Women's Lacrosse
Nielsen, Hannah

Hannah Nielsen
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
Hannah Nielsen, a four-time national champion, two-time Tewaaraton Award winner, NCAA record holder and Northwestern’s all-time leader in points and assists, rejoined the Wildcats’ program as an assistant coach on Jan. 3, 2017.
Nielsen still holds Northwestern career records in points (398) and assists (224) and ranks sixth in program history with 174 goals. Her career assist total still ranks first in the Division I record book, while she also holds the NCAA single-season assist record with 83 from the 2009 season.
She was inducted to the Northwestern Athletic Hall of Fame in 2014.
One of the greatest players in the history of the sport, Nielsen captured the Tewaaraton Trophy and Lacrosse Honda Sports Award in 2008 and 2009. She was a three-time IWLCA first-team All-American and was named IWLCA, WomensLax.com and Womenslacrosse.com Player of the Year in her junior and senior seasons. Nielsen earned the Big Ten Conference’s Suzy Favor Award, presented to the league’s Female Athlete of the Year, in 2008.
She was named the American Lacrosse Conference Player of the Year and earned first-team all-conference selection in 2008 and 2009, while also earning ALC Championship Most Valuable Player honors in the same seasons.
Nielsen recorded at least one point in her last 67 games as a Wildcat. She started all 88 games of her Northwestern career with an 85-3 overall record while leading the ’Cats to four-straight national titles.
Also a member of the Australia women’s national lacrosse team, Nielsen was a member of the Australian U-19 team (2003 & 2007) as well as the 2005 World-Cup-winning senior team, and was selected as an All-Star player in both the 2009 and 2013 World Cups. The Adelaide, Australia, native will represent her country in a third-straight World Cup this summer.
Nielsen most recently spent two years as an assistant coach at Colorado University under former Wildcat Ann Elliott. In its inaugural season, CU posted an 11-8 record overall and 6-3 mark in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation to enter its first MPSF tournament as a No. 3 seed. The Buffs went 11-7 in Nielsen’s second year as an assistant, compiling a 22-15 record overall during her two years in Boulder.
Prior to Colorado, Nielsens was a member of Towson’s staff and helped the Tigers to a 27-11 record in two seasons with two Colonial Athletic Association regular season championships and the 2011 CAA Championship title. Towson was 11-7 in her first season in 2010 and improved to 16-4 in her second, a program record for victories.
After the conclusion of her playing career at Northwestern, Nielsen spent a season at Penn State University, helping the Nittany Lions to a 10-7 mark.
Nielsen graduated in 2009 with a degree in human development and psychological services.
Nielsen still holds Northwestern career records in points (398) and assists (224) and ranks sixth in program history with 174 goals. Her career assist total still ranks first in the Division I record book, while she also holds the NCAA single-season assist record with 83 from the 2009 season.
She was inducted to the Northwestern Athletic Hall of Fame in 2014.
One of the greatest players in the history of the sport, Nielsen captured the Tewaaraton Trophy and Lacrosse Honda Sports Award in 2008 and 2009. She was a three-time IWLCA first-team All-American and was named IWLCA, WomensLax.com and Womenslacrosse.com Player of the Year in her junior and senior seasons. Nielsen earned the Big Ten Conference’s Suzy Favor Award, presented to the league’s Female Athlete of the Year, in 2008.
She was named the American Lacrosse Conference Player of the Year and earned first-team all-conference selection in 2008 and 2009, while also earning ALC Championship Most Valuable Player honors in the same seasons.
Nielsen recorded at least one point in her last 67 games as a Wildcat. She started all 88 games of her Northwestern career with an 85-3 overall record while leading the ’Cats to four-straight national titles.
Also a member of the Australia women’s national lacrosse team, Nielsen was a member of the Australian U-19 team (2003 & 2007) as well as the 2005 World-Cup-winning senior team, and was selected as an All-Star player in both the 2009 and 2013 World Cups. The Adelaide, Australia, native will represent her country in a third-straight World Cup this summer.
Nielsen most recently spent two years as an assistant coach at Colorado University under former Wildcat Ann Elliott. In its inaugural season, CU posted an 11-8 record overall and 6-3 mark in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation to enter its first MPSF tournament as a No. 3 seed. The Buffs went 11-7 in Nielsen’s second year as an assistant, compiling a 22-15 record overall during her two years in Boulder.
Prior to Colorado, Nielsens was a member of Towson’s staff and helped the Tigers to a 27-11 record in two seasons with two Colonial Athletic Association regular season championships and the 2011 CAA Championship title. Towson was 11-7 in her first season in 2010 and improved to 16-4 in her second, a program record for victories.
After the conclusion of her playing career at Northwestern, Nielsen spent a season at Penn State University, helping the Nittany Lions to a 10-7 mark.
Nielsen graduated in 2009 with a degree in human development and psychological services.