Northwestern University Athletics
Photo by: Colin B Photography
Baekers, Blas and Zimmer Named to Preseason Honors List
2/24/2021 6:10:00β―PM | Field Hockey
ROSEMONT, IL. - Β The Big Ten Conference announced its 2020-21 field hockey preseason honors on Wednesday, highlighted by 10 All-Big Ten selections from last season.
Seven first-team All-Big Ten students from the 2019-20 campaign headline this year's preseason choices β Iowa'sΒ Maddy Murphy, Maryland'sΒ Emma DeBerdine, Michigan'sΒ Halle O'Neill,Β Northwestern'sΒ Bente Baekers, Ohio State'sΒ Mackenzie AllessieΒ and Rutgers'Β Gianna GlatzΒ andΒ Katie Larmour. Preseason honorees who earned second-team All-Big Ten recognition last season include Iowa'sΒ Anthe Nijziel, Michigan'sΒ Kathryn Peterson, along with Northwestern'sΒ Kayla Blas.
Β
Twenty-one members of the 2020-21 Big Ten field hockey preseason honors list excelled academically, earning Academic All-Big Ten accolades in the fall. In addition, Indiana'sΒ Mary Kate Kesler, Iowa'sΒ Lokke Stribos,Β Maryland'sΒ Brooke DeBerdine,Β Michigan State'sΒ Cara BonshakΒ andΒ Meredith Ross, Penn State'sΒ Emma Spisak, and Rutgers'Β Kerrie Burns, Glatz and Larmour were 2020 Big Ten Distinguished Scholars.
The 2020-21 season officially starts this weekend with all nine conference teams in action in Virginia Beach, Va.
The complete list of 2020-21 Big Ten field hockey preseason honorees appears below.
2020-21 Big Ten Field Hockey Preseason Honors
Seven first-team All-Big Ten students from the 2019-20 campaign headline this year's preseason choices β Iowa'sΒ Maddy Murphy, Maryland'sΒ Emma DeBerdine, Michigan'sΒ Halle O'Neill,Β Northwestern'sΒ Bente Baekers, Ohio State'sΒ Mackenzie AllessieΒ and Rutgers'Β Gianna GlatzΒ andΒ Katie Larmour. Preseason honorees who earned second-team All-Big Ten recognition last season include Iowa'sΒ Anthe Nijziel, Michigan'sΒ Kathryn Peterson, along with Northwestern'sΒ Kayla Blas.
Β
Twenty-one members of the 2020-21 Big Ten field hockey preseason honors list excelled academically, earning Academic All-Big Ten accolades in the fall. In addition, Indiana'sΒ Mary Kate Kesler, Iowa'sΒ Lokke Stribos,Β Maryland'sΒ Brooke DeBerdine,Β Michigan State'sΒ Cara BonshakΒ andΒ Meredith Ross, Penn State'sΒ Emma Spisak, and Rutgers'Β Kerrie Burns, Glatz and Larmour were 2020 Big Ten Distinguished Scholars.
The 2020-21 season officially starts this weekend with all nine conference teams in action in Virginia Beach, Va.
The complete list of 2020-21 Big Ten field hockey preseason honorees appears below.
2020-21 Big Ten Field Hockey Preseason Honors
| Name | School | Yr. | Position | Hometown |
| Jemima Cookson Β |
Indiana | Fr. | Forward | Morpeth, England |
| Sydney Keld Β |
Indiana | Fr. | Back | Middletown, Del. |
| Mary Kate Kesler Β |
Indiana | Jr. | Midfield | Louisville, Ky. |
| Maddy Murphy | Iowa | Sr. | Forward | Riana, Tasmania |
| Anthe Nijziel | Iowa | Jr. | Defense | Eindhoven, The Netherlands |
| Lokke Stribos | Iowa | Jr. | Midfield/Defense | Brussels, Belgium |
| Brooke DeBerdine | Maryland | Sr. | Midfield | Millersville, Penn. |
| Emma DeBerdine | Maryland | So. | Midfield | Millersville, Penn. |
| Noelle Frost | Maryland | Gr. | Goalkeeper | Glenwood, Md. |
| Halle O'Neill | Michigan | Sr. | Back | Hummelstown, Penn. |
| Kathryn Peterson | Michigan | Jr. | Midfield | San Diego, Calif. |
| Sarah Pyrtek | Michigan | So. | Forward/Midfield | Bonn, Germany |
| Cara Bonshak Β |
Michigan State | Sr. | Midfield | Whitehall, Penn. |
| Merel Hanssen Β |
Michigan State | So. | Midfield | Boxmeer, The Netherlands |
| Meredith Ross | Michigan State | Sr. | Forward | Berwyn, Penn. |
| Bente Baekers | Northwestern | So. | Forward | Rijswijk, The Netherlands |
| Kayla Blas | Northwestern | Jr. | Back/Midfield | Pendleton, N.Y. |
| Maddie Zimmer | Northwestern | Fr. | Midfield | Hershey, Penn. |
| Mackenzie Allessie | Ohio State | So. | Midfield | Mount Joy, Penn. |
| Leanne Bough | Ohio State | So. | Midfield | Whitney Point, N.Y. |
| Aaliyah Hernandez | Ohio State | Jr. | Goalkeeper | Virginia Beach, Va. |
| Madison Hutson | Penn State | Sr. | Midfield/Defense | Gloucester Point, Va. |
| Abby Myers | Penn State | Sr. | Forward/Midfield | Hartland, Wis. |
| Emma Spisak | Penn State | Sr. | Midfield | Boiling Springs, Penn. |
| Kerrie Burns | Rutgers | Sr. | Back | Portadown, Ireland |
| Gianna Glatz | Rutgers | Sr. | Goalkeeper | Medford, N.J. |
| Katie Larmour | Rutgers | Sr. | Midfield | Belfast, Ireland |
Players Mentioned
Field Hockey - Back-to-back. πππππππππ. π 2025 NCAA Final Cinematic Recap
Tuesday, December 09
Field Hockey - Wildcats Repeat as National Champs with 2OT Game-Winner over Princeton (11/29/25)
Sunday, November 23
Field Hockey - With π‘πππ«π. NCAA Semifinal Cinematic Recap (11/21/25)
Sunday, November 23
Field Hockey - βCats Topple No. 1 UNC 4-3 in Overtime, Clinch Fifth Straight Title Appearance
Friday, November 21
