Season Review: 2016 Michigan Field Hockey

• Team Captain: Eliza Stein
• Record: 12-8 overall, 5-3 Big Ten Conference (3rd place)
• Big Ten Tournament: Semifinals
• NCAA Tournament: First Round

The Wolverines took advantage of an incredible finish to the regular season to propel their young 2016 squad to a 12-8 season record, third-place finishes in both the Big Ten regular-season standings and at the annual tournament and the program's second straight -- and 13th overall -- NCAA Tournament appearance.

Michigan lost six starters from last season, including its entire heralded backfield, so underclassmen dominated the 2016 Michigan roster, with six freshmen and five sophomores. After a 7-1 start to the season, highlighted by a 1-0 win over No. 1 North Carolina in the season opener at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, the Wolverines suffered through a midseason lull with five losses -- four to teams ranked in the nation's top 10 -- over a six-game stretch. They responded with three straight wins against ranked opposition, however, including overtime thrillers against Iowa and Northwestern, to pull themselves back into the NCAA Tournament picture.

Michigan Field Hockey

Team Highlights

• The Wolverines opened the season with a 1-0 win over No. 1 North Carolina at the ACC/Big Ten Challenge -- the program's fourth series win against the Tar Heels and first since 2002. Sophomore Emma Way netted the game-winning goal against North Carolina on a corner rebound with time expired at the 70:00 mark. Way only appeared in the game's second half; she was injured during the UNC pregame warmup and received eight stitches during the first half before rejoining the team at halftime.

• After a disappointing 5-3 loss to in-state rival Michigan State in preseason exhibition game, Michigan returned to East Lansing just a month later and thumped the Spartans, 4-1, in its Big Ten opener. Graduate student Esther de Leijer paced the Wolverines with a goal and two assists.

• The Wolverines claimed three overtime wins over a four-game stretch late in the season to reignite their season. Freshman Meg Dowthwaite netted back-to-back OT game-winners as U-M rallied past No. 16 Iowa, 2-1, before knocking off No. 10 Northwestern, 3-2, on the road less than a week later. Michigan also went to double overtime against MSU in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, tying the game with just 2:44 remaining before sophomore Leah Cardarelli scored the game-winner at the 89:57 mark.

• Michigan put on a show in its regular-season finale against No. 7 Louisville, cruising to a 4-1 rout to give Courtney Enge, Morgan Dever, Sina Lampe and Eliza Stein a memorable win on Senior Day. The Wolverines got on the board late in the first half before pulling away with three goals in the second. Sophomore Emma Way netted two goals, while senior/junior Carly Bennett tallied a goal and two assists. It was the most goals that Cardinal goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran, a first team All-American, allowed in a game all season.

Michigan Field Hockey

Individual Highlights

• Junior Katie Trombetta, the Wolverines' second legacy player in program history with her mother, Patti [Farley] (1986-89), was named to the NFHCA All-America third team, becoming the fourth different Michigan player to net her first All-America citation over the last three seasons. Trombetta posted three goals and three assists, and anchored a defensive unit that posted a 1.36 goals-against average and just 9.1 shots allowed per game.

• Junior goalkeeper Sam Swenson continued to establish herself as one of the nation's top goalkeepers with another standout season. Swenson ranked eighth nationally with a 1.32 goals-against average and ninth with a .750 save percentage. She contributed to five shutout wins, including three complete-game efforts. She earned NFHCA All-West Region and All-Big Ten second team honors and was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week three times.

• Freshman Meg Dowthwaite demonstrated a knack for overtime heroics with her back-to-back game-winners against Iowa and Northwestern in the final weeks of the regular season. She completed U-M's comeback win with a reverse chip at the 82:29 mark against the Hawkeyes before redirecting in a corner play at 76:48 at Northwestern five days later. She earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week both times for her efforts.

• Head coach Marcia Pankratz earned her 250th career win with the Wolverines' 3-1 decision at Rutgers on Oct. 7. With a 254-118 record over 17 years at Michigan (1996-2004, '09-16), she ranks 12th among all-time NCAA Division I coaches with a .683 win percentage -- seventh among active coaches -- and ranks 20th in total wins.

Honors and Awards

Katie
Trombetta

Sam
Swenson

Carly
Bennett

Esther
de Leijer

Casie
Ammerman

National Field Hockey Coach Association
All-America (Third Team): Katie Trombetta
All-West Region (First Team): Katie Trombetta
All-West Region (Second Team): Esther de Leijer, Sam Swenson

Big Ten Conference
All-Big Ten (First Team): Katie Trombetta
All-Big Ten (Second Team): Carly Bennett, Sam Swenson
Sportsmanship Award: Casie Ammerman
All-Tournament Team: Esther de Leijer, Katie Trombetta

Big Ten Player of the Week
Offensive: Emma Way (Nov. 1)
Defensive: Sam Swenson (Aug. 30; Sept. 6; Nov. 1)
Freshman: Meg Dowthwaite (Oct. 18; Oct. 25)

Academic All-Big Ten
Casie Ammerman, Sr., communications and Spanish
Maggie Bettez, So., sport management
Leah Cardarelli, So., LSA undeclared
Marleise Emrhein, So., LSA undeclared
Sina Lampe, Sr., psychology
Morgan Malone, Jr., art and design
Eliza Stein, Sr., biopsychology, cognition and neuroscience