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49 F or the University of Iowa field hockey program, the annual Senior Day festivities have been put on hold. In a typical year, a senior class would be celebrated at the end of a season. is year on the day that our senior recognition would have normally been held — the last regular-season home game — Iowa celebrated a victory over No. 13 Maryland. Even better, the Hawkeyes celebrated that their senior foursome would return for the 2021 fall season. On April 4, on what would have been the senior celebration, the No. 2 ranked University of Iowa field hockey team defeated No. 13 Maryland, 3-0, a feat that had not been achieved since Sept. 10, 1994. e kicker was that the Hawkeyes had not defeated the Terrapins since head coach Lisa Cellucci was a freshman on the team. A lot of factors played into the 27-year drought, including only 12 meetings during that span, two of which were NCAA Tournament Final Four meetings. Another was an additional NCAA meeting, and once was during a Big Ten Tournament. is year's team is led by seniors Maddy Murphy, Nikki Freeman, Ellie Holley and Emily Deuell. With all five student-athletes finishing their fourth seasons as Hawkeyes, this would typically be the last few weeks of their careers. Due to the NCAA granting players another year of eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic, all five seniors are choosing to return for one last go around. e seniors will be part of select field hockey programs in the country to play two full seasons in one calendar year. e four have been involved in two NCAA appearances so far for the Hawkeyes. ey also are the reigning Big Ten regular season champions and Big Ten Tournament champions. "It's definitely going to have its challenges (playing back-to-back seasons), but I am grateful to have another season to play the sport I love with this incredible team," Murphy said of the double-season opportunity. "Getting to play a proper season in the spring is just an added bonus." Murphy is not alone in her excitement to spend another season as a Hawkeye. e other seniors added that they aren't ready to leave their teammates and the team chemistry they've built. "We love playing hockey and getting to play with this team for another season is amazing," Freeman said. "We know this team is something special, and we want to be apart of it for as long as we can." With only one weekend le of the regular season before heading into the Big Ten Tournament and the NCAA Tournament, the seniors are beginning to lock in on what could be a successful postseason for the Hawkeyes. "Our mindset going into Big Tens is to stay present and grateful for every opportunity we are given," Deuell said. "Our team is so cohesive and the individuals within it are incredibly talented, so we know our best strategy is to go in united and focused on one game at a time." APRIL SCHEDULE April 15 at Northwestern April 17 at Northwestern April 20-24 Big Ten Tournament (Iowa City, Iowa)