Moment 3: Hawkeye Women Become NCAA Champion for the First Time
June 21, 2022 6:00 am, Updated: June 21, 2022 10:13 am
Editor’s Note: This is the 48th A series that counts down the top 50 moments A 50-day history of Iowa Hawkeyes Women’s Athletics leading up to the 50th anniversary of Title IX in June.
She cried once during the decade Judith Davidson had been teaching Iowafield hockey.
Her 1985 Iowa team (“the best team I had”) lost to Northwestern on a penalty stroke, falling below the final four for the second time in a row.
“I’ve never been more disappointed after a game than that particular game,” Davidson said on a phone call with The Gazette.
Fast-forwarding a year, her Hawkeye ended the season with a much happier note as a national champion.
The 1986 Iowa Field Hockey Team became the first and only Iowa Women’s Team to win the NCAA Championship.
“I can’t put it into words,” Davidson said 36 years after the championship. “That year you were the best of what you did, and that feeling hasn’t disappeared yet.”
The 1986 group was far from the team most likely to win the national championship.
“I had two seniors,” said Davidson. “I never thought I’d be back in the final four. I was never in a dream.”
When did Davidson finally believe that Iowa would be the national champion? “Until time is almost gone” in the championship game.
Hawk Eyes defeated New Hampshire 2-1 to make history. The game was drawn 1-1 when Iowa performed a “kind of trick corner” near the end of the game. I thought Iowa scored, or at least scored.
“Official officials recalled it without paying attention,” said Davidson. “I was furious.”
Shortly thereafter, Davidson spoke to the team near the goal area, not near the stand.
“You just won the national championship, but you have to do it again,” Davidson told her team.
Hawk Eyes did that in the second extra-time corner with a goal that won Patty Wanna’s match. Celebration has begun in Norfolk, Virginia.
Female Athletics Director Christine Grant I could hardly speak.
“She came to me and said,’Judith, what should I say?'” Davidson said. “I’m thinking,’Tell Dr. Grant that you’re going to raise me.'”
Iowa cruised the regular season and, despite having a young roster, did not lose at home and from 1985 he defeated Northwestern 2-1 to advance to the final fours.
“We brought in some really top-notch freshmen,” said Davidson.
When the team and town parents went to dinner in August on the first night they were all on campus, the freshmen “immediately formed a bond,” Davidson said.
“It was as if they knew each other forever,” said Davidson. “I think that bond was an important factor in our success that year.”
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