Field Hockey: Alia Marshall and Peyton Halsey set to return for fifth year

Tracey Fuchs had an upperclassman-heavy group in 2022, and she will have an upperclassman-heavy group in 2023.

Two of her senior stars, midfielder Peyton Halsey and back Alia Marshall, appear to be returning for a fifth year in Evanston, per Northwestern field hockey’s Instagram account.

Halsey and Marshall, who are coming off of back-to-back NCAA Championship appearances (including the program’s only national title in 2021), have started 64 and 62 total games in the last three seasons, respectively.

Both played crucial roles throughout Northwestern’s last two postseason runs. Halsey was named to the NFHCA’s All-West Region Second Team in 2022, and was second on the team behind First Team All-American Bente Baekers with 13 goals, while Marshall also earned that honor. Additionally, the defender finished tied for ninth in the country with 13 assists last season, and was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team in 2021.

With their return, Fuchs will likely bring back at least five of the team’s nine players who started more than 20 games in 2022. Marshall, in particular, should stabilize and strengthen a defense that will lose two-time Second Team All-American Kayla Blas.