The top-ranked University of Iowa field hockey team returns to Grant Field for their home opener. The Hawkeyes will face Central Michigan on Friday at 3 p.m. (CT) before welcoming UMASS Lowell to Iowa City on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. (CT).

FOLLOW LIVE

• Both Friday and Sunday’s games will be live streamed on B1G+.

• Iowa field hockey fans can follow all contests via live stats on hawkeyesports.com.  Game updates are also available on X/@iowafieldhockey.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• The Hawkeyes are ranked No. 1 in this week’s NFHCA poll. It is the second time in program history the Hawkeyes have been ranked No. 1 (2021) by the NFHCA.

• Freshman Dionne van Aalsum was named Freshman Player of the Week for the second week in a row. Sophomore Mia Magnotta was named Defensive Player of the Week on August 29.

• Freshman Dionne van Aalsum leads the Hawkeye offense with eight goals in four games.

• Iowa has defeated the top-ranked team in three straight seasons (3-1 vs. No. 1 North Carolina in 2021, 2-0 vs. No. 1 Northwestern in 2022 and 3-2 vs. No. 1 North Carolina in 2023).

• The Hawkeyes return seven starters and 14 letterwinners from a team that finished 12-8, advancing to the Elite Eight for the 20th time in program history in 2022.

•  The Hawkeyes punched their ticket to the Elite Eight four consecutive times and for the 21st time in program history in 2022.

• The Hawkeyes made their fifth straight and 27th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history — the most of any team as a member of the Big Ten Conference.

• Fifth-year senior Esme Gibson (second-team) earned All-Big Ten recognition for the 2022 season.

• Head coach Lisa Cellucci is in her tenth season at the helm of the Hawkeye field hockey program and her 24th season overall.  Cellucci has been a part of 282 Iowa victories and in 2020, she led the program to the Final Four for the 12th time — the first since 2008.  Iowa has posted double digit win totals in eight of her ten seasons. The Hawkeyes have won three Big Ten titles (2019, 2019 (BTT), 2021) under her watch.

• Cellucci earned her third straight Big Ten Coach of the Year honor in 2021.  She is the first coach in Big Ten history to be named Coach of the Year in three consecutive seasons.