11 Caused TO's in One Game: Delaware's Hranicka Leading Resurgent Hens

When she’s not causing chaos for opposing attackers, Delaware’s Madison Hranicka is often in one-on-one meetings with Blue Hen defensive coordinator Kara Nakrasius.

Hranicka constantly picks Nakrasius’ brain as they watch film and work on drills. Associate head coach Steph Lazo will sometimes join as well, mimicking upcoming opponents so Hranicka will get reps.

“[Kara and I] have such similar mindsets in that we are always asking, ‘How can I improve?’ instead of ever settling,” Hranicka said. “She’s always teaching me new techniques. Any time I’m reaching out to work with her, she always says yes.”

It’s all part of Hranicka’s mission to make her final year as a Blue Hen her best yet — and it’s paying dividends. Hranicka has been relentless on defense, tallying 38 caused turnovers this season en route to a nation-leading 4.75 caused turnovers per game. Her play has been key to a defensive renaissance at Delaware, which ranks No. 5 nationally in scoring defense and is 7-1 for the season heading into this weekend's league opener against Drexel.

The Blue Hens’ skill was on full display in a recent game against Lafayette, where their defense recorded 26 caused turnovers (Hranicka had 11 of them) and 33 ground balls.

Coach Amy Altig said she went, “Wait, what?” when she saw the stat sheet.

“[I felt] astonishment, to be honest,” Altig said. “Like, just wow. I didn’t realize we could be that dominant defensively.”

“The coaches are like, ‘Now that you’ve done that, let’s see what you can do next. But that’s one of the best parts of our team: they continue to amaze us on a daily basis. They never settle for mediocrity.”

Hranicka, the CAA Defensive Player of th Year last season, has stepped up, asking for extra individual sessions, and her teammates have as well. Altig said several players often ask for extra film review or individual meetings and head to practice early — regardless of their playing time or whether practice is coming after a win or a loss.

The work has been paying off for Hranicka and the Blue Hens’ tenacious defense. Delaware’s goalkeepers Sophia Foohey and Steph Maszal have allowed double-digit goals in just two of their seven contests, with primary starter Marszal owning a 55% save rate.

Beyond hard work, Hranicka said aggressive tendencies that dictate attackers’ play have been key to the unit’s success. She also credited their chemistry, saying years of team bonding and spending all their free time together has helped.

The next step for the Blue Hens is challenging each other to keep the momentum going. Altig said she’ll point to strong performances, the attack’s big day against Georgetown, and tell her team that if they did it once, they can do it again.

They might not have another game with 26 caused turnovers, Altig said. But parts of that performance can show up again, like double-digit turnovers and beating opponents on ground balls.

“On a daily basis, when we’re in practice, it’s a matter of, ‘Hey, can you challenge yourself a little bit more?” Altig said. “You might get beat. That’s alright. Now we start to know our limits. It’s just that constant challenge of we’ve done it before, that means we can do it again. It’s just a matter of playing smart and playing as a team.”