Northwestern
Richmond
No. 1 Northwestern Opens 2025 Season at Richmond, VCU
8/30/2025 9:46:00 AM | Field Hockey
EVANSTON, Ill. - With a program-best preseason ranking from the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA), the unanimous No. 1 Northwestern field hockey team is set to open its season in Richmond, Va.
The Wildcats take on the Richmond Spiders on Sunday, Aug. 31 at 11 a.m. CT. The fourth ever meeting between programs, NU has won all three of the prior matchups. The series began in 1996, with the most recent being a 5-0 'Cats victory in 2022.
Competition continues in Richmond on Monday, Sept. 1, as Northwestern faces VCU at 12 p.m. CT. Battling for the first time in 14 years, the 'Cats and Rams have split their previous two meetings.
Both of Northwestern's season-opening matchups will be streamed on ESPN+.
Scouting the Spiders
Richmond finished the 2024 season with an 11-8 (.579) record. Five of their losses came at the hands of ranked foes. Richmond enters the 2025 season with three returning Atlantic 10 All-Conference honorees. The Spiders added six newcomers in the off-season, including transfer talent Amanda Cimillo from Delaware, and five first-years.
Scouting the Rams
VCU concluded its 2024 campaign with an 11-7 (.611) record. VCU went 1-2 against nationally ranked opponents, notching a 2-1 double overtime victory against No. 18 Old Dominion. The Rams begin their 2025 season with two returning Atlantic-10 honorees in Morena Macera (eight goals, six assists in 2024) and Lotje Aalderink (one assist in rookie 2024 season).
Northwestern Notables
Northwestern boasts a 37-2 record (.949 winning percentage) in regular season non-conference play in the past four seasons (since 2021). NU enters the 2025 season with three returning NFHCA All-Americans. The 'Cats added seven newcomers in the off-season, including transfer talent from Kate Janssen, Kerry McCormick and Grace Schulze from Delaware, Old Dominion and Princeton respectively.
After claiming their second national championship in four years, and eighth Big Ten regular season title, the 'Cats look ahead to attack their 2025 slate. Over half of Northwestern's 2025 opponents appear in NFHCA preseason rankings.
The Wildcats have gone 4-0 in the last seven years in road season-openers. The 'Cats are 17-2 all-time against current Atlantic-10 members. The 2025 captains for Northwestern are Aerin Krys, Greta Hinke and Maddie Zimmer.
NFHCA Preseason Ranking: No. 1. The Aug. 26 ranking comes in as Northwestern's first unanimous preseason No. 1 from the NFHCA. It is the third season in the past four years (2022, 2024) that the 'Cats topped the poll heading into regular season competition. The Wildcats spent six weeks in the No. 1 spot last season en route to winning the program's third national title.
Preseason Watchlists: Ashley Sessa, Ilse Tromp and Maddie Zimmer appear on the Big Ten Players to Watch list. Greta Hinke, Laura Salamanca, Grace Schulze, Ashley Sessa, Ilse Tromp and Maddie Zimmer were tabbed for the 2025 NFHCA DI Watch List.
