Football is coming off an 8-5 season in 2024, a year that included a famous, boneyard victory over No. 5 Notre Dame on the road and a double overtime bowl game win over Fresno State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Josh Holst and sophomore running back Telly Johnson Jr. are expected to lead the new-look offense while defensive ends Jalonnie Williams (redshirt senior) and Roy Williams (senior) aim to keep the opposing offenses out of the end zone.

Volleyball
Friday, Aug. 29: vs. Lamar (DeLand, Fla.), 10 a.m. – Live Stats
Friday, Aug. 29: at Stetson, 5 p.m. – Live Stats
Saturday, Aug. 30: vs. Southern Miss (DeLand, Fla.), 11:30 a.m. – Live Stats

The NIU volleyball team opens the 2025 season as they compete at the Stetson Hatters Invitational, Aug. 29-30. Action will take place at the Insight Credit Union Arena at Edmunds Center in DeLand, Florida. NIU will take on Lamar at 10 a.m. CT before facing off against Stetson. The Huskies conclude the opening weekend with Southern Miss at 11:30 a.m. on August 30.

The Huskies return seven players from last year’s roster and introduce nine new faces to the program, including seven true freshmen. Sophomore outside hitter Ava Grevengoed returns for the Huskies after leading the team in kills and aces during the 2024 season. Ella Strausberger, a sophomore setter, also returns for the Huskies, recording 603 assists during the 2024 season. Rylea Alvin (68 blocks in 2024) and Emma McCartney (172 digs) also return for the Huskies alongside Alexa Hayes and Kylie Schulze.

Men’s Soccer
Thursday, Aug. 28: vs. Western Illinois, 5 p.m. – Live Video | Live Stats
Monday, Sept. 1: at #19 Kansas City, 7:30 p.m. – Live Video | Live Stats

After opening with a pair of matches in the State of Wisconsin, the Huskie men’s soccer team hosts Western Illinois on Thursday in its regular season home opener. NIU began the season with a 2-2 draw at Milwaukee as Dasha Curiel and Nico Angulo each netted for the Huskies. Angulo’s goal came 99 seconds before the final whistle to earn the Huskies the draw. On Monday (Aug. 25) at Green Bay, Vance Sheffield scored the lone goal in the 85th minute to give NIU a 1-0 win over the Phoenix.

Western Illinois comes into the week with a 1-1 record after splitting a pair of games against Butler and Quincy to open the season. Kansas City is 1-0-1 as the Roos opened with a 2-2 draw at SMU before topping Missouri State, 2-1. Kansas City is ranked 19th in this week’s United Soccer Coaches poll.

Women’s Soccer
Sunday, Aug. 31: vs. Eastern Illinois, 1 p.m. – Live Video | Live Stats

The Huskie women’s soccer team will be back in action on Sunday, Aug. 31, as it hosts Eastern Illinois at 1 p.m., in their penultimate non-conference match of the season. NIU is coming off a trip to the State of Minnesota which saw the Huskies play to a 0-0 draw with St. Thomas before falling to Minnesota, 4-0. Morgan Lucich picked up her second shutout of the season against the Tommies.

Eastern Illinois comes into the week with a 1-3 record and will travel to Valparaiso on Thursday (Aug. 28) before making the trip to NIU.

Cross Country
Friday, Aug. 29: at Fighting Illini Open (Savoy, Ill.), 11 a.m. – Live Results | Meet Info

The NIU Cross Country team will begin its 2025 season on Friday when the Huskies travel to Savoy, Ill., to compete in Illinois’ Fighting Illini Open on the Orange and Blue Golf Course. The four-kilometer women’s race is scheduled for 11 a.m. The Huskies return just one runner from a season ago as Varri Higgins is joined by six newcomers for NIU this fall.