Northwestern Field Hockey’s Maddie Zimmer Named NFHCA National Player of the Year
In NCAA Division I field hockey, individual greatness is rare, and sustained greatness is almost unheard of. On Thursday morning, Northwestern graduate midfielder Maddie Zimmer once again etched her name into the sport’s highest tier. It was when the National Field Hockey Coaches Association announced her as the 2025 NFHCA Division I National Player of the Year. With that announcement, Zimmer didn’t just repeat history. She made it.
The Heart of a Championship Northwestern Field Hockey Team
By earning the award for the second consecutive season, Zimmer became only the third player in NCAA history to win back-to-back National Player of the Year honors, joining North Carolina’s Erin Matson and Virginia’s Tara Vittese. She also remains the only player from a non–East Coast program to claim the honor since the award’s inception in 2010.
Zimmer’s impact was central to Northwestern’s remarkable 22-1 season, a campaign that ended with the program’s third national championship. Operating as a graduate student midfielder, she totaled 27 points with five goals and a career-high 17 assists. While the numbers were impressive, they only told part of the story. Zimmer controlled the pace of play, dictated matchups, and consistently elevated the Wildcats against elite competition.
Her postseason performances were especially defining. Zimmer recorded at least one point in every postseason match during her final collegiate run. In the NCAA Semifinal against top-seeded North Carolina, she delivered one of the most memorable performances of the season, registering three assists, including the assist on the overtime game-winning goal. That moment sent Northwestern to its fifth consecutive national championship game and underscored her ability to rise when the stakes were highest.
A Career Built on Historic Achievements
Zimmer’s career at Northwestern stands among the most decorated in program history. Her list of honors reflects both longevity and excellence across every stage of her development. She is a two-time NFHCA National Player of the Year, a four-time First Team All-American, and the 2025 Honda Award winner. Within the Big Ten, she has twice been named Player of the Year, earned five All-Big Ten First Team selections, and was recognized as the 2020-21 Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
Her championship resume is equally staggering. Zimmer is a three-time NCAA National Champion, a three-time NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player, and a three-time NCAA Final Four MVP.
The NFHCA National Player of the Year selection process brings together regional finalists from across the country, making the final award a true measure of national dominance. Zimmer emerged from a group that included Princeton’s Beth Yeager, Syracuse’s Bo van Kempen, Harvard’s Bronte-May Brought, and North Carolina’s Ryleigh Heck. Standing above that field for a second straight year further confirmed her place among the sport’s all-time greats.
As Maddie Zimmer closes the book on her collegiate career, her legacy is firmly secure. She leaves Evanston as a three-time national champion, a repeat National Player of the Year, and the defining figure of a program that reshaped expectations beyond the East Coast. Zimmer’s career will be remembered for setting a new standard.
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Shayni Maitra is a sports girl through and through writing about everything from locker room drama to game-day legends in the NFL and NBA. She’s covered the action for outlets like College Sports Network, Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, NB Media, and PinkVilla, blending sharp takes with a deep love for storytelling. Whether it’s college football rivalries, Olympic gold-chasers, or the off-field chaos that keeps Twitter alive, Shayni brings the heat with heart—and just the right amount of humor.