Iowa, Rutgers and Michigan Honored with Field Hockey Awards

ROSEMONT, lll. – The Big Ten Conference has announced its Field Hockey Offensive Player, Defensive Player and Freshman of the Week Award winners for the season-opening weekend of Aug. 28-30.

Co-Offensive Player of the Week
Fréderique van Cleef, Iowa
5th – F – Asten, Netherlands – Varendonck College

• Compiled five points (two goals, assist) to help No. 11-ranked Iowa to a sweep of No. 7 Wake Forest and No. 2 North Carolina in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge
• With the Hawkeyes trailing 3-0 at Wake Forest, van Cleef scored in the 42nd minute to spark a comeback that resulted in Iowa’s ninth-straight season-opening win
• Assisted on the game-winning overtime goal against the Demon Deacons
• Scored a crucial goal against North Carolina, tying the game in the third quarter
• Placed all seven shots on goal this weekend; earns her first Big Ten weekly award

Co-Offensive Player of the Week
Olivia Fraticelli, Rutgers
Sr. – F – Toms River, N.J. – Toms River North

• Netted an NCAA-best four goals and a Big Ten-high eight points over two games
• Tallied a hat trick, which included the game-winning goal, for No. 17 Rutgers in a 7-1 road win over Wagner
• Opened the season by finding the back of the cage against No. 18 Monmouth
• Scored on all four shots taken on the weekend
• Receives her first Big Ten Offensive Player honor

Defensive Player of the Week
Eva Bernardy, Michigan
Jr. – B – Utrecht, Netherlands – Leidsche Rijn College

• Converted on a third quarter penalty stroke in her collegiate debut, helping No. 14 Michigan to a 2-1 overtime win over No. 2 North Carolina at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge
• Anchored a Wolverine defense that held the Tar Heels to zero penalty corners
• Defended on two of four corners taken by Wake Forest
• Applied offensive pressure with five shots, three of which were on target
• Last Wolverine to win the Defensive Player Award: Hala Silverstein (Oct. 7, 2024)

Freshman of the Week
Reine van Hoof, Iowa
Fr. – F – Leuven, Belgium – Heilig Hartinstituut Heverlee

• Provided the game-winning goal 6:46 into overtime to complete Iowa’s come-from-behind 4-3 win over Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C.
• The victory was Iowa’s seventh-straight against Wake Forest in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge
• Came off the bench to help Iowa preserve a 3-2 win over No. 2 North Carolina
• Led Iowa freshman with three shots (all on goal) on the weekend
• Becomes first Hawkeye to capture Freshman of the Week honors since Sept. 8, 2025

2026 Big Ten Field Hockey Weekly Awards
Aug. 31
O: Fréderique van Cleef, 5th, F, IOWA
O: Olivia Fraticelli, Sr., F, RU
D: Eva Bernardy, Jr., B, MICH
F: Reine van Hoof, Fr., F, IOWA