Iowa’s Cafone emerges as field hockey star

IOWA CITY - Iowa forward Natalie Cafone left the Grant Field on Saturday with two skinned and bloody elbows, which tell the story of her competitive nature. However those elbows belie the skill Cafone possesses, which makes her one of the nation's top field hockey players.

Cafone, a junior, led the nation last year in points per game at 2.48, the first Hawkeye to do so since 1992. She was named a second-team All-American and earned a spot on the United States' 21-and-under national squad as a sophomore and Cafone's potential is limitless, interim field hockey coach Lisa Cellucci said.

'What's first and foremost unbelievable about her is her speed,” Cellucci said. 'Her speed is world class and she is a die-hard competitor. She's not actually in the top half on our team in skills, but when she gets in a game situation, she can make anything happen because of her competitiveness and because of her speed. When we get her the ball in open space, she's pretty much unstoppable. She's a huge, huge asset to this team.

'Her ball-control skills are good enough she can put the ball right or left and then run on to it, and no one can catch up to her. That creates lots of numbers down situations for the defense. That's the game of hockey. Unreal.”

Cafone's 22 goals last year led the Big Ten and were the most by an Iowa player since 1998. The Fairfield, N.J. native owns her high school's record for career points with 350 (135 goals and 80 assists). Cafone was a first-team All-American at West Essex (N.J.) High School, where she played for former Hawkeye Diane Demiro Simmons.

Still, Cafone entered college as a raw, albeit talented, athlete. She started just seven of 21 games as a freshman and displayed flashes of potential. Last year, she took a major step forward, Cellucci said.

'She wasn't a heavily recruited student-athlete. As she honed her skills through her freshman year, last year was just a breakout,” Cellucci said. 'This year she's going to be double- and triple-teamed.

'We're going to have people do the work for her to get her the ball in different places so we can attack. She's essential to our team.”

Senior midfielder Dani Hemeon joined Cafone on the national U21 squad this summer. Hemeon said it's a priority for the team to get the ball to Cafone in open space.

'She's phenomenal,” Hemeon said. 'I know that I can give her the ball, and she's going to score pretty much. She has super speed and great ball-handling skills. So she's definitely going to be our No. 1, go-to person this season.”

Cafone is a contender for an future Olympic spot, Cellucci said. Cafone said her two weeks with the junior national team was 'a cool experience. But when discussion shifts to her future, Cafone quickly reverts to her current team.

'I'm focused on Iowa field hockey,” she said. 'I'm focused on this team, and I want us to really perform and do what we can do.”

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