Skip to main content
iowa logo

NFHCA Preseason Top 20 released, Hawkeyes open at #7

On3 imageby:Kyle Huesmann•08/22/23•

HuesmannKyle

nfhca-preseason-top-20-hawkeyes-open-7
Photo by Dennis Scheidt

Game week is upon us and the Iowa Field Hockey team is set to travel south for the Big Ten/ACC Challenge in Chapel Hill, NC this weekend. Another sign that field hockey season is back, is the release of the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Preseason Top 20. Iowa enters the season ranked #7 in the poll and it marks the 72nd straight NFHCA poll that the Hawkeyes have appeared in dating back to 2016.

The Big Ten was second with six teams landing in the top 20, including Northwestern (#2), Maryland (#3), Michigan (#4), Penn State (#5) and Iowa (#7) all landing in the top ten. Rutgers landed at #16 to round out the Big Ten’s six ranked squads, while Ohio State was surprisingly snubbed.

The Hawkeyes are set to face four ranked teams in non-conference play, including #1 North Carolina and #12 Wake Forest to open the weekend. They will also face #19 Albany and #9 Louisville in non-conference play.

“It is going to be a great challenge, especially the first few games. Albany should be a Final Four team, in my opinion,” said head coach Lisa Cellucci. “In our sport at this level, if you don’t play a tough schedule, you don’t even have a prayer to get in the NCAA Tournament. It’s the only way forward and we’re really excited about what’s in front of us.”

“It’s super exciting. I really can’t wait,” said goalkeeper Mia Magnotta. “We work so hard in the offseason and it’s for this moment. It’s for this season, so I’m just super excited to see what lies ahead.”

This season, Iowa returns Second Team All-American MF Esme Gibson, as well as six other starters, including F Annika Herbine, F Alex Wesneski, MF Sofie Stribos, MF Lieve Schalk, MF Jacey Wittel, D Harper Dunne. GK Mia Magnotta takes over in goal after starting the last three games of the season.

Here is a look at the entire NFHCA Coaches Preseason Top 20…

1. North Carolina Tar Heels (29)

2. Northwestern Wildcats (13)

3. Maryland Terrapins (6)

4. Michigan Wolverines (1)

5. Penn State Nittany Lions (1)

6. Virginia Cavaliers (1)

7. Iowa Hawkeyes

8. Syracuse Orange

9. Louisville Cardinals

10. Princeton Tigers

11. St Joseph’s Hawks

12. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

13. Harvard Crimson

14. Liberty Flames

15. Connecticut Huskies

16. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

17. Boston College Eagles

18. Old Dominion Monarchs

19. Albany Great Danes

20. Duke Blue Devils

The Hawkeyes open the regular season on Friday against Wake Forest for the Big Ten/ACC Challenge in Chapel Hill, NC. The game is set to get underway at 5:00pm CT on the ACC Network.

You may also like