Northwestern University Athletics
Five Wildcats Named to NFHCA Collegiate Watch List
9/16/2022 10:20:00β―AM | Field Hockey
EVANSTON, Ill. β Bente Baekers, Kayla Blas, Annabel Skubisz, Lauren Wadas and Maddie Zimmer were named to theΒ NFHCA Collegiate Watch List, the National Field Hockey Coaches Association announced Thursday. No. 1 Northwestern's five selections are tied for sixth among Division I schools and rank second in the Big Ten.
The list represents "those collegiate student-athletes with the strongest potential for consideration to the 2022 NFHCA All-Region and All-American teams." 2022 is the inaugural year for the NFHCA Watch List.
Baekers, a three-time NFHCA All-American, is off to one of the hottest starts in collegiate history, having scored 12 goals and 26 points throughΒ the Wildcats' first six games, both marks leading the nation. She has scored in all six games, the longest streak to start a season by a Wildcat since at least 1996, and is on pace for 36 goals in the regular season, which would be a Northwestern record.
Blas, a member of the NFHCA All-American Second Team in 2020-21,Β leads the country with seven assists after setting a career high and leading the team with 12 last season.Β
She has catapulted herself into the top-10 on the Northwestern career assists leader board this season, currently clocking in at ninth with 34 career assists, needing one more to move into a tie for seventh place in program history.
SkubiszΒ has secured a perfect 6-0 record in goal to start the season, only the second time in history the Wildcats have reached that mark with the first instance coming in 1985. The Houston, Texas native won Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on Sept.Β 6 and recorded three straight shutouts from Sept. 2 to Sept. 9, the first time that's happened in Northwestern history since 2012.
Wadas has played a pivotal role in the Northwestern midfield, notably recording a season-high two assists in the season opening win over then-No. 22 Maine. She has helped Northwestern fire 133 shots while limiting its opponents to 46, marking an average 14.5 more shots per game for the Wildcats than their competition.
Zimmer, a two time NFHCA All-American and the 2021 NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player, is the heartbeat of the Wildcat attack β always involved in the middle of the play, even when it doesn't show up on the stat sheet. She scored her first goal of the season on Sept. 4 against then-No. 14 Boston College.
Find the full list here.
The list represents "those collegiate student-athletes with the strongest potential for consideration to the 2022 NFHCA All-Region and All-American teams." 2022 is the inaugural year for the NFHCA Watch List.
Baekers, a three-time NFHCA All-American, is off to one of the hottest starts in collegiate history, having scored 12 goals and 26 points throughΒ the Wildcats' first six games, both marks leading the nation. She has scored in all six games, the longest streak to start a season by a Wildcat since at least 1996, and is on pace for 36 goals in the regular season, which would be a Northwestern record.
Blas, a member of the NFHCA All-American Second Team in 2020-21,Β leads the country with seven assists after setting a career high and leading the team with 12 last season.Β
She has catapulted herself into the top-10 on the Northwestern career assists leader board this season, currently clocking in at ninth with 34 career assists, needing one more to move into a tie for seventh place in program history.
SkubiszΒ has secured a perfect 6-0 record in goal to start the season, only the second time in history the Wildcats have reached that mark with the first instance coming in 1985. The Houston, Texas native won Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on Sept.Β 6 and recorded three straight shutouts from Sept. 2 to Sept. 9, the first time that's happened in Northwestern history since 2012.
Wadas has played a pivotal role in the Northwestern midfield, notably recording a season-high two assists in the season opening win over then-No. 22 Maine. She has helped Northwestern fire 133 shots while limiting its opponents to 46, marking an average 14.5 more shots per game for the Wildcats than their competition.
Zimmer, a two time NFHCA All-American and the 2021 NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player, is the heartbeat of the Wildcat attack β always involved in the middle of the play, even when it doesn't show up on the stat sheet. She scored her first goal of the season on Sept. 4 against then-No. 14 Boston College.
Find the full list here.
Players Mentioned
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