Iowa Hawkeye Athletics Week in Review

ICYMI: News from Iowa City for Sept. 11-17, 2023

The top-ranked Iowa Field Hockey team defeated visiting Vermont and Merrimack this weekend at Grant Field to remain unbeaten in 2023. The Hawkeyes outscored their opponents 13-0. 

Freshman Dionne Van Aalsum, who was named the Big Ten's Player of the week on Sept. 11, scored five goals in the two matches. She raised her season total to 21, which leads the nation, and has scored at least two goals in every game. 

During Sunday's 8-0 victory against Merrimack, Van Aalsum scored two goals and added two assists. Alex Wesneski and Rachel Herbine also tallied a pair of goals in this match. Keeper Mia Magnotta recorded the shutout. 

The Hawkeyes (8-0) kicked off the weekend with a 5-0 win against Vermont on Friday. Van Aalsum notched three goals with an assist. Lieve Schalk contributed a goal and two assists. Magnotta posted the shutout and has allowed only three goals in 479 minutes of action this season.

Iowa opens Big Ten play on Friday at No. 8 Michigan. 

Soccer Also Unbeaten

Iowa Soccer moved to 6-0-2 this season after Sunday's 1-1 draw with visiting Illinois. It was the Big Ten opener for both programs. 

The Hawkeyes trailed 1-0 heading into the 84th minute before Kelli McGroarty put a header into the net off of a feed from Elle Otto. 

Iowa travels to Wisconsin on Friday before playing host to Minnesota on Sunday. 

Women's Basketball

The Iowa women's basketball team released a pair of announcements this week. The Hawkeyes unveiled their non-conference schedule for '23-24 and updated information for the Crossover at Kinnick. 

The Hawkeyes will face DePaul at 2 p.m. CT on Oct. 15 for an exhibition game at Kinnick Stadium that's being aired on the Big Ten Network and the Hawkeye Radio Network. Proceeds from the event will benefit UI's Stead Family Children’s Hospital.

General admission tickets for the event are still available for $5. They must be purchased at Kinnick Stadium. More information for the event can be found HERE. 

Here's a look at the rest of the non-conference slate: 

Golf Underway

Junior Paula Miranda shot an even par 72 to lead the Iowa women’s golf team in the opening round of the Badger Invitational on Sunday at the University Ridge Golf Course in Madison.

Miranda carded five birdies, including four over her final seven holes. The Mexico native is tied for seventh place – four shots off the lead. It is her 12th career round at or below par.

The Hawkeyes shot an eight-over par 296 on Sunday, which is just four shots off the lead held by host Wisconsin and Delaware. South Florida is third with a five-over par 293.

Sophomore Madison Dabagia carded a two-over par 74, which included an eagle on the par five sixth hole. Sophomores Shannyn Vogler and Riley Lewis are both tied for 30th with three-over par 75s.

True freshman Ximena Benites, who is competing as an individual, shot a two-over par 74, which puts her in a tie for 20th place in an event that wraps up Tuesday. 

Volleyball 2-0 in NY

Iowa volleyball won a pair of matches in Western New York state during the weekend. The Hawkeyes prevailed, 3-0, Friday at Syracuse and swept Cornell Sunday in Ithaca, NY. 

Delaney McSweeney paced the Hawkeyes with six kills (.417) and 2.5 blocks against Syracuse. Nataly Moravec, Caitlan Buettner and Anna Davis each contributed five kills with Buettner notching a team-high nine digs. Bailey Ortega posted 13 assists. 

Sunday at Cornell, Moravec registered a match-best 13 kills with Buettner adding nine kills and a match-high 16 digs. McSweeney chipped in seven kills and 2.0 blocks, and Michell Urquhart added six kills and 15 digs. 

The Hawkeyes play host to Minnesota at Xtream Arena Thursday in the Big Ten Season Opener. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT and the match will be televised live on FS1.

Cross Country

Iowa women’s cross country sent a small group of mid-distance runners to the Redbird Invite in Normal, Ill., on Friday. 

Hawkeye Senior Alli Bookin-Nosbisch finished 19th with a career-best time of 22:41.8. Senior Clare Pitcher and freshman Ava Rush crossed the line in 25:12.6 and 25:29.3, respectively, in the 6,000-meter debuts.

Iowa returns to action on Sept. 29 at the Joe Piane Invite in South Bend, Ind.