IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa field hockey student-athletes Esme Gibson and Dionne van Aalsum have been named National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-Americans, it was announced Tuesday by the NFHCA.
van Aalsum earned her first career All-America nod, as she was named to the first team. She is the first Hawkeye freshman to be named an All-American since Kristy Gleason in 1989. Gibson, a second team selection, was named an All-American for a third straight season, becoming the 10th Hawkeye to earn three honors.
They are the 104th and 105th All-Americans in program history.
Van Aalsum started all 19 games this season as a true freshman. The Big Ten Freshman of the Year and first-team All-Big Ten selection played a key factor offensively as she led the nation with 28 goals, 62 points, 1.47 goals per game and 3.26 points per game.
The Castricum, Netherlands, native was the first Hawkeye to win Big Ten Freshman of the Year since Katie Birch in 2016 and the sixth Hawkeye overall.
Gibson earned her third straight All-America distinction after scoring two goals and tallying four assists in 19 starts. She was part of a defense that recorded eight shutouts. The midfielder, who started 96 of 98 games in her Hawkeye career, recorded 4,680 career minutes playing a key defensive role the past five seasons.
The Worcestershire, England, native garnered first-team All-Big Ten honors this season and was a second-team All-American in 2022 and a third-team All-American in 2021.
Iowa finished the 2023 season with a 13-6 overall record and an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance.