Northwestern’s Maddie Zimmer Earns NFHCA Field Hockey Player of the Year Honors
Northwestern field hockey continues to set the standard nationally. Once again, Maddie Zimmer stands at the center of it all. The graduate student and team captain has been named the NFHCA West Region Player of the Year for the second straight season. She earned the honor in both 2024 and 2025, carving out a place in program history that no Wildcat has ever reached before.
Maddie Zimmer is The Engine Behind a Championship Run
With this latest recognition, Zimmer becomes the first student-athlete in Northwestern history to win the NFHCA West Region Player of the Year award twice. The milestone perfectly aligns with a golden era for the program. The one that captured its third National Championship during the 2025 season.
Maddie Zimmer = NFHCA West 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 😼
— Northwestern Field Hockey (@NUFHCats) December 11, 2025
No. 8 earns the honor for the 2️⃣nd season in a row, the first 'Cat to repeat the accolade.
🔗 https://t.co/nba4OK9Dem pic.twitter.com/vBRNDC4JIW
Her individual excellence reflects the broader dominance of Northwestern field hockey. It is because the Wildcat has now claimed the West Region Player of the Year honor four consecutive times. It was followed by recognitions for Baekers in 2022, Wadas in 2023, and Zimmer in back-to-back seasons.
Zimmer’s impact was felt in every corner of the field throughout Northwestern’s championship campaign. The Olympian midfielder appeared in all 23 games, providing leadership from the opening whistle to the final celebration. She finished her final collegiate season with 27 total points, scoring five goals and delivering an impressive 17 assists.
Those assist numbers tell the story of Zimmer’s influence. As the heartbeat of the Wildcats’ midfield, she controlled tempo, connected attacking movements, and consistently put her teammates in scoring positions.
Shining in the Biggest Moments
Her postseason performances elevated her legacy even further. In the NCAA Tournament, Zimmer recorded a season-high three assists in Northwestern’s thrilling 4-3 overtime victory. And it was over for No. 1 North Carolina in the national semifinal.
Just two days later, she assisted on the game-winning goal in the Wildcats’ 2-1 double-overtime victory over No. 3 Princeton in the National Championship Final. Earlier in the tournament, she also scored in a dominant 5-1 first-round win over Yale. When championships were on the line, Zimmer was everywhere the Wildcats needed her to be.
The 2025 NFHCA West Region Player of the Year award is just the latest chapter in an already remarkable career. Zimmer has been named the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player in all three of Northwestern’s championship seasons in 2021, 2024, and 2025.
She was also selected to the First Team All-Big Ten five times during her career. In 2024, she added the NFHCA National Player of the Year award to her growing collection.
Zimmer is a multiple-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten honoree. That just reflects the same discipline in the classroom that she displayed on the pitch. A native of Hershey, Pennsylvania, Zimmer brought elite experience to Evanston. That includes time with the USA Under-21 National Team and her first cap with the USA Senior Women’s National Team in 2019.
With her second straight NFHCA West Region Player of the Year honor, Maddie Zimmer leaves Northwestern as more than a champion.
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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.