# Northwestern Wildcats field hockey

The Northwestern Wildcats field hockey team is the intercollegiate field hockey program representing Northwestern University. The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Northwestern field hockey team plays its home games at Lakeside Field on the university campus in Evanston, Illinois. The Wildcats have won eight regular-season conference titles, two conference tournament championships, and have appeared in the NCAA tournament 18 times, advancing to the Final Four on eight occasions. In 2021, the Wildcats won their first NCAA tournament. After a pair of losses in the national championship in 2022 and 2023, the Wildcats won their second NCAA tournament in 2024. The team is currently coached by Tracey Fuchs.

## History

Field hockey has been a varsity sport at Northwestern University since 1980, although the school has fielded intercollegiate teams since 1974. From 1981 to 1988 and again since 1992, the Wildcats have played in the Big Ten Conference. Between 1989 and 1991, Northwestern was a member of the Midwestern Collegiate Field Hockey Conference (MCFHC). The university also considers its 1977 and 1978 teams to have competed in the Big Ten, although field hockey was not a varsity sport at Northwestern for either of these seasons. As a Big Ten member, the Wildcats have won six regular-season conference titles as well as one conference tournament championship. Four of these Big Ten regular-season titles were won under the guidance of head coach Nancy Stevens, who lead the team from 1981 to 1989. Northwestern qualified for the NCAA tournament every year between 1983 and 1994 except for 1992, and it has reached the Final Four on four occasions. The Wildcats are currently coached by Tracey Fuchs. Prior to her tenure, Northwestern has been coached by Mary Ann Kelling (1975), Mary DiStanislao (1976–78), Sharon Drysdale (1979–80), Stevens (1981–89), Marisa Didio (1990–94 and 2000–03), Debra Brickey (1995–97), Diane Loosbrock (1998–99), and Kelly McCollum (2004–08).

### Season-by-season results

| Year | Head Coach | Overall | Pct. | Conf. | Pct. | Conf. Place | Conf. Tourn. | Postseason |
| 1975 | Mary Ann Kelling | 5–3–1 | .611 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1976 | Mary DiStanislao | 6–2–3 | .682 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1977 | Mary DiStanislao | 8–7–2 | .529 | 1–4 | .200 | – | – | – |
| 1978 | Mary DiStanislao | 13–5–1 | .711 | 1–2 | .333 | – | – | – |
| 1979 | Sharon Drysdale | 8–10–1 | .447 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1980 | Sharon Drysdale | 18–6–3 | .722 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1981 | Nancy Stevens | 14–5–4 | .696 | 7–2 | .778 | – | 3rd | – |
| 1982 | Nancy Stevens | 17–5 | .773 | 4–1 | .800 | 2nd | – | – |
| 1983 | Nancy Stevens | 20–5 | .800 | 9–1 | .900 | T1st | – | NCAA Final Four |
| 1984 | Nancy Stevens | 17–2–1 | .875 | 9–0–1 | .950 | 1st | – | NCAA 1st Round |
| 1985 | Nancy Stevens | 20–2 | .909 | 9–1 | .900 | T1st | – | NCAA Final Four |
| 1986 | Nancy Stevens | 15–4–2 | .762 | 6–2–2 | .700 | 2nd | – | NCAA 2nd Round |
| 1987 | Nancy Stevens | 14–6–3 | .674 | 6–2–2 | .700 | 2nd | – | NCAA 2nd Round |
| 1988 | Nancy Stevens | 17–2–1 | .875 | 8–0 | 1.000 | 1st | – | NCAA 1st Round |
| 1989 | Nancy Stevens | 18–4–1 | .804 | 8–1–1 | .850 | – | – | NCAA Final Four |
| 1990 | Marisa Didio | 15–3–1 | .816 | 7–1 | .875 | – | – | NCAA 1st Round |
| 1991 | Marisa Didio | 12–7–1 | .625 | 5–3 | .625 | – | – | NCAA 1st Round |
| 1992 | Marisa Didio | 6–11 | .353 | 3–7 | .300 | T4th | – | – |
| 1993 | Marisa Didio | 12–6–1 | .658 | 6–4 | .600 | 3rd | – | NCAA 2nd Round |
| 1994 | Marisa Didio | 15–4–2 | .762 | 8–1–1 | .850 | 1st | 2nd | NCAA Final Four |
| 1995 | Debra Brickey | 13–6 | .684 | 6–4 | .600 | T2nd | T3rd | – |
| 1996 | Debra Brickey | 9–12 | .429 | 3–7 | .300 | T4th | T3rd | – |
| 1997 | Debra Brickey | 7–13 | .350 | 3–7 | .300 | T5th | T5th | – |
| 1998 | Diane Loosbrock | 7–13 | .350 | 2–8 | .200 | 6th | T5th | – |
| 1999 | Diane Loosbrock | 4–14 | .222 | 0–10 | .000 | 6th | T5th | – |
| 2000 | Marisa Didio | 6–13 | .316 | 2–4 | .333 | T5th | T5th | – |
| 2001 | Marisa Didio | 2–13 | .133 | 1–5 | .167 | 6th | T5th | – |
| 2002 | Marisa Didio | 6–13 | .316 | 1–5 | .167 | 6th | T5th | – |
| 2003 | Marisa Didio | 9–9 | .500 | 1–5 | .167 | 6th | T5th | – |
| 2004 | Kelly McCollum | 7–13 | .350 | 1–5 | .167 | T5th | T5th | – |
| 2005 | Kelly McCollum | 7–11 | .389 | 0–6 | .000 | 6th | T5th | – |
| 2006 | Kelly McCollum | 7–12 | .368 | 1–5 | .167 | 6th | T5th | – |
| 2007 | Kelly McCollum | 4–14 | .222 | 0–6 | .000 | 7th | T5th | – |
| 2008 | Kelly McCollum | 7–13 | .350 | 1–5 | .167 | 6th | T5th | – |
| 2009 | Tracey Fuchs | 12–8 | .600 | 1–5 | .167 | 6th | T5th | – |
| 2010 | Tracey Fuchs | 11–9 | .550 | 3–3 | .500 | T4th | T5th | – |
| 2011 | Tracey Fuchs | 12–9 | .571 | 1–5 | .167 | T6th | T5th | – |
| 2012 | Tracey Fuchs | 16–4 | .800 | 4–2 | .667 | T2nd | T5th | – |
| 2013 | Tracey Fuchs | 15–5 | .750 | 5–1 | .833 | T1st | T5th | – |
| 2014 | Tracey Fuchs | 16–7 | .696 | 6–2 | .750 | T2nd | 1st | NCAA 1st Round |
| 2015 | Tracey Fuchs | 13–8 | .619 | 4–4 | .500 | T4th | T3rd | – |
| 2016 | Tracey Fuchs | 13–8 | .619 | 5–3 | .625 | T3rd | T3rd | – |
| 2017 | Tracey Fuchs | 15–7 | .682 | 6–2 | .750 | T2nd | T3rd | NCAA 2nd Round |
| 2018 | Tracey Fuchs | 9–10 | .474 | 3–5 | .375 | 7th | T5th | – |
| 2019 | Tracey Fuchs | 14–7 | .667 | 5–3 | .625 | 4th | T5th | NCAA 1st Round |
| 2020 | Tracey Fuchs | 12-6 | .667 | 5-3 | .625 | T3rd | T4th | NCAA 2nd Round |
| 2021 | Tracey Fuchs | 18-5 | .783 | 5-3 | .625 | 5th | T5th | NCAA Champions |
| 2022 | Tracey Fuchs | 20-5 | .800 | 5-3 | .625 | 3rd | 2nd | NCAA Runner-Up |
| 2023 | Tracey Fuchs | 21-2 | .913 | 8-0 | 1.000 | 1st | 1st | NCAA Runner-Up |
| 2024 | Tracey Fuchs | 23-1 | .958 | 8-0 | 1.000 | 1st | 2nd | NCAA Champions |
Season-by-season results through the end of the 2024 season

## Awards and accolades
### Conference championships

Northwestern has won eight conference titles, all in the Big Ten Conference. Four of their championships were won during the tenure of head coach Nancy Stevens in the 1980s.
| Year | Coach | Conference Record | Overall Record | Conference | NCAA Result |
| 1983 | Nancy Stevens | 9–1 | 20–5 | Big Ten | NCAA Final Four |
| 1984 | Nancy Stevens | 9–0–1 | 17–2–1 | Big Ten | NCAA 1st Round |
| 1985 | Nancy Stevens | 9–1 | 20–2 | Big Ten | NCAA Final Four |
| 1988 | Nancy Stevens | 8–0 | 17–2–1 | Big Ten | NCAA 1st Round |
| 1994 | Marisa Didio | 8–1–1 | 15–4–2 | Big Ten | NCAA Final Four |
| 2013 | Tracey Fuchs | 5–1 | 15–5 | Big Ten | – |
| 2023 | Tracey Fuchs | 8-0 | 21–2 | Big Ten | NCAA Runner-Up |
| 2024 | Tracey Fuchs | 8-0 | 23–1 | Big Ten | NCAA Champions |
| 8 Conference Championships 8 Big Ten Championships ||||||

### Honda Sports Award winners

| Year | Player |
| 1986 | Jennifer Averill |
| 1994 | Gretchen Scheuermann |
| 2024 | Maddie Zimmer |

### All-Americans

Key :
| First-team selection | Second-team selection | Third-team selection |
| Season | Player |
| 1982 | Kathleen Kochmansky |
| 1983 | Jennifer Averill |
| 1983 | Kathleen Kochmansky |
| 1984 | Kathleen Kochmansky |
| 1985 | Robin Clark |
| 1985 | Amy Kekeisen |
| 1986 | Jennifer Averill |
| 1989 | Antoinette Lucas |
| 1989 | Kim Metcalf |
| 1990 | Natalie Beckerman |
| 1990 | Kathy Halley |
| 1990 | Antoinette Lucas |
| 1990 | Tami Neuhause |
| 1990 | Colleen Senich |
| 1991 | Kathy Halley |
| 1991 | Colleen Senich |
| 1991 | Kathleen Sullivan |
| 1992 | Kathy Halley |
| 1992 | Amy Vail |
| 1993 | Gretchen Scheuermann |
| Season | Player |
| 1993 | Shannon Small |
| 1994 | Donna Barg |
| 1994 | Amy Borneman |
| 1994 | Gretchen Scheuermann |
| 1994 | Betsy Vance |
| 1995 | Amy Borneman |
| 1995 | Linda Formosi |
| 1995 | Betsy Vance |
| 1996 | Ellie Karvoski |
| 2004 | Candice Cooper |
| 2010 | Chelsea Armstrong |
| 2011 | Chelsea Armstrong |
| 2012 | Chelsea Armstrong |
| 2012 | Tara Puffenberger |
| 2013 | Nikki Parsley |
| 2013 | Tara Puffenberger |
| 2014 | Lisa McCarthy |
| 2015 | Lisa McCarthy |
| 2016 | Isabel Flens |
| 2017 | Sophia Miller |
| Season | Player |
| 2017 | Puck Pentenga |
| 2019 | Bente Baekers |
| 2020 | Bente Baekers |
| 2020 | Kayla Blas |
| 2020 | Maddie Zimmer |
| 2021 | Bente Baekers |
| 2021 | Maddie Zimmer |
| 2022 | Bente Baekers |
| 2022 | Maddie Zimmer |
| 2022 | Kayla Blas |
| 2023 | Annabel Skubisz |
| 2023 | Lauren Wadas |
| 2023 | Olivia Bent-Cole |
| 2023 | Peyton Halsey |
| 2023 | Alia Marshall |
| 2024 | Ashley Sessa |
| 2024 | Annabel Skubisz |
| 2024 | Lauren Wadas |
| 2024 | Maddie Zimmer |
| 2024 | Ilse Tromp |

### Olympians

| Olympics | Player | Country |
| 1996 | Antoinette Lucas | United States |
| 2024 | Ashley Sessa | United States |
| 2024 | Maddie Zimmer | United States |
Awards and accolades through the end of the 2024 season

## Stadium

Northwestern has played its home games at Lakeside Field since its construction in 1997. Located on the shore of Lake Michigan, the field is part of the university's $3.5-million Leonard B. Thomas Athletic Complex on the north end of its main campus in Evanston. Lakeside Field features an AstroTurf playing field that was installed in 2015 and a seating capacity of 300, as well as a permanent scoreboard, a sound system, and lighting that allows for the playing of night games. The venue has hosted the Big Ten Field Hockey Tournament three times, in 2002, 2004, 2018. Lakeside Field is located adjacent to Lenny and Sharon Martin Stadium, previously also known as Lakeside Field, which is home to Northwestern's women's lacrosse, men's soccer, and women's soccer teams.