Northwestern University Athletics
Sunday, November 9
Bloomington, Ind.
11 a.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
Iowa
NU to Meet No. 9 Iowa in Big Ten Tournament Championship
11/8/2025 4:38:00 PM | Field Hockey
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - With a gritty semifinal victory on Friday, the No. 2 Northwestern field hockey team will face No. 9 Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament Championship. The Wildcats (17-1, 8-0 Big Ten) are set to take the field on Sunday morning, seeking their third-ever tournament title. NU will meet the Hawkeyes (14-4, 5-3 Big Ten) for Championship Sunday, Nov. 9, at 11 a.m. CT.
Both teams appear in the top 10 of the Week 9 National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Poll, with the familiar matchup being broadcast on the Big Ten Network. Northwestern and Iowa will take the turf for the second time this year, as they last met on Friday, Oct. 3, during regular-season play. The Wildcats won the game, 3-1, in Iowa City, Iowa.
Scouting the Hawkeyes
Iowa leads the all-time series 54-33-4, dating back to 1980. The most recent Big Ten Tournament matchup was in 2019, a 2-1 victory for the Hawkeyes in the title game. The 'Cats have won the past four games against Iowa. With 91 games played in the all-time series, the Hawkeyes are NU's most-played opponent.
Iowa's 2025 offense has been led by Dionne van Aalsum, as the junior midfielder leads the conference in points (57) and is second only to NU's Ashley Sessa in the NCAA in points per game (3.17). In the conference's postseason awards, van Aalsum and Fréderique van Cleef represent Iowa as First Team All-Big Ten selections. Jordan Byers, Téa Fortpied, and Milly Short earned Second Team honors. Mia Magnotta, the Hawkeyes' goalkeeper, ranks fourth in the conference in save percentage (.761) and third in saves (86).
Big Ten Tournament History
The Wildcats are now 13-13 in Big Ten Tournament games under head coach Tracey Fuchs. Since taking the helm in 2009, Fuchs has greatly improved NU's success rate in the conference tournament. Before Fuchs, the 'Cats were 7-17 in Big Ten Tournament games.
The Hawkeyes are chasing their seventh tournament title, and second under head coach Lisa Cellucci, who led Iowa to its most recent Big Ten Tournament Championship in 2019. In all-time conference tournament history, the Hawkeyes lead the head-to-head, with a 4-2 mark when playing the Wildcats. The last time NU defeated Iowa on this stage was in 2016, winning 3-1.
Before this season, NU had played in five tournament championship games and won two (2014, 2023).
Northwestern Notables
Last Time Out: In a back-and-forth battle, the Wildcats fought and pulled ahead to defeat No. 15 Michigan, 5-3, for a spot in the Big Ten Tournament Championship game. Graduate forward Grace Schulze was a force to be reckoned with for NU (17-1, 8-0 Big Ten), helping flip the storied script with five points and a defensive save.
With 51 saves through her first 18 collegiate starts, redshirt first-year goalkeeper Boon leads the Big Ten and is second in the nation in goals against average (0.62) and save percentage (0.823). She has allowed 11 goals on the year, is second in the country in goalie win-loss percentage (0.938), and has been credited with nine of NU's 11 shutouts.
Three Northwestern starters are in the top 10 in the Big Ten in points per game: Sessa (No. 2 - 3.18 points per game), Grace Schulze (No. 5 - 1.56), and Ilse Tromp (No. 6 - 1.5).
The 2025 captains for Northwestern are Aerin Krys, Greta Hinke, and Maddie Zimmer.
Northwestern had an impressive showing in the Big Ten Postseason Awards, announced on Wednesday. NU brought home five individual honors, as well as eight 'Cats being named to all-conference teams. Zimmer earned a unanimous selection for her second-straight Big Ten Player of the Year award, while Sessa and Tromp were named Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively. Coach Fuchs and her staff collected their third consecutive Big Ten Coaching Staff of the Year accolade, as the trio has led the 'Cats to three-straight outright regular season conference titles.
NFHCA Week Nine Ranking: No. 2. The Nov. 4 ranking listed Northwestern as the second-ranked team in the nation for the third consecutive week. The 'Cats reigned in the NFHCA poll for seven straight polls, which had not been done by any team since 2022. While now No. 2, the 'Cats are sharing first-place votes with No. 1 UNC.
After concluding the Big Ten Tournament, the 'Cats will look on to learn their NCAA Tournament fate. The 2025 DI Field Hockey Championship selection show will air on Sunday, Nov. 9, at 9 p.m. CT on NCAA.com. The 18-team field consists of 10 automatic qualifiers and 8 at-large bids.
Both teams appear in the top 10 of the Week 9 National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Poll, with the familiar matchup being broadcast on the Big Ten Network. Northwestern and Iowa will take the turf for the second time this year, as they last met on Friday, Oct. 3, during regular-season play. The Wildcats won the game, 3-1, in Iowa City, Iowa.
Scouting the Hawkeyes
Iowa leads the all-time series 54-33-4, dating back to 1980. The most recent Big Ten Tournament matchup was in 2019, a 2-1 victory for the Hawkeyes in the title game. The 'Cats have won the past four games against Iowa. With 91 games played in the all-time series, the Hawkeyes are NU's most-played opponent.
Iowa's 2025 offense has been led by Dionne van Aalsum, as the junior midfielder leads the conference in points (57) and is second only to NU's Ashley Sessa in the NCAA in points per game (3.17). In the conference's postseason awards, van Aalsum and Fréderique van Cleef represent Iowa as First Team All-Big Ten selections. Jordan Byers, Téa Fortpied, and Milly Short earned Second Team honors. Mia Magnotta, the Hawkeyes' goalkeeper, ranks fourth in the conference in save percentage (.761) and third in saves (86).
Big Ten Tournament History
The Wildcats are now 13-13 in Big Ten Tournament games under head coach Tracey Fuchs. Since taking the helm in 2009, Fuchs has greatly improved NU's success rate in the conference tournament. Before Fuchs, the 'Cats were 7-17 in Big Ten Tournament games.
The Hawkeyes are chasing their seventh tournament title, and second under head coach Lisa Cellucci, who led Iowa to its most recent Big Ten Tournament Championship in 2019. In all-time conference tournament history, the Hawkeyes lead the head-to-head, with a 4-2 mark when playing the Wildcats. The last time NU defeated Iowa on this stage was in 2016, winning 3-1.
Before this season, NU had played in five tournament championship games and won two (2014, 2023).
Northwestern Notables
Last Time Out: In a back-and-forth battle, the Wildcats fought and pulled ahead to defeat No. 15 Michigan, 5-3, for a spot in the Big Ten Tournament Championship game. Graduate forward Grace Schulze was a force to be reckoned with for NU (17-1, 8-0 Big Ten), helping flip the storied script with five points and a defensive save.
With 51 saves through her first 18 collegiate starts, redshirt first-year goalkeeper Boon leads the Big Ten and is second in the nation in goals against average (0.62) and save percentage (0.823). She has allowed 11 goals on the year, is second in the country in goalie win-loss percentage (0.938), and has been credited with nine of NU's 11 shutouts.
Three Northwestern starters are in the top 10 in the Big Ten in points per game: Sessa (No. 2 - 3.18 points per game), Grace Schulze (No. 5 - 1.56), and Ilse Tromp (No. 6 - 1.5).
The 2025 captains for Northwestern are Aerin Krys, Greta Hinke, and Maddie Zimmer.
Northwestern had an impressive showing in the Big Ten Postseason Awards, announced on Wednesday. NU brought home five individual honors, as well as eight 'Cats being named to all-conference teams. Zimmer earned a unanimous selection for her second-straight Big Ten Player of the Year award, while Sessa and Tromp were named Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively. Coach Fuchs and her staff collected their third consecutive Big Ten Coaching Staff of the Year accolade, as the trio has led the 'Cats to three-straight outright regular season conference titles.
NFHCA Week Nine Ranking: No. 2. The Nov. 4 ranking listed Northwestern as the second-ranked team in the nation for the third consecutive week. The 'Cats reigned in the NFHCA poll for seven straight polls, which had not been done by any team since 2022. While now No. 2, the 'Cats are sharing first-place votes with No. 1 UNC.
After concluding the Big Ten Tournament, the 'Cats will look on to learn their NCAA Tournament fate. The 2025 DI Field Hockey Championship selection show will air on Sunday, Nov. 9, at 9 p.m. CT on NCAA.com. The 18-team field consists of 10 automatic qualifiers and 8 at-large bids.
Players Mentioned
M
/ Field Hockey
F
/ Field Hockey
F
/ Field Hockey
F
/ Field Hockey
B/M
/ Field Hockey
M
/ Field HockeyField Hockey - Sessa Notches Four Goals in NU Shutout at Michigan State (10/31/25)
Friday, October 31
Field Hockey - ‘Cats Score Season-High Seven Goals, Blank Buckeyes on Senior Day
Sunday, October 26
Field Hockey - ‘Cats Win Big Ten Regular Season Title, Defeat Michigan 3-1
Saturday, October 25
Field Hockey - ‘Cats Persist in 2-1 Victory at No. 10 Terrapins
Sunday, October 19
