junior midfielder Esme Gibson, sophomores Alex Wesneski and Harper Dunne, and the Stribos sisters — Lokke and Sofie.

Last season, Iowa soccer won its first-ever Big Ten title. The Hawkeyes also picked up their first-ever NCAA tournament win.

The Hawkeyes won the 2021 Big Ten Women’s Soccer Championships without much veteran leadership on their roster.

Of the 28 players on head coach Dave DiIanni’s team, 18 were underclassmen in 2020-21.

Iowa finished the regular season 2-8-1. The Hawkeyes didn’t score a single goal in their first six games.

In nine regular season games, Iowa scored three goals. The Hawkeyes put the ball in the back of the net six times in just four Big Ten tournament games.

Iowa defeated Minnesota, Penn State, Illinois, and Wisconsin on its way to a Big Ten title. During the regular season, the Hawkeyes were defeated by all four of the opponents they beat in the Big Ten tournament.

Iowa also qualified for NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Championships via its Big Ten title.

The Hawkeyes faced Campbell in their first NCAA tournament match of 2020-21. Iowa downed Campbell, 1-0.

Prior to their win over the Camels, the Hawkeyes had never won an NCAA tournament game.

Twenty-seven of the 28 Hawkeyes on DiIanni’s 2020-21 roster are returning for the 2021-22 season.

Among those coming back in 2021-22 is sophomore goalkeeper Macy Enneking. The Hilliard, Ohio, native was named Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 2020-21.

Sophomore forward Meike Ingles, sophomore defender Samantha Cary, senior defenders Sara Wheaton and Riley Whitaker, and senior midfielder Hailey Rydberg will all don the Black and Gold again in 2021-22 as well.

Jerod Ringwald/The Daily Iowan Iowa Forward Miike Ingles works past Minnesota Midfielder Katie Duong during a soccer game between Iowa and Minnesota on March 14 at the Iowa Soccer Complex. The Gophers defeated the Hawkeyes 1-0.