Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Dominate Big Ten Postseason Awards
11/5/2025 5:27:00 PM | Field Hockey
EVANSTON, Ill. - Collecting five individual awards and eight all-conference selections, the No. 2 Northwestern field hockey team had an impressive showing in the Big Ten 2025 Postseason Awards. The Wildcats (16-1, 8-0 Big Ten) claimed four player of the year honors, as well as their third-straight Coaching Staff of the Year accolade.
Maddie Zimmer highlighted the awards, as the graduate midfielder earned her second consecutive Big Ten Player of the Year. She becomes the fourth-ever conference student-athlete to do so, and first from Northwestern. Zimmer has started all 17 games for NU, tallying 16 points so far this season.
The Wildcats also earned Offensive Player of the Year (Ashley Sessa), Defensive Player of the Year (Ilse Tromp) and Goalkeeper of the Year (Juliana Boon). NU becomes the sixth-ever team in 31 years of Big Ten history to claim Player, Offensive Player and Defensive Player in the same season.
In her second season in the conference, Sessa earned back-to-back top honors, claiming another Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. The junior forward has a combined 114 points between the two seasons, and joins Chelsea Armstrong (2010-11) in Wildcat history as Sessa becomes the second to claim the award in consecutive years. The junior leads the Big Ten with 14 goals and 35 points scored in conference play this season. She is second in the nation in scoring, with 3.19 points per game.
Ilse Tromp became the fifth-ever Wildcat to claim Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, after earning weekly awards from the conference and National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA). The junior back/midfielder has tallied 11 goals and two assists so far this season, and plays a key role in NU's dominant defense. Holding opponents to eight goals and 0.67% shooting, Tromp has been an anchor for the Wildcats.
Another defensive force, redshirt first-year Juliana Boon was named Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year. In her first season as the starter, Boon has established herself as a leader in the cage for the conference and the nation. With nine credited shutouts and 10 as a team, she has a save average of 86.4% and a GAA of 0.48. She joins Wildcat Annabel Skubisz (2023-24) on the all-time list for the award, which was established in 2023, and remains with NU.
This season, Boon was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week twice (Sept. 8, Sept. 22), as well as Big Ten Freshman of the Week twice (Oct. 6, Oct. 20), and NFHCA DI Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 10). The redshirt first-year was also a unanimous selection for the All-Freshman team.
Head coach Tracey Fuchs and her coaching staff, associate head coach Georgia Holland and assistant Coach Will Byrne, earn their third-straight Big Ten Coaching Staff of the Year honor. The Wildcats' coaches are recognized for their leadership and success on and off the turf, while the trio is only the second coaching staff in conference history to claim the honor three seasons in a row.
NU also received the award in 2013, making Fuchs the accolade leader among active coaches. The 'Cats' coaches have led their team to a third-straight outright regular-season Big Ten title, and have outscored opponents 62-8. Northwestern went undefeated in conference play for the third-straight season, extending its Big Ten win streak to 28 games.
All-Big Ten First Team honorees include Olivia Bent-Cole and Boon, as well as unanimous selections Sessa, Tromp and Zimmer. While Boon's first selection, Bent-Cole, Sessa and Tromp each collected the accolade for the second time. Zimmer was tabbed for the first-team award for her fifth season.
Returning to the All-Big Ten Second Team, senior Greta Hinke earned the honor for the second time in her career. Sophomore Laura Salamanca and graduate student Grace Schulze joined Hinke on the list, earning their first Big Ten second-team selections.
Amelia Albers was named the Northwestern winner of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
With the regular-season championship claimed, the 'Cats look ahead to the Big Ten Field Hockey Tournament, hosted by Indiana. NU takes the field in the semifinal against either Michigan or Rutgers on Friday, Nov. 7, at noon CT. With a win, the Wildcats would advance to the title game on Sunday, Nov. 9, at 11 a.m. CT. Both games will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.
BIG TEN FIELD HOCKEY POSTSEASON AWARDS
Player of the Year
Maddie Zimmer +, Gr., M, Northwestern
Offensive Player of the Year
Ashley Sessa, Jr., F, Northwestern
Defensive Player of the Year
Ilse Tromp, Jr., B/M, Northwestern
Goalkeeper of the Year
Juliana Boon, R-Fr., G, Northwestern
Freshman of the Year
Jordyn Hollamon, Fr., F, Maryland
Coach of the Year
Tracey Fuchs, Northwestern
Maddie Zimmer highlighted the awards, as the graduate midfielder earned her second consecutive Big Ten Player of the Year. She becomes the fourth-ever conference student-athlete to do so, and first from Northwestern. Zimmer has started all 17 games for NU, tallying 16 points so far this season.
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— Northwestern Field Hockey (@NUFHCats) November 5, 2025
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>> With 4 goals and 8 assists so far this season, the graduate midfielder is B1G time. ?? pic.twitter.com/D1c7yNWrXZ
The Wildcats also earned Offensive Player of the Year (Ashley Sessa), Defensive Player of the Year (Ilse Tromp) and Goalkeeper of the Year (Juliana Boon). NU becomes the sixth-ever team in 31 years of Big Ten history to claim Player, Offensive Player and Defensive Player in the same season.
In her second season in the conference, Sessa earned back-to-back top honors, claiming another Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. The junior forward has a combined 114 points between the two seasons, and joins Chelsea Armstrong (2010-11) in Wildcat history as Sessa becomes the second to claim the award in consecutive years. The junior leads the Big Ten with 14 goals and 35 points scored in conference play this season. She is second in the nation in scoring, with 3.19 points per game.
Ilse Tromp became the fifth-ever Wildcat to claim Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, after earning weekly awards from the conference and National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA). The junior back/midfielder has tallied 11 goals and two assists so far this season, and plays a key role in NU's dominant defense. Holding opponents to eight goals and 0.67% shooting, Tromp has been an anchor for the Wildcats.
Another defensive force, redshirt first-year Juliana Boon was named Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year. In her first season as the starter, Boon has established herself as a leader in the cage for the conference and the nation. With nine credited shutouts and 10 as a team, she has a save average of 86.4% and a GAA of 0.48. She joins Wildcat Annabel Skubisz (2023-24) on the all-time list for the award, which was established in 2023, and remains with NU.
This season, Boon was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week twice (Sept. 8, Sept. 22), as well as Big Ten Freshman of the Week twice (Oct. 6, Oct. 20), and NFHCA DI Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 10). The redshirt first-year was also a unanimous selection for the All-Freshman team.
Head coach Tracey Fuchs and her coaching staff, associate head coach Georgia Holland and assistant Coach Will Byrne, earn their third-straight Big Ten Coaching Staff of the Year honor. The Wildcats' coaches are recognized for their leadership and success on and off the turf, while the trio is only the second coaching staff in conference history to claim the honor three seasons in a row.
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— Northwestern Field Hockey (@NUFHCats) November 5, 2025
For the ??????????-???????????????? season, HC Fuchs, Holland and Byrne earn the accolade recognizing their leadership and success on and off the turf. pic.twitter.com/KBsXWJuLrH
NU also received the award in 2013, making Fuchs the accolade leader among active coaches. The 'Cats' coaches have led their team to a third-straight outright regular-season Big Ten title, and have outscored opponents 62-8. Northwestern went undefeated in conference play for the third-straight season, extending its Big Ten win streak to 28 games.
All-Big Ten First Team honorees include Olivia Bent-Cole and Boon, as well as unanimous selections Sessa, Tromp and Zimmer. While Boon's first selection, Bent-Cole, Sessa and Tromp each collected the accolade for the second time. Zimmer was tabbed for the first-team award for her fifth season.
Returning to the All-Big Ten Second Team, senior Greta Hinke earned the honor for the second time in her career. Sophomore Laura Salamanca and graduate student Grace Schulze joined Hinke on the list, earning their first Big Ten second-team selections.
Amelia Albers was named the Northwestern winner of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
With the regular-season championship claimed, the 'Cats look ahead to the Big Ten Field Hockey Tournament, hosted by Indiana. NU takes the field in the semifinal against either Michigan or Rutgers on Friday, Nov. 7, at noon CT. With a win, the Wildcats would advance to the title game on Sunday, Nov. 9, at 11 a.m. CT. Both games will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.
BIG TEN FIELD HOCKEY POSTSEASON AWARDS
Player of the Year
Maddie Zimmer +, Gr., M, Northwestern
Offensive Player of the Year
Ashley Sessa, Jr., F, Northwestern
Defensive Player of the Year
Ilse Tromp, Jr., B/M, Northwestern
Goalkeeper of the Year
Juliana Boon, R-Fr., G, Northwestern
Freshman of the Year
Jordyn Hollamon, Fr., F, Maryland
Coach of the Year
Tracey Fuchs, Northwestern
Players Mentioned
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GK
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B/M
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/ Field HockeyField Hockey - Sessa Notches Four Goals in NU Shutout at Michigan State (10/31/25)
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