Northwestern University Athletics
Photo by: Stephen J. Carrera
Blas Named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year; Baekers, Zimmer Earn All-Big Ten First Team
11/2/2022 2:00:00β―PM | Field Hockey
EVANSTON, Ill. β Fifth-year midfielder Kayla Blas won the 2022 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award, while Bente Baekers and Maddie Zimmer both earned spots on the All-Big Ten First Team, the conference announced Wednesday. Blas also achieved recognition on the All-Big Ten Second Team.
Jordan Carr was selected as a Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree.
A team captain and Northwestern's all-time leader in games played, Blas has established herself as a legendary figure in program history with her quietly dominant versatility and steadfast leadership. Blas is the first Wildcat to win Defensive Player of the Year in 27 years and the third to ever take home the honor, joining Lorette Vorstman in 1987 and 1988 and Betsy Vance in 1995.
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She leads Northwestern and ranks second in the Big Ten with 12 assists this season, moving herself into the top 10 for career assists in Northwestern history, and enters the postseason with an assist in four straight games. The Pendleton, New York native has also scored a goal and recorded a defensive save in 2022. Blas leads a Northwestern defense that is holding opponents to 10.3 shots and 4.6 penalty corners per game while recording five shutouts and a 1.19 goals against average.
Baekers, the nation's leader in points, earned her third selection to the conference First Team and her fourth straight All-Big Ten honors. The Netherlands native has scored 51 points on 22 goals, second most in the country and most in the Big Ten, and seven assists. She started the year with a career-high four goals in the season opener and proceeded to score in each of the team's first seven games, the only Wildcat to do so to begin a season this century. Baekers ranks second among all active players nationally in career goals, goals per game, points and points per game.
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Zimmer has now been named first-team All-Big Ten in all three years since she started at Northwestern in 2020. She has scored two goals this year while flashing arguably the fastest speed and most skillful handles in the country. Also a two-time All-American, Zimmer is a member of the senior US Women's National Team.
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No. 4 Northwestern begins its postseason campaign Thursday in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. The Wildcats enter as the three seed and are set to face six-seed and No. 18 Rutgers in the quarterfinals. That game will start at 4 p.m. CT. in Columbus, Ohio on Big Ten Plus.
Jordan Carr was selected as a Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree.
A team captain and Northwestern's all-time leader in games played, Blas has established herself as a legendary figure in program history with her quietly dominant versatility and steadfast leadership. Blas is the first Wildcat to win Defensive Player of the Year in 27 years and the third to ever take home the honor, joining Lorette Vorstman in 1987 and 1988 and Betsy Vance in 1995.
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Kayla Blas can read minds ?????#B1GCats | #NUFH pic.twitter.com/WrIV8gNX0I
β Northwestern Field Hockey (@NUFHCats) September 25, 2022
She leads Northwestern and ranks second in the Big Ten with 12 assists this season, moving herself into the top 10 for career assists in Northwestern history, and enters the postseason with an assist in four straight games. The Pendleton, New York native has also scored a goal and recorded a defensive save in 2022. Blas leads a Northwestern defense that is holding opponents to 10.3 shots and 4.6 penalty corners per game while recording five shutouts and a 1.19 goals against average.
Baekers, the nation's leader in points, earned her third selection to the conference First Team and her fourth straight All-Big Ten honors. The Netherlands native has scored 51 points on 22 goals, second most in the country and most in the Big Ten, and seven assists. She started the year with a career-high four goals in the season opener and proceeded to score in each of the team's first seven games, the only Wildcat to do so to begin a season this century. Baekers ranks second among all active players nationally in career goals, goals per game, points and points per game.
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NUMBER 8??0??
β Northwestern Field Hockey (@NUFHCats) October 14, 2022
Baekers finishes off Halsey's feed to become the second player in program history and fifth player in Big Ten history to reach 80 career goals ??
'Cats 1, Michigan State 0#B1GCats | #NUFH pic.twitter.com/9IaVrio9UK
Zimmer has now been named first-team All-Big Ten in all three years since she started at Northwestern in 2020. She has scored two goals this year while flashing arguably the fastest speed and most skillful handles in the country. Also a two-time All-American, Zimmer is a member of the senior US Women's National Team.
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Wow wow wow!!!! ??
β Northwestern Field Hockey (@NUFHCats) September 16, 2022
Maddie Zimmer goes midfield to goal for her second goal of the season in the first half.#B1GCats | #NUFH pic.twitter.com/MwMRfbxJiu
No. 4 Northwestern begins its postseason campaign Thursday in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. The Wildcats enter as the three seed and are set to face six-seed and No. 18 Rutgers in the quarterfinals. That game will start at 4 p.m. CT. in Columbus, Ohio on Big Ten Plus.
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