Iowa Field Hockey: Examining the best and worst case scenarios for 2024

On Friday afternoon, the Iowa Field Hockey team will step onto the pitch to commence their 48th season in program history. The Hawkeyes are slated to face preseason #18 Wake Forest in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, marking the 23rd consecutive season of this tradition, followed by a game against the #2 North Carolina Tar Heels on Sunday.

With the season opener approaching, it’s an opportune moment to examine the key factors that will influence the season’s trajectory and potential outcomes. HawkeyeReport will look at three pivotal storylines that are expected to define the season, as well as the best and worst-case scenarios for the season.

Three storylines that will decide the fate of the season

1. Can players around Dionne van Aalsum prove to be serious goal scoring threats?

The freshman season for Dionne van Aalsum was nothing short of remarkable, as she led the country with 28 goals scored. However, when the second half of the season got going, it was tougher sledding for van Aalsum against stronger defenses. She notched 20 goals over the Hawkeyes first nine games, but scored just eight goals over the last ten. Excluding a seven-goal outburst against Rutgers on Senior Day, Iowa dipped to just 1.22 goals per game over that final stretch and lost six of those ten games.

In her sophomore season, Dionne must adapt to the challenge of facing tougher opponents focusing on slowing her down, but the Hawkeyes also need players around her to step up and provide support. Sophomore Miranda Jackson has shown improvement during the preseason, including a solid showing in their exhibition against St Louis, while senior Annika Herbine has 14 career goals and is arguably the most talented forward on the roster with the ball on her stick. Those two are prime candidates to help on the offensive end of the pitch.

If the Hawkeyes are going to put together a successful year, they can’t rely on van Aalsum to score all of the goals. It felt like that was the case late last season.

2. How quickly does the young midfield group led by Gia Whalen mature?

Last year, Coach Lisa Cellucci had a pair of fifth-year seniors in the starting lineup to help guide the way with two freshman alongside them. This season, one of those freshman that started, Gia Whalen, is all of the sudden being thrust into a leadership role as a sophomore. Joining her in the starting lineup will be sophomore Lieve van Kessel, sophomore Rachel Herbine and freshman Sabrina McGroarty, while freshman Lexie Haig is expected to see minutes as well. Seniors Ella Wareham and Jacey Wittel will provide some experience off the bench as subs, but the group as a whole is incredibly young.

The midfield is the most important group on the field, as they play an important role on both ends of the pitch. There will be a lot of responsibility placed on them and how quickly they are able mature as a group will have a big impact on how the season plays out.

3. Do the injuries on the defensive half of the field prove to be too much to overcome for a young roster?

Iowa Field Hockey is built on defense. That is what they are known for year in and year out. They do return three starters with Milly Short, Harper Dunne and goalkeeper Mia Magnotta, but there are still questions. Three-year starter Lieve Schalk and sophomore Lauren DeRose both tore their ACL’s in the spring, which really hit the group hard from a depth standpoint. Freshman Fiene ten Seldam has been spoken highly of by Lisa Cellucci, so the starting lineup should be okay. That being said, depth is a big concern. The Hawkeyes need this to be the strength of the team and it may take a surprise player or two contributing off the bench to help the starters.

Best-Case Scenario

Dionne van Aalsum is healthy for the season-opener and the Hawkeyes pick up a critical win over preseason #18 Wake Forest. Miranda Jackson and Annika Herbine are formidable goal scorers, while Fiene ten Seldam proves to be a difference maker on the penalty corner unit. They take care of business against a relatively light non-conference slate and their only loss comes against #2 UNC. The midfield has it’s ups and downs, but plays well enough for Iowa to defeat Michigan State and Indiana, while they knock off #12 Michigan in their final home game. Although they don’t get a win at the Big Ten Tournament, the Hawkeyes make the NCAA Tournament with an 11-7 record. An NCAA appearance with a young roster catapults Iowa into the offseason with nine starters set to return in 2025.

Worst-Case Scenario

The Hawkeyes are without Dionne van Aalsum for the opener and a loss to preseason #18 Wake Forest puts them behind the 8-ball for the NCAA Tournament. They rebound with three non-conference wins to get to 3-2, but van Aalsum struggles to score like she did as a freshman. The offensive unit as a whole struggles as a young midfield group tries to find its footing. Iowa loses to Indiana in early October and drops one to California late in the month putting postseason hopes in doubt. There’s still optimism for the future with nine starters returning in 2025, but the Hawkeyes go 7-10, missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017.