Back with another entry into the NUFH Notebook.
16 days away from the start of NU’s trek back to the top for a third straight year.
It’s been a fun ride on the ‘Cats Express during my time at Northwestern. One player in particular has made that journey memorable.
Someone who finds a way to show up in the biggest games of her career.
The illest.
Ilse Tromp.
Classified Information
Name: Ilse Tromp
Class: Sr.
Hometown: Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Career Stats: 88 PTS | 37 G | 14 A | SH%: .197
Accolades: 2025 Big Ten Defensive Player
of the Year | 2025 NFHCA First Team All-American | 2x First Team All-Big Ten | 2023 Second Team All-Big Ten | 2x National Champion
Anchoring the D
Tromp was the biggest reason that Northwestern led the nation in scoring margin last season with a ridiculous 2.82 goals per game.
It should surprise no one that she was the engine to NU’s transition offense.
How’s that possible as a back? Well, when you’re consistently a pest and jumping passing lanes, it’s pretty easy to create turnovers.
Tromp on the defensive end seems like she has a better understanding of offensive schemes and set pieces than her opponents themselves. No surprise that she made First Team All-Big Ten as a sophomore. Even less of a surprise she was named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year as a junior. She’s used the years of experience behind Maddie Zimmer, Chloe Relford and others to accelerate her development and become the best defender in the conference — and maybe in the nation.
With a midfield-heavy cast of newcomers that includes highly-touted recruits Bree Moffett and Jess Freedman, Tromp’s knowledge of the game will be extra crucial in her senior season. Her sixth sense for disruption on the defensive end sets the table for the offense to go to work — an offense she has a stake of her own in.
Ms. Drag Flick
Tromp’s drag flick is one of the most recognizable — and dare I say, becoming one of the most iconic — in the sport. It’s her go-to once she finds space at the top of the circle, and it finds the top corner almost every time. It’s was propelled her to 15 goals in 2025, second on the team only behind Ashley Sessa.
And, of course, its what sealed the deal in one of the most legendary national championships in NCAA field hockey history.
Her versatile stick is extremely critical for Tracey Fuchs’ set pieces on the penalty corner, as she became the No. 1 option towards the end of the season. Behind Sessa, Tromp is an extremely reliable option for Northwestern to depend upon for quality shot selection and smart ball movement, especially in a Zimmer-less world where there are voids in both areas for the ‘Cats to fill.
2026 Projections
The upside for Tromp is extremely high, as it should be after the 2025 season she had. But the pressure on her will also be greater than ever. After putting away the two most clutch goals of her career in the Final Four (to tie against UNC with 1:10 to go in regulation) and national title game (to win in OT), everyone can see as clear as day that Tromp has reached the pinnacle of her development.
The only question is how that will look in a full 18-game season.
