The Art of the Save

PHOTO: Jerod Ringwald/hawkeyesports.com Mia Magnotta ended the regular season ranked No. 2 in the Big Ten Conference for most saves.

It was worth the wait for Kelly Druley-Herron (00BS).

For three seasons, she was back-up goalkeeper to Lisa Cellucci (98BA) on Iowa’s field hockey squad. It was a great learning experience for the Massachusetts native.

“When I stepped foot on campus at Iowa, I had to come in and re-learn the game because I had never played on turf before,” she says. “It’s a much faster game, and Lisa showed me the way. Every moment I could I tried to observe, absorb, and get better.”

In 1999, Druley-Herron got her chance and made the most of it—becoming an All-American and leading the Hawkeyes to a Big Ten Conference title and Final Four appearance. It was a magical senior season that resulted in Druley-Heron being named the 1999–2000 UI Female Athlete of the Year.

“That was really special,” says Druley-Herron of the team that was recognized earlier this fall at Kinnick Stadium. “We shut out a lot of teams that year. Our defense—the girls in front of me—did a great job and helped control the types of shots I saw. When things didn’t go as planned, I tried to use my athleticism and gut instincts to dominate the game.”

PHOTO: hawkeyesports.com The 1999 Iowa field hockey season was one for the recordbooks. It was just the seventh time the Hawkeyes made the Final Four, and three team memebers received All American honors.

A Long History of Blocking Shots, Breaking Records

Throughout its nearly five-decade history, Iowa field hockey has seen a number of exceptional goalkeepers.

Donna (Lee) Chung (83BS) is in the UI Athletics Hall of Fame, holds school records for most goalkeeper victories and shutouts, and led the Hawkeyes to multiple national tournament appearances. Karen Napolitano (88BS, 92JD) was an All-American and led Iowa to the 1986 national championship, fellow All-American Barb Weinberg (05BA) saw both success at Iowa and as a member of the USA National Team, and Andrea Wieland (92BA, 02MBA, 04PhD) was an All-American, 1996 Olympian, and is also in the UI Athletics Hall of Fame.

And then there’s Cellucci, a three-time All-American, who still holds the Hawkeye record for most goalkeeper saves with 592.

“Iowa has always been known as a premier school for goalkeepers,” says Cellucci, who has been the head coach for the Hawkeyes since 2014. “Over the years, Iowa has been referred to as Goalkeeping U. When I was recruited as a student-athlete, I knew about the tradition of success in the cage and as a program. To this day, there are only three or four Division I programs that can compete with the sustained national success of Iowa field hockey. It was a dream come true to play in goal for the Hawks for four years, and it’s been an absolute honor and privilege to coach at my alma mater for the past 25 years.”

Guiding the Next Generation of Goalkeepers

Iowa’s rich tradition at goalkeeper helps attract recruits on the national and international level. Mia Magnotta, Iowa’s third-year goalkeeper, chose the Hawkeyes, in part, to be coached by Cellucci.

“I wanted to reach my full potential, and I knew with experience, Coach Cellucci could help me,” says Magnotta. “From when I first got on campus in 2021 to now, I’ve grown so much both off and on the field. She’s the reason why I’m a better athlete and person.”

Magnotta got her start at keeper in 2023 after backing up Grace McGuire (23BA), who started 57 games for the Hawkeyes. She ended last season with eight defensive shutouts and allowed just 1.09 goals per game—good for sixth best in Division I field hockey.

“She’s driven, she’s competitive, and has all of the tools necessary to lead. When Iowa puts it all together, the Hawkeyes are a hard team to beat. ” — Kelly Druley-Herron

“I just tried to learn and absorb as much as I could,” says Magnotta, a native of Forty-Fort, Pennsylvania. “I think that’s really helped me be more confident in my abilities and with my teammates on the pitch.”

This season, Magnotta has continued to work on her communication skills. As goalkeeper, she plays an instrumental role in guiding the entire team.

“After I got used to the pace of the game—which is faster than high school field hockey—I’ve worked on being more of a vocal leader on the turf,” says Magnotta. “I’m in charge of communicating a lot of tactical information—telling defenders where they should be positioned and helping them navigate attackers. I’m also supporting them, pumping them up, and instilling confidence.”

For Druley-Herron, she knows Magnotta will continue to find success as a Hawkeye keeper.

“She stepped into the cage and didn’t miss a beat,” says Druley-Herron. “She’s driven, she’s competitive, and has all of the tools necessary to lead. When Iowa puts it all together, the Hawkeyes are a hard team to beat.”