'Cats Host No. 1 Maryland Thursday Night, Rutgers for Senior Day

EVANSTON, Ill. - The No. 2 Northwestern field hockey team is set for its penultimate weekend of regular-season competition, headlined by a marquee matchup against No. 1 Maryland (14-0, 5-0 Big Ten) on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m. CT at Lakeside Field. Next, the Wildcats (14-1, 5-0 Big Ten) take on Rutgers (9-6, 3-2 Big Ten) on Sunday, Oct. 25, at 12 p.m. CT for Senior Day.

Northwestern’s top-ranked conference clash against Maryland brings together the final two undefeated teams so far in Big Ten regular-season play.

Scouting the Terrapins
Maryland has a slight series advantage over Northwestern, posing a 19-18 all-time record in head-to-head matches. However, the ‘Cats have been the better team in recent years, winning the last four matchups between the two teams.

Northwestern most recently played Maryland on Oct. 19, 2025, when they overcame a 1-0 deficit at halftime to win 2-1. The rivalry has seen several high-stakes contests in recent years, including Northwestern’s 1-0 overtime Big Ten tournament win over Maryland in 2023, as well as its 2-1 victory over the Terps in the 2022 NCAA Tournament Semifinals.

After missing the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in 30 years last season, Maryland has bounced back in a significant way this year. It is the only undefeated Division I team in 2026 and has garnered its first No. 1 ranking since 2013. The Terrapins currently sit at 14-0 with wins over No. 7 Duke and No. 8 Princeton.

Maryland is led offensively by junior forward Babs van Hest, a new team addition from the Netherlands. Her eight goals and nine assists rank fourth in the Big Ten for total points. Goalkeeper Alyssa Klebasko is second in the conference for save percentage (.830) and goals-against average (0.98). 

Other top Terrapins include reigning 2025 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Jordyn Hollamon and 2025 First-Team All-Big Ten honoree Josie Hollamon.

Scouting the Scarlet Knights
Northwestern is 13-5 all-time against Rutgers, with a four-game ongoing win streak against the Scarlet Knights that dates back to 2022. The Wildcats most recently beat the Scarlet Knights 5-0 on Oct. 10, 2025, a match that took place in Piscataway, N.J. NU’s last home contest against Rutgers was a 4-0 win on Oct. 4, 2024.

Rutgers is 9-6 in 2026, with a 3-2 record in Big Ten play. Its conference wins are all part of a three-game win streak it is currently riding, which includes a shootout win against Ohio State and an overtime win over then-No. 18 Michigan. The Scarlet Knights also have a shootout win over then-No. 12 Syracuse from Sept. 6.

Leading RU in scoring is senior forward Olivia Fraticelli, who has 12 goals and an assist on the season. She ranks third in the Big Ten for total goals scored. Fifth-year forward Talia Schenck and sophomore forward Frederique Vernooj top the Scarlet Knights’ assist leaderboard with seven apiece.

Northwestern Players to Watch
Northwestern senior back Ilse Tromp is having a career season both offensively and defensively. She currently has 11 goals on the year, just four away from her single-season career high of 15 from 2025. Two of those goals came from the Wildcats’ Oct. 16 contest win against No. 13 Indiana.

Olivia Bent-Cole will also be a player to watch. The senior forward scored Northwestern’s sole goal in its overtime win versus Maryland in the 2023 Big Ten tournament. This season, she has been a standout from both a scoring and facilitating standpoint. Her eight assists, one of which came against Indiana, are just two off her career-high of 10 from 2025.

First-year forward Raquel Hofmeister scored her third career goal against the Hoosiers to put NU up 4-1. She has been picking up offensive momentum in the backstretch of the season, as all three of her goals come from the ‘Cats' last seven games.

NFHCA Week Eight Ranking: No. 2. For the second straight week, Northwestern is ranked second in the NFHCA polls. The ‘Cats have been ranked in the first or second spot in the polls all season, and currently trail No. 1 Maryland for the top spot.