Boon Earns Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week

EVANSTON, Ill. - After posting two ranked victories at home, Northwestern field hockey's Juliana Boon was tabbed Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week. The junior goalkeeper tallied a career-high seven saves in each of NU’s ranked victories this weekend, helping the No. 1 ‘Cats improve to 6-0.

Boon leads Big Ten starting goalkeepers in clean sheets (four), save percentage (.862) and is second in saves (25).

The reigning Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year also collected First Team All-Conference and Second Team NFHCA All-American honors in her first season as NU’s starter in 2025. Last season, Boon was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week twice (Sept. 8, Sept. 22), as well as Big Ten Freshman of the Week twice (Oct. 6, Oct. 20), and NFHCA DI Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 10). Her 0.78 goals-against average was the best in the Big Ten, and she was also No. 8 in the country in save percentage (0.775).

Boon and the ‘Cats have tallied three ranked victories and head to California to close out their non-conference competition this weekend. NU will face Stanford on Thursday, Sept. 17, slated for 8 p.m. CT. Northwestern will then travel to Davis, Calif., to meet Cal on Saturday, Sept. 19, and UC Davis on Sunday, Sept. 20.

This week’s B1G field hockey award winners:
Offensive: Dionne van Aalsum (#10), Sr., M, IOWA
Defensive: Juliana Boon (#77), Jr., G, NU
Freshman: Kendall Gilmore (#18), Fr., M, MD