Bent-Cole Tabbed NFHCA Offensive Player of the Week

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Scoring seven points across two crucial Big Ten wins at home, Northwestern field hockey's Olivia Bent-Cole was named National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Offensive Player of the Week. The senior forward posted three goals and an assist over the weekend, helping the No. 1 ‘Cats improve to 16-1 (7-0 Big Ten) and claim their fourth-straight Big Ten Championship.

Collecting the national weekly accolade for the first time in her career, Bent-Cole earns the honor after posting a hat trick in NU’s victory over then-No. 1 Maryland and being named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week on Monday. The senior notched three goals in the Wildcats’ 4-2 win against the top-ranked Terps, and logged her ninth assist of the season in Sunday’s 2-1 victory over Rutgers.

With 25 points on the year, Bent-Cole has tied her career-best and is fifth in the Big Ten in points (1.67 points per game).

Her seven-point weekend performance increases her ‘Cats’ career scoring tally to 91 points, moving into 17th place on Northwestern’s career scoring leaderboard. This season, she has been a standout from both a scoring and facilitating standpoint. Her nine assists are just one off her career-high of 10 from 2025.

The two-time First Team All-Big Ten selection was also tabbed for last season’s NFHCA All-West First Team and All-American Third Team honors. She joins senior forward Ashley Sessa (Oct. 7) as a Wildcat NFHCA Offensive Player of the Week honoree this season.

Bent-Cole and the ‘Cats are 16-1 on the season (7-0 Big Ten) and seek to claim an outright conference championship this week, after clinching a share at home. NU will conclude its regular season at No. 19 Penn State, taking on the Nittany Lions on Friday, Oct. 30. Pass-back is slated for 2 p.m. CT, and the game will be streamed on B1G+.