DEKALB, Ill. – The busiest week thus far in the 2025-26 calendar sees nine Huskie teams in action this week, with volleyball, women's soccer and men's soccer all competing at home. Six other NIU teams will be on the road this week, including the Huskie football team's trip to Ohio on Saturday. 

Football
Saturday, Oct. 18: at Ohio, 2:30 p.m. – ESPN+ | Live Audio | Live Stats

NIU football will be on the road for the second straight game this weekend as the Huskies travel to Ohio on Saturday for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff. NIU fell to Eastern Michigan, 16-10, last weekend. Sophomore running back Telly Johnson Jr. rushed for a career-high 159 yards, including the Huskies longest play from scrimmage this season on an 80-yard touchdown run. 

Ohio (3-3) dropped a 20-14 game to Ball State last week. Quarterback Parker Navarro leads the Bobcats and has 1,266 passing yards with nine touchdowns passes while adding 398 rushing yards. Ohio ranks second in the MAC in total offense (408.8) and scoring offense (26.3). 

Volleyball
Friday, Oct. 17: vs. Toledo, 6 p.m. – ESPN+ | Live Stats | Buy Tickets
Saturday, Oct. 18: vs. Toledo, 4 p.m. – ESPN+ | Live Stats | Buy Tickets

After playing four of their last five games on the road, the NIU Huskies volleyball team returns to Victor E. Court for a pair of games against the Toledo Rockets. The Huskies and Rockets will first faceoff at 6 p.m. on Oct 17 in the Huskies "Why We Play" game before concluding the series on Oct. 18 at 4 p.m. in the "Wear Black" game. Both games will be broadcast on ESPN+.
 
Jordyn Tynsky and Rylea Alvin are in the MAC top-10 for aces per set (Tynsky), digs per set (Tynsky), and blocks per set (Alvin). Tynsky has recorded 215 digs this season, an average of 3.52 per set while Alvin has been credited with 63 blocks, 1.09 per set. Emma McCartney is leading the Huskie offense with 3.00 kills per set and is joined by Ava Grevengoed at 2.94 kills per set. Sophomore setter Ella Strausberger is 76 assists away from surpassing the 1,000-career assist mark.

Women's Soccer
Thursday, Oct. 16: vs. Bowling Green, 7 p.m. – Live Video | Live Stats | Free Admission
Sunday, Oct. 19: at Ohio, 12 p.m. – Live Video | Live Stats

Following a weekend split against Western Michigan and Kent State, the Huskies return home to host Bowling Green on Thursday night (Oct. 16) for Senior Night. NIU will honor its senior class approximately one hour prior to kickoff of Thursday's game. NIU goalkeeper Lauren Pearson conceded just once last week against the Broncos and Golden Flashes. For the season, Pearson has a 1.09 goals against average and a .750 save percentage in eight matches. Tyra King remains NIU's leading scorer with a pair of goals this season. 

Bowling Green comes to NIU on Thursday with a 7-1-6 overall record, 2-0-5 in league play. Ohio comes into the week with a 3-7-5 mark, 1-3-4 in the MAC. 

Men's Soccer
Friday, Oct. 17: vs. Belmont, 6 p.m. – Live Video | Live Stats | Free Admission

The Huskie men's soccer team extended its unbeaten run to four matches with a 0-0 draw at Western Michigan this past Saturday (Oct. 11), it is the longest unbeaten stretch since going unbeaten in four matches early in the 2022 season. 

Atahan Arslan returned in goal for the Huskies against the Broncos and made four saves while picking up his third shutout of the season. Vance Sheffield (five goals, two assists) and Katai Mukuka (four goals, four assists) remain tied for the team lead with 12 points, Sheffield remains tied for fourth among freshman goalscorers in the country. Belmont brings a 6-1-5 mark into Friday's game, including 1-1-1 in Missouri Valley play. 

Men's Golf
Monday-Tuesday, Oct. 13-14: at Purdue Fall Invitational (West Lafayette, Ind.) – Live Scoring
Sunday-Monday, Oct. 19-20: at Quail Valley Collegiate (Vero Beach, Fla.)

NIU men's golf is back in action Monday and Tuesday at the Purdue Fall Invitational at Kampen-Cosler Golf Course. The Huskies finished 11th in their last event, the Jim DeLapa Collegiate at Point O'Woods Golf & Country Club in Benton Harbor, Mich. Sophomore Jack Mulligan was NIU's top finisher, tying for 19th place with a 54-hole score of even par 210. Mulligan had NIU's lowest round of the tournament with a four-under par 66 in the second round. Craig Long finished in the top-25, tying for 24th at one-over par with two rounds of 69. Long leads the Huskies in scoring average through three tournaments this fall at 71.333. 

Following Purdue, it will be a quick turnaround for the Huskies as they travel to Vero Beach, Fla., for the Quail Valley Collegiate at Quail Valley Golf Culb, Oct. 19-20. 

Women's Golf
Sunday-Monday, Oct. 19-20: at Jim West Challenge (San Marcos, Texas) – Live Scoring

Huskie women's golf continues its fall season as they head south for the first of two tournaments within seven days. The Huskies will compete at the Jim West Challenge, hosted by Texas State, October 19-20 in San Marcos, Texas at Kissing Tree Golf Course.
 
Emile Chile and Mia Raines led the Huskies at the Diane Thomason Invite as they finished in the top-25 at the tournament. NIU carded 20 birdies in the tournament with Raines carding a birdie on the same hole in consecutive rounds.

Men's Tennis
Thursday-Monday, Oct. 16-20: at ITA Midwest Regional (Chicago, Ill.)

NIU men's tennis will compete in the ITA Midwest Regional Championship this week, beginning Thursday, Oct. 16 and running through Monday, Oct. 20. DePaul University will host the Midwest Regional at the XS Tennis Village in Chicago. 

It's the third of four fall events for men's tennis as Federico Scotuzzi recorded two singles wins earlier this month at the Redbird Invitational.  

Women's Tennis
Thursday-Monday, Oct. 16-20: at ITA Midwest Regional (Champaign, Ill.)

NIU women's tennis will also be competing at the ITA Midwest Regionals this week, hosted by Illinois from Thursday, Oct. 16 to Monday, Oct. 20, at the Atkins Tennis Center. 

Earlier this month at the MAC Fall Individual Championships, Irmak Budak and Theodora Kousiou advanced to the quarterfinals in the doubles bracket. Budak also advanced to the quarterfinals in singles. 

Cross Country
Friday, October 17: at Bradley Pink Classic – Live Results

The Huskie cross country team will return to action for the first time in three weeks as it competes at the Bradley Pink Classic on the Newman Golf Course in Peoria on Friday (Oct. 17). 

Amelie Ojeda has led the Huskies in each of the first three meets of the season, including last time out at the Gans Creek Classic when she ran a time of 22:17.8 as the Huskies competed over six kilometers for the first time this season. Grace Hanson made her NIU debut at the Gans Creek Classic and was the second Huskies over the line.