Northwestern and Rutgers Secure Field Hockey Honors

ROSEMONT, lll. – The Big Ten Conference has announced its field hockey weekly award winners for games played October 14-20.

Offensive Player of the Week
Ashley Sessa, Northwestern
So. – F – Schwenksville, Pa. – North Carolina

• Turned in an 11-point weekend, stockpiling four goals and three assists for second-ranked Northwestern
• Recorded back-to-back game-winning goals in a Northwestern’s 7-0 win over Stanford on Oct. 18 and an 11-1 triumph of UC Davis on Oct. 20
• Extended goal-scoring streak to six games for the Wildcats, who are off to their best start (15-0) in program history
• Earns second Offensive Player award of the season
• Last Northwestern Offensive Player of the Week: Ashley Sessa (Oct. 7, 2024)

Defensive Player of the Week
Sophia Howard, Rutgers
Sr. – G – Auckland, New Zealand – St. Cuthbert’s College

• Produced a pair of shutouts, helping Rutgers to a 2-0 victory against Michigan State on Oct. 18 and a 1-0 win versus third-ranked Ohio State on Oct. 20
• Made four saves against the Buckeyes, keeping the nation’s fifth-highest scoring team off the board; the victory was Rutgers’ seventh-straight in the series
• Ranks first in minutes played (430) and second in saves (30) in Big Ten competition
• Collects second defensive award of the season and the third of her career
• Last Rutgers Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week: Sophia Howard (Sept. 30, 2024)

Freshman of the Week
Sophie Kuiper, Rutgers
Fr. – F – Oss, Netherlands – De Rooi Pannen Tilburg

• Accounted for two-thirds of her team’s goals over the weekend, tallying back-to-back game-winners against Michigan State and Ohio State
• Both goals were high-quality finishes — a redirect against the Spartans and a stick-handling move around the goalkeeper versus the Buckeyes
• Helped the Scarlet Knights to their second win against a Top-10 opponent this season
• Receives her first Big Ten Freshman weekly accolade
• Last Rutgers Big Ten Freshman of the Week: Anna Cogdell (Sept. 30, 2024)

2024 Big Ten Field Hockey Weekly Awards
Sept. 3
O: Makenna Webster, Gr., F, OSU
D: Abby Danson, Sr., G, OSU
F: Aby Deverka, Fr., G, PSU

Sept. 9
O: Kate McLaughlin, Gr., F, MICH
D: Annabel Skubisz, Gr., G, NU
F: Ella Gaitan, Fr., F, MD

Sept. 16
O: Kate McLaughlin, Gr., F, MICH
D: Abby Danson, Sr., G, OSU
F: Aby Deverka, Fr., G, PSU

Sept. 23
O: Makenna Webster, Gr., F, OSU
D: Annabel Skubisz, Gr., G, NU
F: Nadia Nemeth, Fr., M/F, NU

Sept. 30
O: Sophia Gladieux, Sr., F, PSU
D: Sophia Howard, Sr., G, RU
F: Anna Cogdell, Fr., M/B, RU

Oct. 7
O: Ashley Sessa, So., F, NU
D: Hala Silverstein, Fr., G, MICH
F: Ella Gaitan, Fr., F, MD

Oct. 14
O: Abby Tamer, Jr., F/M, MICH
D: Sadie Canelli, Fr., G, IND
F: Mijntje Hagen, Fr., F, IND

Oct. 21
O: Ashley Sessa, So., F, NU
D: Sophia Howard, Sr., G, RU
F: Sophie Kuiper, Fr., F, RU