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27 A month removed from its best season under head coach Lisa Cellucci, the University of Iowa field hockey team is using the 2018 season as motivation to reach new heights. e Hawkeyes were 14-7 this season with a memorable postseason run, including a Big Ten Tournament runner-up finish and the program's 23rd NCAA Tournament berth. e impressive season started with an upset win over then 14th-ranked Wake Forest, followed by a crushing 2-1 double overtime loss to eventual national champion North Carolina. "Aer the North Carolina game, the team was devasted that we lost in double overtime when we had chances to win," Cellucci said. "It was at that point that I knew we had the potential to have a great season." e poise, skill, and work rate Iowa put on display at the season-opening Big Ten/ACC Challenge along with a few key freshmen had the Hawkeyes on track for a season to remember. And they didn't disappoint. Iowa's highlight reel contained three individual hat tricks, seven shutouts, seven wins over top- 25 opponents, and a six-game winning streak. From being ranked 20th in the initial preseason poll, Iowa reasserted itself into the national conversation, finishing the season ranked seventh. For a team that graduates three seniors, the confidence and experience gained from the postseason run will be a steppingstone for the future. "e game experience our returners received throughout the season was invaluable," Cellucci said. "We were in numerous close games, especially in the postseason, and we had so many freshmen, sophomore, and juniors who made game-changing plays during our NCAA run." Another ingredient to the recipe of success was Iowa's team camaraderie. e team with many different personalities and backgrounds bonded and trained all offseason — and it paid off. "I truly believe one of the keys to this past season was the chemistry and togetherness of the team," Cellucci said. "We have spent a lot of time working on building a championship culture." e championship culture also includes an All-Big Ten three-headed monster in sophomore Maddy Murphy, and juniors Katie Birch and Sophie Sunderland. "We achieved a lot of our goals (in 2018)," Murphy said, "and proved ourselves worthy competitors again and again. Now that we've had a taste of what's possible, we are looking to reach heights in 2019 that our program hasn't seen in many years. We will be hard at work during the offseason and keeping the 2019 NCAA tournament in the forefront of our minds." A number of signature wins has the student- athletes and coaching staff ready to build off an impressive 2018 campaign. "I am proud of how we progressed throughout the season, but more importantly, so proud of the way we went about it," Cellucci said. "It is an exciting time for our program and the team and coaches are motivated to go back to work and are committed to getting better in every facet of our game."