PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Three Rutgers field hockey student-athletes were named Big Ten Players to Watch ahead of the 2024 fall season.
Guillermina Causarano,
Paulina Niklaus and
Puck Winter earned the preseason conference recognition.
This marked the second placement on the Preseason Watch List for both Winter and Causarano. Winter was previously named to the list ahead of the 2023 season, where she followed up that placement with a Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year season. Causarano first earned the recognition in advance of the 2022 season.
Causarano is set for her third season as a team captain for the Scarlet Knights this fall. The Salta, Argentina native produced her largest offensive output last season, moving up the field to the forward line and responding with a team-best 12 goals and eight assists. Both marks were in the top-10 all-time for a single-season in program history. Her efforts saw her named First Team All-Big Ten and First Team All-Region.
Niklaus had a strong debut season 'On the Banks' last season. The Manheim, Germany native produced three goals and four assists across 17 starts last season. She'll enter her second collegiate season as a team captain after earning Second Team All-Big Ten and All-Region honors last year, as well as a placement on the Big Ten All-Tournament team.
Winter enters her third season at RU as a reigning All-American. After being named Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2022, she followed that as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2023. Winter held the nation's lead with 12 defensive saves, the second highest output in team history. The native of Deventer in The Netherlands was also second don the team with eight goals, being named First Team All-Big Ten and First Team All-Region.
The trio are part of a veteran RU field hockey squad that approaches the 2024 fall season, bringing back nine of the 13 players to record at least one point last season. The trio represent three of five All-Region players from last season to return (alongside
Ava Cickavage and
Sophia Howard). Winners of 16 games last season and fresh off their third NCAA Tournament in the past six seasons, the Scarlet Knights open the 2024 season on September 1 as they host Vermont.
