DEKALB, Ill. – Nine home games and a complete 11-match Mid-American Conference slate highlight the 2021 Northern Illinois University women's soccer schedule, announced by head coach
Julie Colhoff on Tuesday (August 3).
"We're really excited about being able to get back to having a full 20-game season this fall," said Colhoff. "We've got a lot of good in-region opportunities to prepare us for our MAC schedule, which is always very competitive. We're also really looking forward to being able to play our entire MAC schedule again after last year's cancelation and alternate spring season. There will be a lot of tough match ups, and we're excited to show that we're up for the challenge."
An exhibition contest against Northern Iowa on Sunday, August 8 will open the 2021 season. The preseason matchup with the Panthers will take place at the TBK Sports Complex in Bettendorf, Iowa.
The regular season kicks off 11 days later when NIU travels north to meet Milwaukee on August 19. The Panthers reached the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament earlier this spring.
NIU hosts Indiana State in the home opener on Sunday, August 22, the first of three-straight home contests at the NIU Soccer Complex. The homestand also includes visits from Chicago State on Thursday, August 26 and Eastern Kentucky on Sunday, August 29.
Three of the final four non-conference games see the Huskies on the road, beginning with a trip to Valparaiso on September 3. After visiting Green Bay on September 9, NIU hosts Illinois State on Sunday, September 12 in the final home game before conference play begins. The last non-conference match will take place on September 17 as NIU travels to South Dakota State.
League play begins for the Huskies on Thursday, September 23, as NIU hosts Toledo. The Huskies and Rockets split a pair of meetings in the regular season this past spring.
NIU visits defending conference champion Bowling Green on September 26 and travels to Central Michigan to close the month on September 30.
Eastern Michigan comes to DeKalb on Sunday, October 3 before NIU travels to Kent State on October 7 in the first meeting against a team from the eastern half of the MAC since 2019. Last season, the 10-game conference slate saw NIU play each team in the western half of the MAC home-and-away.
A stretch of three-of-four at home begins on Sunday, October 10 as Ohio comes to DeKalb. A trip to Akron on October 14 is followed by back-to-back home dates as the Huskies host Buffalo on Sunday, October 17 and Miami on Thursday, October 21.
The final two matches of the regular season send NIU on the road with a trip to Muncie, Ind., to meet Ball State on Sunday, October 24, and a visit to Kalamazoo on October 28 to face Western Michigan.
