The eighth-ranked University of Iowa field hockey team returns to Iowa City on Friday for its last regular season matchup against No. 3 Rutgers at 4 p.m. (CT). After the game, Iowa will recognize  seniors Sammy Freeman, Mary Jane McNary, Kelly Rose, Sophie Stribos and Esme Gibson.

• Friday’s game will be broadcast on B1G+.

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

• Iowa is ranked No. 8 in this week’s NFHCA poll. The Hawkeyes were ranked No. 1 for four weeks straight (Sept. 5 – Oct. 2) for the second time in program history (2021). Iowa has been ranked in 80 consecutive polls dating back to the 2016 season.

•  The Hawkeyes ranks second in shutouts (8) and shutouts per game (.50). Iowa ranks third in scoring margin (2.25), fourth in goals against average (0.94), and fifth in goals per game (3.19), goals (51) and scoring average (3.19).

•  The Hawkeye seniors being recognized  on Friday have won 70 games, two Big Ten regular season championships and one Big Ten tournament title. They have competed in three NCAA Elite Eights and the 2021 NCAA final four.

• Freshman Dionne van Aalsum was named NFHCA Offensive Player of the Week on September 13. The Castricum, Netherlands, native was also named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week three times this season (Sept. 11, Sept. 18, Oct. 16) and Big Ten Freshman of the Week three times this season (Aug. 26, Sept. 5, Sept. 11). Van Aalsum ranks second in the nation with 24 goals, 54 points, 1.56 goals per game, and 3.44 points per game.

• Sophomore Mia Magnotta has recorded 56 saves and has been in goal the duration of the season including all of Iowa’s eight shutout victories. The Forty-Fort, Pennsylvania, native was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on August 29 and NFHCA Division I Defensive Player of the week on August 30.

• 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’ have downed five ranked opponents  this season – No. 12 Wake Forest, No. 1 North Carolina, No. 19 UAlbany, No. 14 Michigan, and No. 5 Louisville. Iowa is 5-4 against ranked foes.

• The Hawkeyes return seven starters and 14 letterwinners from a team that finished 12-8, advancing to the Elite Eight 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.

• 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 289 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.