Rutgers University’s field hockey team received recognition from the Big Ten Conference after two players were named Players of the Week following a pair of victories against Ohio State and Columbia. Puck Winter was awarded Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, while Martha Goodridge earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.
This is Winter’s second time being named Defensive Player of the Week by the conference and marks Rutgers’ third overall defensive weekly award this season, with goalkeeper Emily Nicholls previously earning one. Goodridge’s honor is her first Freshman of the Week award and represents Rutgers’ second freshman weekly accolade this year, also previously won by Nicholls.
Winter led a defense that allowed only one goal over 127 minutes during the weekend. In a 2-1 overtime win against Ohio State to start conference play, she made two key defensive saves late in regulation to help send the game into overtime, where Rutgers secured victory. In Sunday’s shutout win over Columbia, Winter contributed offensively as well, scoring two goals and adding an assist—her first multi-goal game since 2023. This is her fourth career Defensive Player of the Week award.
Goodridge scored the winning goal in overtime against Ohio State, extending Rutgers’ series win streak to eight games over the Buckeyes. She also added a goal and an assist in Sunday’s match against Columbia and has now scored in three out of her last four games.
Rutgers will continue its Big Ten schedule on the road this week with matches at Michigan State on Friday and at Michigan on Sunday, which will be broadcast on Big Ten Network.
