Nine home games highlight the 2025 Northern Illinois University women’s soccer schedule, announced on Tuesday (July 22) by head coach Michael O’Neill. NIU will play a trio of foes who reached the NCAA Tournament last season, including a pair of Sweet 16 participants.

The Huskies, who will be on campus to begin their preseason on Monday, July 28, will mark the unofficial start to the campaign when they make the short trip to Loyola-Chicago for an exhibition contest on Thursday, Aug. 7.

Coming off a nine-win season, its most victories since 2010, the Huskies open the 2025 campaign with back-to-back home games against Big East foes as the Huskies welcome Marquette to DeKalb on Thursday, Aug. 14, and DePaul on Sunday, Aug. 17.

A trip to the State of Minnesota will see NIU take on St. Thomas on Thursday, Aug. 21 before visiting Minnesota on Sunday, Aug. 24. The Golden Gophers reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament a season ago.

NIU will then finish its non-conference slate with a home date against Eastern Illinois (Aug. 31) before traveling to meet another NCAA Sweet 16 team from a season ago as they visit Wisconsin (Sept. 4). The Huskies will open league play at home against Miami on Sunday, Sept. 14.

The first conference road game of the year will see NIU travel to Toledo on Thursday, Sept. 18. The Huskies then come home to meet Akron (Sept. 25) before making their first trip to UMass to take on the Mid-American Conference newcomers on Sunday, Sept. 28.

Following a visit to Central Michigan (Oct. 2), NIU will play three of its next four at home, beginning against Buffalo on Oct. 5. Western Michigan, the defending MAC regular season and tournament champions, comes to DeKalb on Thursday, Oct. 9, and following a trip to Kent State (Oct. 12), the Huskies host Bowling Green on Thursday, Oct. 16.

The final two road games of the regular season send the Huskies to Ohio (Oct. 19) and Eastern Michigan (Oct. 26) before NIU closes its league schedule at home against Ball State on Wednesday, Oct. 29.

NIU has won 17 games combined over the past two seasons, its highest two-season total since combining for 19 wins during the 2007 and 2008 seasons.