Wildcats Set to Face #5 Duke, #8 Boston College

EVANSTON, Ill. – After notching two shutout wins on the highway to open the season, the No. 1 Northwestern discipline hockey staff (2-0) continues its east coast travels this weekend with a pair of top-10 matchups. The Wildcats will face No. 5 Duke (1-1) and No. 8 Boston College (2-0) in Durham, N.C., for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

NU takes on the Blue Devils on Friday, Sept. 5 at 5 p.m. CT, and the Eagles on Sunday, Sept. 7 at 11 a.m. CT. Both video games will probably be held at Williams Field at Jack Katz Stadium, and will probably be broadcast on ACC Network. 

The Friday assembly with Duke will mark the seventeenth all-time between applications, with the collection even at 8-8. Northwestern has gained 5 straight towards the Blue Devils, together with the final assembly in Durham, a 3-0 victory in 2021. The pair met for the primary time in 1996.

With 20 video games of historical past towards the Eagles, the ‘Cats lead the all-time collection 16-4. Meeting for the primary time in 1985, their most up-to-date matchup was a 1-0 victory for NU in 2024. The Wildcats have gained the final three video games towards Boston College.

Scouting the Blue Devils

Duke concluded its 2024 marketing campaign with an 13-7 (.650) document. The Blue Devils’ season ended within the second spherical of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, falling 3-0 to #1 UNC. Their ultimate National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) rating of the season was No. 9. Duke’s 2025 squad options 5 NFHCA Preseason Watchlist honorees in Madison Beach, Paige Bitting, Julia Boehringer, Macy Szukics and Alaina McVeigh.

Scouting the Eagles

Boston College concluded its 2024 marketing campaign with an 14-7 (.667) document. The Eagles’ season ended within the first spherical of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, falling to Princeton, 1-0. They concluded the season at No. 7 within the NFHCA rankings. BC returns NFHCA Northeast Regional honorees Charlotte Kramer, Eva Kluskens and Madelieve Drion for the 2025 season.

Northwestern Notables

Northwestern now boasts a 39-2 document (.951 successful share) in common season non-conference play since 2021. NU enters the 2025 season with three returning NFHCA All-Americans in Ashley Sessa, Ilse Tromp and Maddie Zimmer.

Starting their season on the highway, the Wildcats went 2-0 in Richmond for his or her opening weekend at Richmond (W, 4-0) and VCU (W, 3-0). NU notched two shutouts, recording its first consecutive shutouts to open a season since 2011. The Wildcats’ protection was dominant at VCU, permitting just one shot by the Rams, the fewest by a Wildcat opponent since a 5-0 victory over Kent State on October 20, 2019.

Aerin Krys led the ‘Cats offense within the Richmond weekend, tallying 5 factors between two objectives and an help. Graduate switch and two-time All-Ivy ahead Grace Schulze had a right away affect in her first recreation with NU, scoring two objectives towards Richmond. Juliana Boon made her collegiate debut, and have become the primary goalkeeper for Northwestern to document two shutouts in her first three begins or much less since Anna Kalfas in 2017.

The ‘Cats added seven newcomers within the low season, together with switch abilities Kate Janssen, Kerry McCormick and Schulze from Delaware, Old Dominion and Princeton respectively.

After claiming their second nationwide championship in 4 years, and eighth Big Ten common season title, the ‘Cats stay up for assault their 2025 slate. Over half of Northwestern’s 2025 opponents seem in NFHCA preseason rankings.

The 2025 captains for Northwestern are Greta Hinke, Krys and Zimmer.

NFHCA Preseason Ranking: No. 1. The Aug. 26 rating is available in as Northwestern’s first unanimous preseason No. 1 from the NFHCA. It is the third season previously 4 years (2022, 2024) that the ‘Cats topped the ballot heading into common season competitors. The Wildcats spent six weeks within the No. 1 spot final season en path to successful this system’s third nationwide title.

Preseason Watchlists: Sessa, Tromp and Zimmer seem on the Big Ten Players to Watch checklist. Hinke, Laura Salamanca, Schulze, Sessa, Tromp and Zimmer had been tabbed for the 2025 NFHCA DI Watch List.