Northern Illinois University will join the Horizon League as a full member with 14 sports set to begin competition in the League for the 2026-27 seasons, NIU and the Horizon League announced Thursday (Feb. 27). The announcement came following a meeting of the NIU Board of Trustees.

“We are delighted to be joining the Horizon League. The league will be a wonderful home and a great fit for Huskie Athletics,” said NIU President Lisa C. Freeman. “The regional footprint of the league provides NIU student-athletes with the opportunity to compete at a high level in cities throughout the Midwest while maintaining the high academic standards that have become a hallmark of NIU Athletics.”

NIU teams will compete in the Horizon League in men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball, men’s and women’s soccer, women’s cross country, women’s indoor and outdoor track and field, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s golf, baseball and softball.

“We are looking forward to a great partnership with the Horizon League and are excited about the opportunities for NIU student-athletes to continue our legacy of success” said NIU Vice President and Director of Athletics and Recreation Sean T. Frazier. “Thanks to Commissioner Julie Roe Lach and the membership of the Horizon League, and to President Freeman and others in the NIU administration, who have been alongside as we chart the course for the future of NIU Athletics. This move continues our strategic approach to embracing a national model for our programs while preserving a regional base and returning to a league where Huskie Athletics can continue to thrive.”

NIU, which is celebrating its 125th season of intercollegiate athletics in 2024-25, was previously a member of the Horizon League – then known as the Midwestern Collegiate Conference – from 1994-97. Five different Huskie teams won eight league titles during that time. NIU won the McCafferty Trophy, awarded annually to the league’s all-sport champion, following the 1995-96 academic year.

Headquartered in downtown Indianapolis, the Horizon League, is celebrating its 46th season of operation in 2024-25. Nine of the current league member institutions are located in top 70 media markets throughout the Midwest’s major metropolitan cities. NIU becomes the 12th full member of the Horizon League, joining Cleveland State University, the University of Detroit Mercy, Indiana University-Indianapolis, Northern Kentucky University, Oakland University, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Robert Morris University, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Wright State University and Youngstown State University.

“We are thrilled to welcome Northern Illinois University into #OurHorizon in a major move for our League and member institutions,” said Horizon League Commissioner Julie Roe Lach. “The university’s commitment to holistically developing students for their future aligns closely with our mission, vision and core values and we look forward to the major experiences and impact this will create for our student-athletes.”

The move to the Horizon League marks another step in NIU Athletics’ ongoing effort to maximize revenues in order to ensure the sustainability – and the level of excellence – of all Huskie programs amidst considerable and ongoing changes in the intercollegiate athletics landscape. On January 7, NIU accepted an invitation for its football program to join the Mountain West Conference beginning with the 2026 season.

For more on the Huskies’ move to the Horizon League beginning in 2026-27, read the Q&A below and watch the press conference on the NIU Athletics Official YouTube Channel.

NIU Joins the Horizon League – Questions and Answers

When will NIU teams begin competition in the Horizon League?

NIU will officially join the Horizon League on July 1, 2026, with the fall sports beginning competition shortly thereafter.  These 14 teams will compete in their current conferences, with 13 sports in the Mid-American Conference and men’s soccer in the Missouri Valley Conference, through the end of the 2025-26 seasons.

Which Huskie teams will compete in the Horizon League?

Baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, women’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s tennis, women’s track and field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball.

What universities are currently full members of the Horizon League?

There are currently 11 full members of the Horizon League: Cleveland State, Detroit Mercy, Green Bay, IU Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Northern Kentucky, Oakland, Purdue Fort Wayne, Robert Morris, Wright State and Youngstown State

Where will the NIU wrestling and gymnastics teams compete in 2026 since the Horizon League does not sponsor those sports?

NIU has submitted a request to the Mid-American Conference for the NIU wrestling and gymnastics programs to remain in the MAC as affiliate members. The MAC currently has affiliate members in multiple sports including field hockey, women’s lacrosse, men’s tennis and wrestling. In wrestling, eight of the league’s 13 teams are affiliate members. We have alternate options for both of those programs moving forward and expect a final determination this spring.

 Why does a model with these 14 teams competing in the Horizon League while NIU football joins the Mountain West make sense?

This national model is something that has been done by the service academies, specifically Army West Point and Navy, in the past and we’ve seen the advantages this type of arrangement can have for all sports. When we announced on January 7 that NIU football will join the Mountain West in 2026 (link to announcement), it became necessary to find a home for all of our remaining teams due to existing MAC by-laws. At the same time, we wanted NIU basketball, volleyball and the rest of our teams to continue to play a more regional schedule. This allows those programs to develop and keep strong regional rivalries, to travel in a way that makes sense and also allows the families and fans of those teams to easily travel to support them on the road. Football, with its limited number of conference games – and fewer road games with less time spent on the road – has more flexibility to play in a league like the Mountain West as we take advantage of the national platform and media opportunities that sport brings to the university.

What prompted NIU’s decision to leave the MAC and operate its programs in different leagues?

Over the past several years, monumental changes have come to college athletics. The NCAA House case settlement alone will result in revenue sharing with student-athletes and increased roster (scholarship) numbers. Add the transfer portal and the ability of student-athletes to profit off of Name, Image, Likeness (NIL), and everything from recruiting to the way players are developed to what schools can provide, has changed. In FBS football, the expanded College Football Playoff beginning this year, is going to continue to influence the way that teams and athletic departments operate.

In order to remain relevant and competitive in the current environment, it became imperative to examine – and to determine how to maximize every revenue stream to ensure the sustainability – and the level of excellence – for all Huskie programs. Administrators were challenged to think outside the box and to identify ways in which NIU could ensure that its student-athletes continue to excel academically and athletically.

During that process and once there was interest from the Mountain West in Huskie Football, the resources involved – along with other factors – prompted NIU to make the decision to accept the invitation in order to ensure a more sustainable future for all Huskie programs.

Why move to the Horizon League as opposed to one of the other potential landing spots?

Similar to the decision to join the Mountain West Conference in football, we did significant research into the leagues that met some of our basic requirements and engaged in conversations with several different conferences. There was a lot of interest in NIU and Huskie Athletics which speaks to the strength of our programs and to the leadership of the university. We know that NIU has a strong brand and a great alumni, fan and recruiting base here in Chicagoland.

Having a regional base for conference competition for NIU basketball, volleyball, baseball/softball, soccer and our other teams was a priority. Playing in major markets across the Midwest, including going to Wisconsin, made the Horizon League very attractive. It’s a very competitive league with strong leadership and great vision that is going to offer NIU student-athletes opportunities to compete for championships across the board.

NIU left the MAC once before and returned, what is the reasoning behind leaving this time and how is it different?

NIU has had a proud and long-standing relationship with the Mid-American Conference dating back to 1975 and, after leaving the league for a 12-year period in the mid-80s, has spent the last 28 consecutive years competing in the MAC. When NIU left the MAC in 1985, it was a very different reality as the changes that have occurred in college athletics (House settlement, transfer portal, NIL, expanded CFP) over the past three years have completely changed the landscape. How those changes affect NIU, the MAC and every student-athlete were the major factors in making this move.