NIU Football: Huskies Take in Sights and Sounds from First-Ever MW Media Days
Two weeks after officially becoming members of the Mountain West, members of the Northern Illinois University football team and head coach Rob Harley met their new conference peers, as well as the media that covers them, at Old Trapper Mountain West Football Media Days at the Palms in Las Vegas.
Redshirt-Juniors Landon Hron (Hartford, Wis./Hartford) and Jay'shon Thomas (Cataula, Ga./Harris County) along with redshirt seniors DeAree Rogers (Lexington, S.C./Lenoir-Rhyne) and Liam Lindo (Wallkill, N.Y./Bryant) arrived in Las Vegas on Tuesday.
"It's super fun," said Thomas. "I've never done anything like this so it was a little nervewracking at first. I'm really thankful for the experience. It'll put me in a better place to succeed later in life."
That afternoon the assembled student-athletes had a meeting with MW Commissioner Gloria Nevarez, followed by an outing at the F1 Arcade.
"I'm truly blessed that the coaching staff selected me to come out here," Lindo said. "It was a good opportunity to meet the commissioner, see her vision for the Mountain West and what impact it can have on the college football scene."
Wednesday morning started off with the student-athletes having up-fronts with the Mountain West's television partners from Fox, CBS and The CW. These allowed the Huskies to give some background for upcoming broadcasts this season.
The Huskies also appeared on the Mountain West Network's live show from Media Day on MW+. Lindo and Rogers previewed the upcoming season while Hron and Thomas challenged each other to draw the NIU logo.
"It's a reality. We got to see some of the players and coaches. We knew this was coming, but now being here makes it all the more real," said Rogers.
A theme during the media sessions was the new challenges NIU will face in its new conference. On the 2026 schedule, the Huskies will face four conference opponents for the first time in program history while only facing the remaining four a combined 12 times previously.
"There's always been a lot of competition in the Mountain West and now we have to fill in the shoes of the teams that left and keep it going," said Hron.
On Thursday, it was Harley's turn to make the media circuit. Beginning the day with a group photo with other conference head coaches and Nevarez, Harley then brushed off his former television experience and took the set for Mountain West Network's Live Show on MW+ to shed some light on the upcoming season.
"The amount of energy and welcoming from the Mountain West and the other teams has been great," said Harley. "It's easy to think the Mountain West will welcome you in, they brought us in to join the league, but the other teams and how supportive they've been, you feel the other teams, administrations want this league to be good and push whoever is the best team that given year to compete in the CFP (College Football Playoff)."
Harley arrived prior to the coach's portion of media days and watched Hron, Lindo, Rogers and Thomas field questions from credentialed media members during availability sessions, participate in media promos and take the stage for the live show on MW+.
"When you get a chance to speak on behalf of a group, that just feel that respect and a responsibility to do it the right way," said Harley. "I could see it on our players faces, especially during the events and the stage the they were doing it on. You could just see they understood that responsibility."
Alongside Harley supporting the Huskies and taking in media days was his family, including his two sons fielding all challengers in EA Sports College Football 27.
"I think it speaks to the welcoming, family atmosphere … to have my wife and two sons here experiencing it was truly special," said Harley. "It was fun to watch them play against everyone, but it was really fun to watch other college players taking the time, talking and interacting with a nine- and 10-year old."
NIU is closing in on its season-opener against Iowa, a road test on Saturday, Sept. 5 before the first home game of the season against Illinois State on Saturday, Sept. 12.
The first-ever Mountain West conference game for the Huskies is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 10 taking on Air Force for NIU's 119th Homecoming.
Single game tickets are now on sale, starting at just $35 for east side general admission tickets while west side general admission seats are $40. Season tickets for all five home games of NIU's first season in the Mountain West start at just $102. Tickets are available online at NIUHuskies.com/tickets or by calling 815-753-PACK (7225).
NIU Women's Soccer: Huskies Announce 2026 Slate
Seven regular season home games highlight the 2026 Northern Illinois University women’s soccer schedule as the Huskies, under fifth-year head coach Michael O’Neill, announce their inaugural Horizon League slate.
Following a pair of exhibition contests against Western Illinois (Aug. 5) and Drake (Aug. 8), the Huskies open the regular season with a pair of road contests as NIU travels to Illinois State for the season opener on Wednesday, Aug. 12, and DePaul on Sunday, Aug. 16.
The Huskie home opener will take place on Sunday, Aug. 23, as NIU welcomes Northern Iowa to the NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex. Following that contest, the Huskies will head back on the road for their next two at Missouri (Aug. 27) and Marquette (Aug. 30).
A four-game homestand follows, starting with a visit by Loyola Chicago on Thursday, Sept. 10. NIU will then host Green Bay in its first Horizon League contest on Saturday, Sept. 19. Northern Kentucky (Sept. 24) and Wright State (Sept. 27) will also come to DeKalb during the four-game stretch.
NIU opens October with a trio of road contests, starting with a trip to Purdue Fort Wayne on Thursday, Oct. 1. The Huskies also visit Cleveland State on Oct. 4, and defending Horizon League regular season and tournament champion Milwaukee on Oct. 10.
The final two regular season home games will take place against Detroit Mercy on Thursday, Oct. 15, and Oakland on Sunday, Oct. 18.
Each of NIU’s final three games will take place away from home as the Huskies head to Youngstown State on Oct. 22, Robert Morris on Oct. 25, and IU Indy on Oct. 30.
Admission to all Huskie home games at the NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex are free of charge.
NIU Women's Golf: Four Huskies Named WGCA All-American Scholars
Four members of the Northern Illinois University women’s golf team have earned All-American Scholar honors from the Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) as announced today (July 13).
Caroline Kent (Frisco, Texas/iUniversity Prep) earns her third straight honor while Mia Raines (Galena, Ohio/Olentangy Berlin) and Alexa Ouellet (Toronto, Ontario, Canada/De La Salle College) collect their second honors.
Eva Nijenhuis (Heiloo, Netherlands/OSG Willem Blaeu) received her first honor.
The WGCA recognized 1,551 women’s collegiate golfers from across the country.
To qualify, a student-athlete must have an overall cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher, be an amateur and on the team's roster through the conclusion of the team's season and have played in 50% of the college’s regularly scheduled competitive rounds during the year nominated through the team's conference championship.
Want to stay in the know with NIU Women's Golf? Follow the team on Facebook, X/Twitter, and on Instagram.
Max Vaisvila Signs Free Agent Contract With New York Yankees
Max Vaisvila (Villa Park, Ill./Wabash Valley College) of the Northern Illinois University baseball team signed a free agent contract with the New York Yankees on Monday.
Vaisvila joins Gavin Baldwin, Cole Smith and Ivan Dahlberg as Huskies from the 2026 Mid-American Conference champions to sign professional contracts. The left-handed pitcher was a First-Team All-MAC selection and went 8-0 with a 3.09 earned run average. Vaisvila struck out 87 batters in 85.2 innings pitched and finished the season in the top-five of the MAC in complete games, ERA, WHIP (walks plus hits per innings pitched) and strikeouts.
He was named the MAC Tournament Most Valuable Player after throwing eight shutout innings in two appearances, helping guide the Huskies to their first MAC Championship. Vaisvila threw a seven-inning shutout on May 20 in NIU’s 11-0 win over Western Michigan, striking out 10 Broncos while allowing just one hit and one walk. He threw a perfect ninth inning against Toledo in the championship game with two more strikeouts.
Vaisvila was named to the Midwest All-Region First Team by the American Baseball Coaches Association and Rawlings this season. He is the first Huskie since Kam Smith in 2021 to earn All-Region First Team accolades, and the first All-Region First Team pitcher since Matt German in 2006 and 2007. Vaisvila was the National Pitcher of the Week on March 31 after throwing a nine-inning, one-hit shutout against Bowling Green with 14 strikeouts.
There are four Huskies in program history to have signed a professional contract with the Yankees. NIU Hall of Famer Fred “Fritz” Peterson played for the Yankees from 1966-1974 and was an All-Star in 1970.
NIU won a single-season program record 36 games in 2026 and was the #3 seed in the Tallahassee Regional. The Huskies earned their first NCAA Tournament win in program history on May 29th in a 12-10 victory over Coastal Carolina.
Remaining Home Kickoff Times for NIU Football Announced
The kickoff times for the three remaining home games for the Northern Illinois University football team have been announced. NIU will kick off against Hawai'i, Nevada and UTEP at 2:30 p.m. CT with all three games broadcasted on MW+.
The Huskies game against Hawai'i on Saturday, Oct. 24 will be Hall of Fame Weekend and NIU will recognize its 2026 Athletics Hall of Fame Class.
The final two home games of the 2026 season will be against Nevada on Saturday, Nov. 14 and UTEP on Saturday, Nov. 28 in the season finale.
Game times for the Huskies remaining two road games against Georgia State and San José State will be released at a later date.
As previously announced, NIU's home opener against Illinois State on Saturday, Sept. 12 will kickoff at 6 p.m. while NIU and Air Force will kickoff at 6:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network on Saturday, Oct. 10 as part of NIU's 119th Homecoming celebration.
Single game tickets are now on sale, starting at just $35 for east side general admission tickets while west side general admission seats are $40. Season tickets for all five home games of NIU's first season in the Mountain West start at just $102. Tickets are available online at NIUHuskies.com/tickets or by calling 815-753-PACK (7225).
MW+ is now live and Huskie fans can sign up to catch live games, replays, extra content and more. Subscriptions to MW+ by Huskie fans will also directly support NIU Athletics as a majority of each subscription purchased through a member school's dedicated page will support that institution. Fans who purchase an annual subscription in July, August, and September will receive a $67.99 rate, a 15% discount off the standard annual price.
2026 NIU Football Regular Season Schedule, Kickoff Time | Broadcast
Saturday, Sept. 5 – at Iowa, 3:15 p.m. CT | Big Ten Network
Saturday, Sept. 12 – vs. Illinois State, 6 p.m. CT | MW+
Saturday, Sept. 19 – at Arizona, 9:30 p.m. CT | TNT/HBO Max
Saturday, Sept. 26 – at Georgia State, TBA | TBA
*Saturday, Oct. 10 – vs. Air Force, 6:30 p.m. CT | CBS Sports Network
*Saturday, Oct. 17 – at Wyoming, 3:30 p.m. CT | The CW
*Saturday, Oct. 24 – vs. Hawai'i, 2:30 p.m. CT | MW+
*Saturday, Oct. 31 – at UNLV, 9:30 p.m. CT | CBS Sports Network
*Saturday, Nov. 7 – at San José State, TBA | MW+
*Saturday, Nov. 14 – vs. Nevada, 2:30 p.m. CT | MW+
*Saturday, Nov. 21 – at North Dakota State, 3 p.m. CT | The CW
*Saturday, Nov. 28 – vs. UTEP, 2:30 p.m. CT | MW+
NIU Volleyball: Huskies Volleyball Release 2026 Schedule
Northern Illinois University head volleyball coach Sondra D’Amore has announced the upcoming schedule for the 2026 Huskie Volleyball season.
The Huskies start their schedule with a pair of exhibition games at the Convocation Center with DePaul (August 15) and Illinois State (August 22) before opening the season on August 28 at the Southern Indiana Invitational.
NIU will see first time opponents in Lindenwood, Arkansas Pine Bluff, and Robert Morris.
"Our 2026 schedule will be a key part of our continued growth as a program," said D'Amore. "It's designed to challenge us, build confidence, and help us elevate our level of play so that we are consistently performing at our best heading into conference season. Every match matters for us in terms of development, connection, and preparation for what's ahead."
New and returning fans can purchase general admission, family 4-pack, or courtside seats to watch the Huskies this fall with general admission tickets starting at just $35. The Family 4-Pack is available for $90 ($22.50 each). Courtside seats are priced at $120 for the season. To purchase tickets online, please click here.
NIU opens the season taking on Eastern Michigan on August 28 at the Southern Indiana Invitational. The Huskies continue action on August 28, facing off against Murray State before rounding out the opening weekend against Southern Indiana on August 29.
Hosting the NIU Invitational in the Convocation Center, the Huskies will welcome Murray State, Portland State, and Lindenwood to DeKalb. NIU takes on Murray State and Portland State on September 4 before concluding their home tournament against Lindenwood on September 5.
Action will continue in the state of Illinois as NIU competes at the SIUE Cougar Clash, September 11-12. The Huskies will face Chicago State, Arkansas Pine Bluff, and SIUE in the tournament.
The final non-conference test will feature a Chicagoland match-up as NIU welcomes UIC to Victor E. Court (VEC) on September 18.
"We are also really excited to be joining the Horizon League," noted D'Amore ahead of the inaugural season. "It's a strong, competitive conference, and we're looking forward to the opportunity to compete at that level. We believe in this group and feel confident in our ability to compete, grow, and continue building a program that belongs in this space."
The Huskies hit the road for the first three games of the Horizon League schedule, traveling to Wright State (September 25-26) and Milwaukee (October 1).
NIU opens conference play at home against Green Bay on October 2 to a four-game home stretch inside Victor E. Court. Northern Kentucky visits DeKalb on October 9 and 10 before facing Milwaukee on October 15. The Huskies will travel to Green Bay on October 16 before heading to Youngstown, Ohio on October 23 and 24 to take on Youngstown State.
The Huskies will see four of the final six games of the season at home, beginning with Robert Morris on October 30 and 31. NIU's final road games will come November 6 and 7 as they travel to IU Indy and Purdue Fort Wayne. Regular season action will conclude with Oakland (November 12) and Cleveland State (November 13).
The Horizon League tournament will feature the top-8 teams and is set to take place from November 19 to 22 with the location to be announced at a later date.
The Huskies volleyball squad will host a First Serve Dinner on August 15 at Fatty's Pub and Grille. This new annual celebration brings together NIU Volleyball fans and supporters for an evening of food, fun, and fundraising in support of our student-athletes. Enjoy an open buffet, cash bar, and the chance to mingle with NIU coaches and current Huskie volleyball players For more information, please view the event page here.
Need more Huskies Volleyball? Follow us on Twitter/X at @NIUVolleyball, on Facebook at NIU Volleyball, and on Instagram at @NIUVolley.
Huskie Athletic Fund Achieves Record Highs in 2025-26
Northern Illinois University Athletics and the Huskie Athletic Fund (HAF) reached record fundraising numbers during the 2025-26 fiscal year as Huskie friends, fans, alumni and supporters rallied to support NIU Athletics as it enters into a new era.
“Year after year, I continue to be amazed by the levels of support that Huskie Nation provides to NIU Athletics,” said NIU Vice President/Director of Athletics and Recreation Sean T. Frazier. “As college athletics continues to evolve, that support becomes more critical than ever, and our supporters once again answered the call. I would also like to thank our HAF staff, Executive Associate Athletic Director/Chief Revenue Officer Chris Barker and Senior Associate Athletic Director TJ Feuerbach, for their tremendous work and leadership in these efforts and I look forward to continued success as we enter a transformational time for Huskie Athletics in the Mountain West, Horizon League and Pac-12.”
During the most recent school year, the HAF added 420-plus new distinct donors, setting a new membership record. HAF membership saw a 28 percent growth from the 2025 fiscal year and a seven percent growth on NIU’s previous record, which was set in 2006.
HAF recorded a nearly eight percent increase in total dollars raised compared to the 2025 fiscal year, helping NIU Athletics reach a new 10-year high.
The total number of gifts to the HAF grew by just over 30 percent during fiscal year 2026 compared to the previous year, which included a 17 percent growth in sport specific giving, setting a new record, breaking the previous mark which was set last year.
Among the individual sport programs, 14 maintained or increased their level of donor participation compared to fiscal year 2025 while 12 increased their total giving amount. NIU also had its highest number of unrestricted donors since 2012.
“The growth and success of our fundraising efforts would not be possible without the amazing NIU community that is so supportive of Huskie Athletics,” said NIU Executive Associate Athletic Director/Chief Revenue Officer Chris Barker. “I would also like to thank the HAF staff, and all the coaches for their tireless efforts, along with our campus partners in the NIU Foundation; we could not achieve any of our fundraising successes without the outstanding people making it happen.”
As NIU Athletics enters a new era, with the Huskies competing in the Mountain West, Horizon League and Pac-12, the Huskie brand reaches across five time zones, ensuring maximum exposure and creating attractive opportunities for both philanthropic and corporate investment.
The generosity of Huskie supporters is essential to compete at the highest level in these new conferences. We remain deeply grateful for the passion and commitment of the NIU community and will continue to focus on revenue generation in support of our student-athlete quality of experience during a continually evolving time in college athletics.
For more information or to make a donation to the Huskie Athletic Fund, contact us at (815) 753-1923 or HuskieAthleticFund@niu.edu.
NIU Football: Single Game Football Tickets To Go On Sale July 13
Single game tickets for the 2026 season of NIU Football will go on sale on Monday, July 13, at 9 a.m. CT. Tickets will be available online at NIUHuskies.com/tickets or by calling 815-753-PACK (7225).
Single game seats for all five Huskie home games will start at just $35 for east side general admission tickets. West side general admission seats are $40 while west side reserved seating will begin at $42. All ticket prices will increase by $5 on game day. In addition, the Huskie Stadium Box Office will be cashless on game day, and fans will be unable to select specific locations when purchasing at the box office on the day of game.
Single game parking for NIU football will also go on sale on Monday, July 13, with presale parking in Convocation Center parking lots, as well as accessible parking in lot L, available for $30. Parking will increase to $35 on game day for both Convocation Center parking lots and accessible parking in lot L.
Huskie fans can receive season-long parking by giving to the Huskie Athletic Fund starting at the $100 level, which provides parking access in the Convocation Center lots. For information regarding full season parking access in other locations, please contact the HAF at 815-753-1923 or huskieathleticfund@niu.edu.
Fans wishing to follow the Huskies on the road this fall can purchase away game tickets by contacting the NIU Ticket Office at 815-753-PACK (7225). To be eligible to purchase road game tickets, you must be a member of the Huskie Athletic Fund at a minimum $50 level.
Huskie football season tickets are on sale now and represent the best value to see all the action from NIU’s inaugural season in the Mountain West at Huskie Stadium. Season tickets for all five home games start at just $102 and are available online at NIUHuskies.com/tickets, by calling the NIU Ticket Office at 815-753-PACK (7225) weekdays between 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. or by emailing, huskiestickets@niu.edu.
NIU’s home slate in 2026 features all five games on Saturdays, beginning with the home opener on Sept. 12 against Illinois State, which will be NIU’s annual Salute to Service Day. The Mountain West opener for the Huskies will take place on Oct. 10, as Air Force comes to DeKalb when NIU celebrates its 119th Homecoming. Hawai’i visits NIU on Oct. 24 for Hall of Fame Weekend and Ag Day before the Huskies host Nevada for Scout Day on Nov. 14 and UTEP on Senior Day on Nov. 28.
MW+ is the new streaming home for all things Huskie football. Subscriptions to MW+ by Huskie fans will also directly support NIU Athletics as a majority of each subscription purchased through a member school's dedicated page will support the institution. To celebrate the launch of MW+, Mountain West is offering a limited-time early adopter promotion. Fans who purchase an annual subscription in July, August, and September will receive a $67.99 rate, a 15% discount off the standard annual price.
As NIU Athletics prepares for its inaugural Mountain West football season, the department is also seeking its first-ever jersey patch partner. Recently approved by the NCAA, the opportunity allows brands to become part of Huskie football history with placement on the team's playing jerseys throughout the 2026 season. Individuals and organizations interested in learning more about this exclusive sponsorship opportunity are encouraged to contact Dan Bieritz at the Huskie Athletic Sponsorships team to learn more, dbieritz@huskiesas.com.
NIU Baseball: Cole Smith, Ivan Dahlberg Sign Professional Contracts
Former Northern Illinois University baseball student-athletes Cole Smith and Ivan Dahlberg have recently signed professional contracts with clubs in the independent Frontier League.
Smith joined the Schaumburg Boomers on July 1 and had a hit in his debut. He is 6-for-13 in his first five games with two doubles, three runs batted in and four walks. Smith led the Huskies in 2025 with a .357 batting average, a .583 slugging percentage and 19 doubles. A Second Team All-Mid-American Conference selection, Smith hit .412 in the MAC Tournament with two home runs and nine RBI to earn a place on the All-Tournament Team as NIU won it’s first MAC title. He was a College Sports Communicators Academic All-District and Second Team Academic All-America honoree. Smith is the first NIU baseball player since 1996 to be an Academic All-American.
Dahlberg signed with the Joliet Slammers on July 3. The catcher went 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI as Joliet defeated Evansville 8-5. Dahlberg hit .220 in 53 games in 2025 with nine doubles, eight home runs and 29 RBI. He led NIU with 50 walks, becoming just the second Huskie in program history to have at least 50 base on balls in a season. Dahlberg finished his collegiate career 10th among all active NCAA baseball players with 157 walks between NIU and Illinois-Springfield.
The 2026 NIU Huskies won a program-record 36 games and won their first MAC Championship. NIU appeared in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1972, earning the #3 seed for the Tallahassee Regional. The Huskies won their first NCAA Tournament game with a 12-10 victory over Coastal Carolina.
Athlon Names Seven from NIU Football on Preseason Mountain West Team
Seven members of the Northern Illinois University football team were named to the Preseason All-Mountain West Conference Team by Athlon Sports.
Two Huskies were named to the Second Team Offense in junior running back Telly Johnson Jr. (Augusta, Ga. / Hephzibah) and redshirt junior offensive lineman Landon Hron (Hartford, Wis. / Hartford). Redshirt sophomore cornerback and return specialist Dev'ion Reynolds (Zion, Ill. / Carmel Catholic) earned Second Team honors as a kicker returner.
Redshirt senior wide receiver DeAree Rogers (Lexington, S.C. / Lenoir-Rhyne) was named to Athlon's Third Team Offense while redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Ross Liegel (Rock Springs, Wis. / Baraboo), redshirt junior defensive end Jay'shon Thomas (Cataula, Ga. / Harris County) and sophomore punter Jake Ference (St. Louis, Mo. / Lafayette) received Fourth Team recognition.
Last season, Johnson rushed for 712 yards on 124 attempts while adding four touchdowns. Johnson averaged 5.74 yards per carry, thanks in part to an offensive line that featured both Hron and Liegel, ranking top 30 in the FBS. Rogers led all NIU players with 506 receiving yards on 46 catches, finishing his first season with NIU ranking top 10 in the conference in receptions.
Thomas played in all 12 games last season, including starting the final three, and is the team's returning tackles leader. His first career two-sack game came against Ball State on Oct. 25 and Thomas finished with a season-high five tackles against Western Michigan on Nov. 18.
Reynolds made an impact as a redshirt freshman last season, starting four games at corner and playing in all 12 in the secondary and special teams. As a kick returner, Reynolds averaged 25.3 yards per return to rank 16th in the FBS and recorded one touchdown.
Ference stepped in as the starting punter midway through the season for the Huskies. As a true freshman, Ference recorded 30 punts for an average of 43.7 yards per ranking fourth highest in the conference. He added eight punts pinned inside the 20.
NIU opens the 2026 season on the road at Iowa on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 3:15 p.m. CT on the Big Ten Network. The Huskies home opener is set for Saturday, Sept. 12 against in-state foe Illinois State, scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on MW+.