PISCATAWAY, N.J.- No. 16 Rutgers field hockey is set to begin the 2025 season this Friday. Ahead of the season opener, six Scarlet Knights were named to the NFHCA Collegiate Watch List. Paulina Niklaus, Puck Winter, Anna Cogdell, Emily Nicholls, Maddie Kidd and Olivia Fraticelli earned the recognition.
 
This is the third consecutive recognition for Puck Winter and second for Paulina Niklaus. Winter, Niklaus and Cogdell all were named Big Ten Preseason Players to Watch Wednesday.
 
Niklaus returns to the squad after an All-American campaign last year. The German was a Third Team All-American, First Team All-Big Ten, First Team All-Region and All-Big Ten Tournament team selection last season. It was her second straight season as an all-conference and all-region selection, and she has scored 10 goals and seven assists in 34 career starts.
 
Winter joins Niklaus on the back line as she returns for her fourth season as a Scarlet Knight as the program's all-time leader in defensive saves, posting 25 in her career after leading the NCAA in 2023 (with 12) and 2024 (with nine) and stands at ninth all-time in NCAA history in the stat. Winter is a two-time All-Big Ten and three-time All-Region player, and the back was the 2022 Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Across 55 career starts she also has scored 12 goals.
 
Cogdell returns for her sophomore campaign after being recognized on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in her debut campaign. The native of Badingham, England started all 17 games at midfield, had two goals and an assist, and was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week after the team's win over No. 7 Iowa. She was also named to the NFHCA National Academic Squad.

Nicholls is set for her redshirt freshman season as the Scarlet Knights goalkeeper. The Haddon Heights, N.J. native via Camden Catholic was named to the USA Senior Nexus Championship over the summer. She also excelled for RU during the spring season, where she was named the MVP of the Big Apple Tournament.

Kidd is a junior at RU having played her freshman season at Sacred Heart (being named all-conference with five goals and five assists) and then playing 10 games as a Scarlet Knight last season. The Hillsborough, N.J. native was a selection for the USA Senior Nexus Championship over the summer.

Fraticelli enters her junior year at RU with 21 collegiate games played. A native of Toms River, N.J. was twice named to the USA Senior Nexus Championship and was a U-21 Junior Women's National Team Selection Camp Athlete.

Gindville enters her senior season at Rutgers. The forward from Marlton, N.J. and Cherokee HS was a selection for the 2025 USA Senior Nexus Championship after playing in 17 games thus far as a Scarlet Knight.

This NFHCA watchlist is intended to showcase those field hockey student-athletes with the strongest potential for consideration to the current year's NFHCA All-Region and All-American teams. To be nominated for the 2024 NFHCA Watchlist, student-athletes must have been previously recognized for their outstanding field hockey abilities within the past two years (NFHCA All-Region, NFHCA All-American, All-Conference, Senior Nexus Championship selection, NCAA All-Tournament Team, and/or U.S. National or International Team roster) and the student-athlete's head coach must be an active NFHCA member.

This list does not constitute a nomination or selection to the NFHCA All-Region or All-American teams. Student-athletes not listed on the NFHCA Watchlist may still be nominated for NFHCA All-Region and All-American recognition.
 
Rutgers is ranked No. 16 in the NFHCA Preseason Coaches Poll. The squad is set to begin the 2025 season this weekend. RU hosts Wagner at 11 a.m. on Friday in the home opener, then trips up to the University of Vermont to play on Sunday at noon.