This Week in Huskie Athletics Northern Illinois University will have six teams in action. Three teams will make their first home appearances of 2025. NIU men’s basketball travels to Western Michigan on Tuesday before coming home to face Ball State in the Huskies double header on Saturday. NIU women’s basketball opens the week at EMU on Wednesday before coming home to play in the first leg of the NIU double header on Saturday. NIU gymnastics will have their home opening meet and senior day meet on Friday at 6 p.m. when the Huskies host Illinois State. NIU wrestling will travel to take on Ohio at 4 p.m. on Saturday. NIU women’s tennis and NIU men’s tennis will both have their first home duals of 2025. NIU women’s tennis will host Northern Iowa and Eastern Illinois at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday. NIU men’s tennis will host EIU on Saturday at 6 p.m. and Judson at 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Men’s Basketball

Tuesday, Jan. 21 at Western Michigan, 6 p.m. – ESPN+ | Live Audio | Live Stats

Saturday, Jan. 25 vs Ball State, 3:30p.m. –   ESPN+ |  Live Audio |  Live Stats

The Northern Illinois University men’s basketball team makes the short trip to Kalamazoo, Mich., on Tuesday (Jan. 21) as the Huskies visit Western Michigan. Tipoff against the Broncos is slated for 6 p.m. CT and the contest will be available on ESPN+ and WDKB 94-9 FM. Last time out against Central Michigan, the Huskies made 13 triples, one shy of tying the school record. Quaran McPherson (South Jamaica Queens, N.Y./Link Year Prep) led the way with a career-high five threes, scoring a game-high 22 points. McPherson is ranked ninth in the Mid-American Conference in three-point percentage, shooting 41.3 percent.

NIU will return home on Saturday (Jan. 25) when the Huskies host Ball State in the second half of a Huskie Basketball doubleheader.

Women’s Basketball

Wednesday, Jan. 22 at Eastern Michigan, 5:30 p.m.- Watch on ESPN+ |  Live Audio |  Live Stats

Saturday, Jan. 25 vs Ball State, 1 p.m. –  Watch on ESPN+ |  Live Audio | Live Stats

The Northern Illinois University women’s basketball team will take a trip to Ypsilanti, Mich. to take on EMU on Wednesday before returning home against Ball State as part of the Huskies Basketball doubleheader on Saturday inside the NIU Convocation Center. NIU dropped games to Miami and Bowling Green last week. The Huskies rallied against the Falcons on Saturday but were unable to overcome the 15-point halftime deficit. Chelby Koker led NIU with 16 points and five assists in the game.

EMU is 1-15 on the season and 0-6 in MAC play. Ball State currently leads the MAC with a 6-0 MAC record and a 5-4 record on the season.

Gymnastics

Friday, Jan. 24 vs Illinois State, 6 p.m. – FREE TO ATTEND | ESPN+

The NIU Gymnastics team will compete at the NIU Convocation Center for the first time in 2025 as the Huskies host Illinois State on Friday night. Last time out the Huskies traveled to Emu for a quad-meet and earned third place overall. Ellery Werner led the way for NIU by winning the meet on balance beam with a 9.850. Isabella Sissi and Kiera O’Shea earned second place on bars and vault respectively as well. The Huskies posted a score of 193.275 in the meet.

NIU honors their four seniors on Friday, Alana Anderson, Natalia Kraus, Isabella Sissi and Ellery Werner will all be honored immediately after the meet.

Wrestling

Saturday, Jan. 25 at Ohio, 4 p.m. – TrackWrestling

The Northern Illinois University Huskies wrestling program continues action on the road as they travel to Ohio University for a Mid-American Conference dual on January 25 at 4 p.m. CT. The Huskies were most recently in action as they competed at Central Michigan University on January 17, falling 29-11. The Huskies have won the last two meetings against the Bobcats, including a 24-15 victory in DeKalb last season.

Blake West (Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee) and Markel Baker (Freeport, Ill./Freeport) claimed wins for the Huskies in Mount Pleasant. West and Baker hold a 3-0 record in conference action while Spencer Mooberry (Osage, Iowa/Osage) is 1-0 in conference action. West holds several rankings in the national polls, with his highest ranking coming at No. 14 in the WrestleStat poll.

Women’s Tennis

Saturday, January 25 vs. Northern Iowa (Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Field House), 9 am

Saturday, January 25 vs. Eastern Illinois (Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Field House), 1 pm

After opening the dual match season on the road last weekend, the Huskies play their first home competition of the spring semester Saturday with a doubleheader versus Northern Iowa and Eastern Illinois at the Nelson Tennis Center. Admission is free and spectators are welcome.

The Huskies are 2-1 on the season with shutout wins over Lindenwood and Saint Louis by scores of 7-0 and 4-0, respectively, and a narrow 4-3 loss at Missouri. NIU junior Nataly Ninova earned the first MAC Singles Player of the Week honor of the year after winning all three of her singles matches in straight sets on the weekend. The doubles duo of Reagan Welch and Jenna Horne also went undefeated.

Men’s Tennis

Saturday, Jan. 25 (Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Field House) vs Eastern Illinois, 6 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 26 (Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Field House), vs Judson, 4 p.m.

The Northern Illinois University men’s tennis team will compete inside the Nelson Tennis Center for the first time in 2025. The Huskies will take on EIU on Saturday and Judson on Sunday. Last week NIU opened their season with a trip to Purdue and IU Indy. The Huskies were defeated by Purdue 7-0 on Friday and bounced back with a 4-3 win over IU Indy on Saturday. 2024 MAC freshman of the year Saul Berdullas forced a third set at No. 2 singles in Friday’s defeat and took down David Viste of IU Indy 6-3, 7-6 on Saturday.