The Iowa Hawkeyes entered the ACC/Big Ten Challenge with a clear mission: to translate early-season momentum into a strong conference showing. They answered that call by winning six of eight contests, including a pair of 17‑0 victories at home against Lehigh and Ball State that set the tone for the entire tournament.
Central to Iowa’s success were senior forwards Fréderique van Cleef and Dionne van Aalsum. Van Cleef recorded two hat tricks, contributing six goals and two assists across the two games, while van Aalsum added five goals, highlighted by a hat trick in the Sunday win over Ball State, propelling the Hawkeyes into the nation’s top‑four.
Challenge Highlights
Northwestern’s Ilse Tromp, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, helped the Wildcats edge No. 6 Duke in overtime, 3‑2, while Maryland’s Francisca Eschoyez netted the decisive goal in a 3‑2 shootout victory over No. 2 Duke after rallying from a two‑goal deficit. Ohio State’s Siena Golden contributed two fourth‑quarter goals in a 2‑1 win over No. 5 Virginia, and Rutgers’ Scarlet Knights secured a 1‑0 shootout triumph over No. 12 Syracuse after a late equalizer.
The Big Ten closed the challenge with a 9‑3 record, underscoring its depth and competitiveness. Iowa, now ranked No. 4, is slated to face No. 11 Miami [OH] and top‑ten Louisville in upcoming conference matchups, a test of whether the Hawkeyes can sustain their early‑season surge.