DEKALB, Ill. – Two more Huskie teams begin their seasons on Labor Day weekend as the NIU Football team kicks off the 2023 campaign Saturday at Boston College and the Huskie cross country team begins Friday at Western Illinois. Men's Soccer will be at home on Labor Day night while women's soccer and volleyball compete away from home this weekend. 

Football
Saturday, September 2: at Boston College, 11 a.m. – ACC Network | Listen Live | Live Stats

The NIU Football team opens its 2023 season Saturday at Boston College. Kickoff is at 11 am CT with the game being telecast on ACC Network. The Huskies return 17 starters from a season ago, with eight on the offensive side of the ball. NIU was picked to finish third in the MAC West division in the preseason. The Huskies welcome back two-time All-MAC selection in wide receiver Trayvon Rudolph, who missed the 2022 season due to injury. Quarterback Rocky Lombardi is also back for his third season at NIU after receiving a medical redshirt last year. The Huskies' offensive line has allowed the fewest sacks in the MAC in each of the last two seasons. Boston College is coming off a 3-9 campaign in 2022. The Eagles have won all three meetings against NIU, with the last two in 2016 and 2017 decided by three points each.

Volleyball
Friday, September 1: vs. UNC Wilmington, 3 p.m. – Live Stats
Saturday, September 2: at Davidson, 11 a.m. – ESPN+ | Live Stats
Saturday, September 2: vs. Queens, 2:30 p.m. – Live Stats

The Huskie volleyball team heads to the State of North Carolina this weekend to compete in Davidson's Wildcat Classic. NIU opens the tournament against UNC Wilmington on Friday (Sept. 1) before facing both host Davidson and Queens on Saturday (Sept. 2). This weekend marks the first three matches of an 11-match road trip for the Huskies, who won't return home until Friday, Sept. 29. Nikolette Nedic recorded a team-high 44 kills (3.38 per set) on the opening weekend of the season while Crew Hoffmeier posted a team-best 48 digs (3.69 per set). 

Cross Country
Friday, September 1: at Western Illinois Invitational, 5:15 p.m.

NIU cross country begins a new era under first-year head coach Juan Carrillo this Friday (Sept. 1) when the Huskies travel to Macomb to compete in the Western Illinois Invitational at Spring Lake Park. The Huskies return eight runners from last season's team, including Joy Jackson and Sarah McLaughlin, who both competed in all five events for NIU last season. Jackson was NIU's top finisher at the MAC Championship a season ago and also recorded a top-10 finish earlier in the season at the Tom Hoffman Invitational. 

Men's Soccer
Friday, September 1: at Notre Dame, 6 p.m. – ACC Network Extra | Live Stats
Monday, September 4: vs. Aurora, 7 p.m. – Live Video | Live Stats

Following an opening weekend split against Western Illinois and Memphis, the NIU men's soccer team readies for another split weekend as the Huskies travel to Notre Dame on Friday (Sept. 1) before hosting Aurora on Monday night (Sept. 4). Friday's contest will be the second time in three seasons that the Huskies have travelled to South Bend while Monday's matchup with Aurora will be the first between the two programs since 1986. Angel Rodriguez tallied points for the Huskies in each of the first two games of the season, providing the assist on Dylan Banker's game-winning goal against Western Illinois before scoring his first of the season against Memphis. 

Women's Soccer
Sunday, September 3: at Indiana, 6 p.m. – B1G Network Plus | Live Stats

The 2-1-1 Huskies look to continue their dominant defensive effort as they travel to take on the Indiana Hoosiers on Sunday. Isabel Struble is leading the Huskies with two goals, Lea Gruennagel, Amber Best, Tyra King and Sarah Roy have one goal each. NIU is led by goalie Sadie McGill with three clean sheets in four matches in 2023. Last week the Huskies defeated Eastern Illinois, 3-0, on Thursday, August 24 before a 0-0 draw against Oakland on Sunday, August 27. NIU has allowed just one goal this season, coming in the lone defeat to Valparaiso. Indiana is 3-0-1 and faces Tennessee on Thursday before the NIU matchup.