2025 Northwestern field hockey player previews — Incoming first-years

The newcomers who are to join Tracey Fuchs’ squad in their quest for another national title.

Northwestern field hockey seeks a fifth consecutive national championship game appearance and a third title this coming fall. Maddie Zimmer, the 2024 Honda Sport Award winner, returns for one last ride with the ‘Cats, while stars like Ilse Tromp, Olivia Bent-Cole and Ashley Sessa enter their junior campaigns.

With all this in mind, it’s important for Northwestern’s younger players to grow into key contributors like the names mentioned above. The Wildcats are the undisputed No. 1 program in the nation, but significant roster turnover is happening in the next few years.

It’s time to consider the future of Northwestern field hockey. Currently at the forefront of that future are those who will begin their four-year journeys in purple and white this fall.

Annika de Haan | Midfield | St. Ignatius Gymnasium

After taking a gap year to gain experience in Spain, Annika de Haan joins a squad in need of midfielders with the departures of Lauren Wadas, Lauren Hunter, Regan Cornelius, and more.

Since the age of 14, de Haan has played on the big stage. She was a pre-selection for the Dutch National B Team and a representative of the North-Holland Regional Team. She played for Dutch club HC Athena all throughout high school at the Super A national level.

Dutch sports talent agency Slamstox praised de Haan for her composure, noting that she excels in one-on-one situations on both sides of the ball. The agency also noted her ability to set up teammates for scoring opportunities, as well as her speed and agility.

Julia Soriano | Back/Midfielder | New Trier

As a former standout for the Trevians, Soriano brings a lot of promise to Northwestern. The senior captain was named to the IHSFHA All-State First Team after leading New Trier High School to a state championship.

Soriano’s performance this past year was good enough to earn an invite to the Team USA U-21 Junior Nexus Championships last month. Upon her return from Virginia Beach, fans should be excited for her potential impact on the championship-contending Wildcats.

Lindsey Brown | Midfield | Algonquin Regional

In an interview with the Community Advocate, a Central Massachusetts-based newspaper, Brown recalled Northwestern as one of her “reach schools.” She was in pure disbelief after receiving an offer from Fuchs the summer of 2023, and just two months later, called her to let her know she’d be coming to Evanston.

Brown was an integral part in transforming Algonquin Regional High School field hockey into a state contender. She spent her underclassman years coming off the bench as the team went a combined 6-20-2. She broke through in her junior campaign, tallying 22 goals and five assists as captain as her Titans went 13-2-3, helping her team to the MIAA D-1 semifinals.

Much like Soriano and de Haan, Brown also took the national stage before her collegiate career. Following her junior season, she was one of 23 players selected for the U.S U-18 National Team. A nod to the U-21 team is likely to be in her future, and joining the 2024 national champs is a huge help to her resume.

Kayla Joyce | Goalie | North Allegheny

The graduation of two-time Big Ten Goalie of the Year Annabel Skubisz leaves a massive hole in goal for Northwestern, and it seems that Juliana Boon will have the difficult task of patching it up in 2025. However, Joyce will further bolster the Wildcat goalie room.

As the full-time starter in her final two seasons for North Allegheny Senior High School, Joyce made 611 saves with an 88% save percentage. The back half of her high school career is highlighted by a career night against Magnificat in 2023, where she stopped 46 of 48 shots in an all-time effort, despite the 2-0 loss.

Joyce’s junior year was undoubtedly her best. Her .901 save percentage that season is the fifth-highest ever recorded by the National Federation of State High School Associations governing body (NFHS).

The Pennsylvania native enters Northwestern as a two-time Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) All-Star, most recently being named first-team all-state by the Pennsylvania High School Field Hockey Coaches Association. With time, she could grow into a goalie who gets minutes for NU.

The ‘Cats will be a national force in field hockey for years to come. The question is how these four will fit to uphold the excellence of the program.