Northwestern University Athletics
Sunday, November 23
Durham, N.C.
12 pm CT
Northwestern
vs
Princeton
Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics
NU to Meet Princeton in NCAA Championship
11/22/2025 6:25:00 PM | Field Hockey
DURHAM, N.C. - Attacking another national championship, the No. 2 Northwestern field hockey team seeks back-to-back titles on Sunday, Nov. 23, facing No. 3 Princeton in the NCAA Final. The Wildcats (21-1, 8-0 Big Ten) are in their fifth consecutive NCAA title game, after defeating No. 1 UNC on Friday in a semifinal overtime thriller. NU will take on the Tigers (18-3, 6-1 Ivy) at noon CT on ESPNU, as the 'Cats aim to avenge their lone loss of the season
NU enters the matchup on a ten-game win streak, leading the nation on both sides of the ball. Junior forward Ashley Sessa holds the No. 1 spot in the NCAA in points scored (64), while redshirt first-year goalkeeper Juliana Boon leads the country in minutes, win percentage, and is tied for most shutouts.
Scouting the Tigers
NU is 3-2 all-time against Princeton. The Wildcats and Tigers last met on Oct. 13 for a regular-season matchup. In Evanston, Princeton won, 3-2, dealing NU its only loss of the year. Three of the five meetings between programs have been one-goal games.
Princeton enters the championship bout on a 14-game winning streak. The most recent loss for the No. 2 seed came on Sept. 26, falling to Harvard, 3-1, at home. The Ivy League Champions defeated No. 20-ranked Fairfield, #10 Syracuse, and #4 Harvard en route to the title game.
Senior forward Beth Yeager leads the Tigers' offense, with 38 points on the season and nine game-winners. The first-team All-Ivy selection earned Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year, and ranks 30th in the NCAA in points per game (1.81).
Princeton goalkeeper Olivia Caponiti is fourth in the nation in GAA (0.81), averaging 0.67 goals allowed in this season's NCAA Tournament games. In the teams' regular-season meeting, the junior posted her season-high of six saves.
NCAA Tournament History
The Wildcats are now 30-19 (.612) in the NCAA Tournament, participating in "the dance" across 21 seasons. NU is 2-2 in title games, each appearance led by Coach Fuchs. In her ninth tournament trip, Fuchs and her coaching staff have now coached NU to five-straight championship games, the first program to do so since 1997-93 (UNC). In 2021 and 2024, NU and Fuchs claimed the title.
Princeton has made it to four previous NCAA Championship games. Winning once, in 2012, the Tigers are 1-3 in finals, with their most recent trip in 2019. They are 33-26 (.559) all-time in NCAA Tournament play, and have never met the 'Cats on this stage.
Northwestern Notables
Last Time Out: The No. 2 Northwestern field hockey team battled back from a two-goal deficit, twice, to stun No. 1 North Carolina 4-3 in overtime in Friday's NCAA Tournament Semifinal clash at Jack Katz Field.
With the win, the Wildcats (21-1, 8-0 Big Ten) advanced to their fifth consecutive national championship game. Graduate student forward Grace Schulze delivered the game-winner, while senior back Maja Zivojnovic, junior forward Olivia Bent-Cole and junior back Ilse Tromp added scores. Graduate student midfielder Maddie Zimmer recorded a career-high three assists.
With 58 saves through her first 22 collegiate starts, redshirt first-year goalkeeper Boon leads the Big Ten and is third in the nation in goals against average (0.78) and is second in the conference in save percentage (0.773). She has allowed 17 goals on the year, is second in the country in goalie win-loss percentage (0.947), and has been credited with 10 of NU's 12 shutouts.
Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Sessa is second in the NCAA in points per game (3.05), and continues to climb the NU leaderboards in scoring, recently reaching 5th for career points, in just her second year as a Wildcat.
Northwestern is the only program in the nation with three players tallying 13+ assists. Sessa leads with 20, while Zimmer has 16, and Aerin Krys has posted 13. Junior back Tromp has posted 32 points this season, earning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, while accomplishing the most by an NU back since at least 2014.
The 2025 captains for Northwestern are Krys, Greta Hinke, and Zimmer.
Northwestern had an impressive showing in the Big Ten Postseason Awards. NU brought home five individual honors, as well as eight 'Cats being named to all-conference teams. Zimmer earned a unanimous selection for her second-straight Big Ten Player of the Year award, while Sessa and Tromp were named Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively. Coach Fuchs and her staff collected their third consecutive Big Ten Coaching Staff of the Year accolade, as the trio has led the 'Cats to three-straight outright regular season conference titles.
NFHCA Week Ten Ranking: No. 2. The Nov. 11 ranking listed Northwestern as the second-ranked team in the nation for the fourth consecutive week. The 'Cats reigned in the NFHCA poll for seven straight polls, which had not been done by any team since 2022. While No. 2, the 'Cats share first-place votes with No. 1 UNC in the latest poll.
NU enters the matchup on a ten-game win streak, leading the nation on both sides of the ball. Junior forward Ashley Sessa holds the No. 1 spot in the NCAA in points scored (64), while redshirt first-year goalkeeper Juliana Boon leads the country in minutes, win percentage, and is tied for most shutouts.
Scouting the Tigers
NU is 3-2 all-time against Princeton. The Wildcats and Tigers last met on Oct. 13 for a regular-season matchup. In Evanston, Princeton won, 3-2, dealing NU its only loss of the year. Three of the five meetings between programs have been one-goal games.
Princeton enters the championship bout on a 14-game winning streak. The most recent loss for the No. 2 seed came on Sept. 26, falling to Harvard, 3-1, at home. The Ivy League Champions defeated No. 20-ranked Fairfield, #10 Syracuse, and #4 Harvard en route to the title game.
Senior forward Beth Yeager leads the Tigers' offense, with 38 points on the season and nine game-winners. The first-team All-Ivy selection earned Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year, and ranks 30th in the NCAA in points per game (1.81).
Princeton goalkeeper Olivia Caponiti is fourth in the nation in GAA (0.81), averaging 0.67 goals allowed in this season's NCAA Tournament games. In the teams' regular-season meeting, the junior posted her season-high of six saves.
NCAA Tournament History
The Wildcats are now 30-19 (.612) in the NCAA Tournament, participating in "the dance" across 21 seasons. NU is 2-2 in title games, each appearance led by Coach Fuchs. In her ninth tournament trip, Fuchs and her coaching staff have now coached NU to five-straight championship games, the first program to do so since 1997-93 (UNC). In 2021 and 2024, NU and Fuchs claimed the title.
FOR THE FIFTH STRAIGHT YEAR, THE WILDCATS ARE HEADED BACK TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP! pic.twitter.com/Rarj4lEsuW
— Northwestern Field Hockey (@NUFHCats) November 21, 2025
Princeton has made it to four previous NCAA Championship games. Winning once, in 2012, the Tigers are 1-3 in finals, with their most recent trip in 2019. They are 33-26 (.559) all-time in NCAA Tournament play, and have never met the 'Cats on this stage.
Northwestern Notables
Last Time Out: The No. 2 Northwestern field hockey team battled back from a two-goal deficit, twice, to stun No. 1 North Carolina 4-3 in overtime in Friday's NCAA Tournament Semifinal clash at Jack Katz Field.
WHAT. A. FINISH ?? https://t.co/Dwy2038noe pic.twitter.com/PerecYfi1E
— Northwestern Field Hockey (@NUFHCats) November 21, 2025
With the win, the Wildcats (21-1, 8-0 Big Ten) advanced to their fifth consecutive national championship game. Graduate student forward Grace Schulze delivered the game-winner, while senior back Maja Zivojnovic, junior forward Olivia Bent-Cole and junior back Ilse Tromp added scores. Graduate student midfielder Maddie Zimmer recorded a career-high three assists.
With 58 saves through her first 22 collegiate starts, redshirt first-year goalkeeper Boon leads the Big Ten and is third in the nation in goals against average (0.78) and is second in the conference in save percentage (0.773). She has allowed 17 goals on the year, is second in the country in goalie win-loss percentage (0.947), and has been credited with 10 of NU's 12 shutouts.
Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Sessa is second in the NCAA in points per game (3.05), and continues to climb the NU leaderboards in scoring, recently reaching 5th for career points, in just her second year as a Wildcat.
Northwestern is the only program in the nation with three players tallying 13+ assists. Sessa leads with 20, while Zimmer has 16, and Aerin Krys has posted 13. Junior back Tromp has posted 32 points this season, earning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, while accomplishing the most by an NU back since at least 2014.
The 2025 captains for Northwestern are Krys, Greta Hinke, and Zimmer.
Northwestern had an impressive showing in the Big Ten Postseason Awards. NU brought home five individual honors, as well as eight 'Cats being named to all-conference teams. Zimmer earned a unanimous selection for her second-straight Big Ten Player of the Year award, while Sessa and Tromp were named Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively. Coach Fuchs and her staff collected their third consecutive Big Ten Coaching Staff of the Year accolade, as the trio has led the 'Cats to three-straight outright regular season conference titles.
NFHCA Week Ten Ranking: No. 2. The Nov. 11 ranking listed Northwestern as the second-ranked team in the nation for the fourth consecutive week. The 'Cats reigned in the NFHCA poll for seven straight polls, which had not been done by any team since 2022. While No. 2, the 'Cats share first-place votes with No. 1 UNC in the latest poll.
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/ Field HockeyField Hockey - ’Cats Topple No. 1 UNC 4-3 in Overtime, Clinch Fifth Straight Title Appearance
Friday, November 21
Field Hockey - 'Cats Defeat No. 11 RedHawks 3-2, Claim Spot in Fifth-Straight Final Four
Sunday, November 16
Field Hockey - NU Downs No. 12 Yale 5-1, Advances to NCAA Quarterfinal
Friday, November 14
Field Hockey - Schulze, ‘Cats Best Michigan, 5-3, in Big Ten Semifinal
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