EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern opens the 2018 season this Saturday when it welcomes Iowa for a scrimmage at Lakeside Field at noon.
Under head coach Tracey Fuchs, the 'Cats are coming off a 15-win season in 2017 that featured the program's first NCAA Tournament win since 1994. NU defeated eight ranked opponents last season, the most since at least 1996, and also went a perfect 9-0 at home.
The Wildcats return 18 players from last year's team including four of their top five goalscorers and all three goalkeepers.
Senior Puck Pentenga led the team in points last year with 39, posting 11 goals and 17 assists. Pentenga was selected to the All-America third team and the All-Big Ten first team.
Senior Kirsten Mansfield returns to anchor the backline after scoring nine goals and assisting 13 more. Mansfield was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team, as was fellow senior Charlotte Vaziri.
Junior Saar de Breij and senior Eva van Agt also are back in the NU midfield after recording six goals and three assists each last season.
Junior Annie Kalfas heads into 2018 with the most goalkeeping experience after making 80 saves and posting a 1.76 goals against average last year.
Chicago's Big Ten Team opens its season officially next Friday with the Wildcat Classic at Lakeside Field. As part of an annual tournament, the Wildcats will host UConn on Friday at noon and Stanford on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Under head coach Tracey Fuchs, the 'Cats are coming off a 15-win season in 2017 that featured the program's first NCAA Tournament win since 1994. NU defeated eight ranked opponents last season, the most since at least 1996, and also went a perfect 9-0 at home.
The Wildcats return 18 players from last year's team including four of their top five goalscorers and all three goalkeepers.
Senior Puck Pentenga led the team in points last year with 39, posting 11 goals and 17 assists. Pentenga was selected to the All-America third team and the All-Big Ten first team.
Senior Kirsten Mansfield returns to anchor the backline after scoring nine goals and assisting 13 more. Mansfield was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team, as was fellow senior Charlotte Vaziri.
Junior Saar de Breij and senior Eva van Agt also are back in the NU midfield after recording six goals and three assists each last season.
Junior Annie Kalfas heads into 2018 with the most goalkeeping experience after making 80 saves and posting a 1.76 goals against average last year.
Chicago's Big Ten Team opens its season officially next Friday with the Wildcat Classic at Lakeside Field. As part of an annual tournament, the Wildcats will host UConn on Friday at noon and Stanford on Sunday at 1 p.m.