Lansing Sun

East Lansing, Mich. -- The Big Ten announced its Players to Watch for the upcoming field hockey season, ahead of the 2024 campaign kicking off this weekend for all nine teams.

Spartan seniors Maddie Lawlor (Shamong, NJ) and Ellie Rutherford (Edinburgh, Scotland) are joined by freshman Carmen Pucheta (Cordoba, Argentina) on the list of 27 standout players in the league. MSU begins its 2024 season this weekend in California with games at UC-Davis (Friday) and Cal (Sunday).

Rutherford is MSU's top returning scorer – she had four goals and nine points a year ago. She earned Second Team All-Big Ten honors and was the team's Offensive Player of the Year as a junior and is a two-time academic All-Big Ten selection. She has appeared in 52 career games for MSU, with a 13-5-31 scoring line.

Lawlor is a two-time academic All-Big Ten honoree and missed the entirety of the 2023 season with an injury. She has appeared in 28 career games over two seasons (starting 17 of 22 as a sophomore), and with her return to the lineup, provides MSU leadership and experience.

Pucheta comes to MSU after a standout prep career in Argentina, where she participated in youth training camps for the Olympics in both 2020 and 2022. She is the only freshman among the list of 27 players on the Watch list.

BIG TEN PLAYERS TO WATCH LIST

NAME SCHOOL YR POSITION(S) HOMETOWN

Inés Garcia Prado Indiana So. Midfielder Madrid, Spain

Sydney Keld Indiana Gr. Back Middletown, Del.

Yip van Wonderen Indiana Sr. Back Heemstede, Netherlands

Mia Magnotta Iowa Jr. Goalkeeper Forty-Fort, Pa.

Milly Short Iowa Jr. Midfielder/Back Worcester, England

Dionne van Aalsum Iowa So. Midfielder Castricum, Netherlands

Emma Deberdine Maryland Gr. Midfielder Lancaster, Pa.

Josie Hollamon Maryland So. Back Delmar, Delaware

Hope Rose Maryland Sr. Midfielder Dauphin, Pa.

Abby Burnett Michigan So. Back Zionsville, Pa.

Lora Clarke Michigan Gr. Forward/Midfielder Shaker Heights, Ohio

Abby Tamer Michigan Jr. Forward/Midfielder Whitmore Lake, Mich.

Maddie Lawlor Michigan State Sr. Midfielder Shamong, N.J.

Carmen Pucheta Michigan State Fr. Midfielder Cordoba, Argentina

Ellie Rutherford Michigan State Sr. Midfielder Edinburgh, Scotland

Ashley Sessa Northwestern So. Forward Schwenksville, Pa.

Annabel Skubisz Northwestern Gr. Goaltender Houston Texas,

Maddie Zimmer Northwestern Sr.,Midfielder Hershey Pa.,

Katie Fichtner Ohio State Jr.,Back Harwood Md.,

Anne Marie Krebs Ohio State So.,Midfielder Louisville Ky.,

Makenna Webster Ohio State Gr.,Forward St Louis Mo.,

Sophia Gladieux Penn State Sr.,Forward Boyertown Pa.,

Sophia Mannino Penn State Sr.,Midfielder Doylestown Pa.,

Drew Taylor Penn State Sr.,Forward/Midfielder Coatesville Pa.,

Guillermina Causarano Rutgers Sr.,Midfielder Salta Argentina,

Paulina Niklaus Rutgers Sr.,Midfielder Mannheim Germany,

Puck Winter Rutgers Jr.Back Deventer Netherlands,