No. 1 Northwestern field hockey secured an abundance of Big Ten Conference awards Wednesday after it wrapped up its first undefeated season in program history last week.
Senior midfielder Maddie Zimmer was named Big Ten Player of the Year, the fifth Wildcat athlete in program history to do so and the first since 1994. Zimmer scored seven goals and logged seven assists this season, playing a key role in the NU midfield. The Olympian has been able to make magic in the center third.
“Maddie Zimmer is the glue in the midfield,” coach Tracey Fuchs said during a postgame interview this season. “She gets the ball, and she can just eliminate people.”
Fuchs earned her second consecutive Big Ten Coach of the Year Award and third overall. Alongside assistant coach Will Byrne and associate head coach Georgia Holland, the coach has guided NU to its best season in program history.
Sophomore forward Ashley Sessa, who logged a team-high 20 goals and 13 assists, won Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. Sessa is the fourth ’Cats athlete to win this award in history and the first since Chelsea Armstrong –– an NU Hall of Famer –– in 2011. Sessa leads the nation in points scored with 53.
Graduate student goalkeeper Annabel Skubisz, who has logged 11 shutouts between the pipes this season, was named Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year. Skubisz only allowed nine goals this season, while the ’Cats have scored 66. Fuchs has said time and time again the squad has the utmost trust in the Houston native they lovingly call “Scooby.”
Seven NU players were named to All-Big Ten teams. Sessa, Skubisz, Zimmer, sophomore back Ilse Tromp and graduate student midfielder Lauren Wadas were named to the All-Big Ten First Team. Sophomore forward Olivia Bent-Cole and junior midfielder Greta Hinke earned All-Big Ten Second Team honors.
Senior forward Lane Herbert earned the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
Freshman midfielders Laura Salamanca and Nadia Nemeth were named to the All-Big Ten Freshman team, as was redshirt freshman back Emilie Kirschner.
NU is back in action on Friday as it takes on the winner of Rutgers and Ohio State in a Big Ten Tournament semifinal match.
Email: [email protected]
Related Stories:
— Field Hockey: No. 1 Northwestern secures outright Big Ten title with 5-0 romp of Michigan State
— Field Hockey: No. 2 Northwestern sets new program record after dominating Stanford, UC Davis
