AMES, Iowa – After a 2-0 opening week which saw Iowa State down both Arizona and Northern Colorado, the Cyclones will look to move to 3-0 for the first time since 2013 when they travel to Iowa City and kick off the 2023 Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series against the Hawkeyes. Thursday’s match is set to start at 8 p.m. and will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.

The Cyclones’ 2-0 record is the school’s best start to a season since 2015, as ISU will look to build on a hot start out of the gates against Iowa. Thursday’s game against Iowa is the second part of a three-game road stretch for the Cyclones after downing UNCO. ISU concludes road action at South Dakota State this Sunday, August 27.

The Cyclones moved to 2-0 behind a balanced offensive effort as well as a stout defense. Part of that stout defense is redshirt freshman goalkeeper Avery Gillahan, who earlier today was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Week for her opening two performances.

The Matchup: Iowa State (2-0) at Iowa (2-0)

Where: Iowa Soccer Complex // Iowa City, Iowa

When: August 24 – 8 p.m. CT

Watch: Big Ten Plus

Live Stats: cyclones.com

From the Notebook 

• The Cyclones are 2-0 for just the eighth time in program history.
• An Iowa State win would tie the program’s largest win streak over Iowa as they look to stack back-to-back wins after last year’s 2-1 victory.
• Mira Emma was the difference in Iowa State’s last matchup – a 1-0 win over Northern Colorado – as she buried a PK past the UNCO goalkeeper to put the Cyclones in front.
• Of the 19 Cyclones who have seen playing time this season, eight competed in their first action as a Cyclone this past week.
• After program legend Jordan Silkowitz was drafted into the NWSL, a new face took the net for the Cyclones this past week, as Avery Gillahan handled goalkeeping responsibilities.

Leading the Cyclones 

A trio of Cyclone seniors have goals to their name this season as Salomé Prat and Abigail Miller each notched a goal in the season-opening win over Arizona, while Mira Emma was the difference against Northern Colorado, scoring off a penalty kick. Emma also has an assist to her name, giving her a team-high three points on the year. The only other Cyclone with a point is another senior, Alex Campana, who transferred in from Marquette.

Three Cyclones have played all 180 minutes of action so far on the year as defenders Chloe Broughton and Hanna Reid have done so, along with Gillahan in the net. Gillahan’s early season play has helped ISU to its 2-0 start as the redshirt freshman allowed just one goal across the two matches, tallying three saves and earning her first career clean sheet against Northern Colorado.

Scouting Iowa 

Off to its own 2-0 start, Iowa has also scored three goals across two matches. The Hawkeyes have seen Elle Otto, Josie Durr and Meike Ingles put points on the board. Otto leads the team in points with three, having also tallied an assist, while Kenzie Rolling leads the team in assists with a pair of dimes.

On the defensive side, Iowa goalkeeper Macy Enneking has yet to allow a goal this season, blanking both UMKC and FGCU. Enneking and Samantha Cary are the lone Hawkeyes to have played in all 180 minutes of action so far this season.

Series History 

Iowa State and Iowa will meet for the 25th time on Thursday as part of a series that started back in 1997. The Hawkeyes hold the all-time advantage at 14-8-2, but the two teams have split the last four meetings. Under Matt Fannon, Iowa State is 1-1 against Iowa, as the 2020 contest wasn’t played due to COVID. The Cyclones have claimed just two victories in Iowa City, with the last coming in 2005.

Up Next
The Cyclones will return to the pitch this Sunday when they travel to Brookings, South Dakota, to take on the SDSU Jackrabbits. ISU and South Dakota State’s Sunday match is set to kick off at 1 p.m. and the action will be streamed on the Summit League Network. 

IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa field hockey seniors Esme Gibson, Sofie Stribos and sophomore Mia Magnotta were named to the Big Ten Preseason Honors List, it was announced Wednesday. It is the second straight season Gibson has a been preseason honoree.

Last season, the trio lead the Hawkeyes to NCAA Elite Eight appearance finishing the season 12-8.

Gibson was a NFHCA Second-Team All-American, NFHCA First-Team All-West Region honoree and second-team All-Big Ten selection a season ago. The Worcestershire, England, native recorded 18 starts, logged 1,114 minutes while playing the duration of eight games, finishing with four goals and four assists.

Stribos, a third-year starter for the Hawkeyes, recorded starts in all 20 games logging 1,009 minutes. The Belgium native scored three goals with four assists recording 10 points last season.

Magnotta made her season debut last year in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament against Michigan, tallying her first career win in the NCAA Sweet 16 in a shootout victory over Virginia. She recorded a career-high four saves in the Elite Eight shootout loss against Northwestern last season.

The Hawkeyes, ranked seventh in the Penn Monto/NFHCA preseason poll, open the season with the ACC/Big Ten Challenge in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Iowa will face No. 12 Wake Forest on Friday and defending champions No. 1 North Carolina on Sunday in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Iowa State senior tight end Easton Dean says competition at key spots will make the offense better. ISU is without quarterback Hunter Dekkers and running back Jirehl Brock in fall camp after they were charged in connection to a gambling probe.

Despite missing some key players Dean is confident the Cyclones will make progress this season.

Dean says whoever wins the job of starting quarterback will gain crucial experience.

The Cyclones open at home against Northern Iowa on September second.

Drake defensive end Finn Claypool has had plenty of success early in his career but the Des Moines native is far from satisfied. Claypool was the Pioneer League Freshman Defensive Player of the Year after registering eight sacks for a Bulldog team that finished 3-8. It did not take him long to adapt to the college game.

Claypool begins the season on the watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award, It is given to the top defensive player in the FCS.

His number one goal is to win. The Bulldogs have suffered through back-to-back losing seasons. That had not happened since the mid 80s.

Drake opens September second at North Dakota.

(Atlantic) — Regardless of humidity and heat Tuesday, the Atlantic Cross Country Team held their time trials. The results were a massive improvement from last year’s team and impressed Head Coach Dan Vargason.

The depth revealed from Tuesday was a pleasant surprise. Coach Vargason sees the competitiveness from this group and the leadership from athletes like Claire Pellett.

Pellett noted the improvement from her teammates during the time trials Tuesday morning. Different athletes made efforts to not walk and be competitive. The larger number of runners this year’s gave Pellett pride on what they can accomplish.

Coach Vargason is looking forward to Saturday’s meet at Glenwood. He wants his team to use it as an opportunity to train and show some guts.

The Trojan Cross Country team starts their season Saturday, August 26 at Glenwood.

IRVING, Texas – Iowa State redshirt freshman Avery Gillahan has been named the Big 12 Freshman of the Week for her performances across the first week of action.

Gillahan had big shoes to fill as she replaced program legend Jordan Silkowitz who was drafted into the NWSL this past winter.

In her first-ever week of collegiate action, Gillahan allowed just one goal across two matches. Gillahan earned her first clean sheet against Northern Colorado as her prowess in the net helped lead ISU to a 1-0 win over the Bears.

Gillahan played all 180 possible minutes for the Cyclones over the week, tallying three saves. Iowa State is 2-0 for the first time since 2015 and the Cyclone defense, anchored by Gillahan, is a big reason why.

She is the first Cyclone to win Big 12 Freshman of the Week honors since teammate Lauren McConnell did so in 2021. Gillahan is just the seventh ISU player to earn the award, joining the likes of Anna Lindgren, Olivia Edwards, Mira Emma, Hannah Cade and Klasey Medelberg.

ISU will be back in action on Thursday, August 24, when it heads to Iowa City to face off with the Iowa Hawkeyes in the first action of the 2023 Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series.

Big 12 Weekly Award Winners 

Offensive Player of the Week: Emma Hawkins (OU) & Trinity Byars (UT)

Defensive Player of the Week: Kendell Petersen (BYU) & Jazmin Brown (KSU)

Goalkeeper of the Week: Melania Pasar (KU)

Freshman of the Week: Avery Gillahan