Women's Gymnastics | October 30

DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University gymnastics team has announced its schedule for the 2026 season. Highlights from the schedule include facing two 2025 NCAA Regional teams, hosting reigning MAC Tournament Champion Central Michigan and five other home meets.

"Our first two meets are on the road, and we are looking forward to bonding time at the start of season." said head coach Nita Teague. "We have five home meets this year. We love the energy at the Convo and the athletes feed off the energy there."

The Huskies' annual Red-Black intrasquad meet will be on Fri, Dec. 19 at the NIU Convocation Center. All home meets will be free entry for fans.

NIU begins the 2026 regular season competing against three consecutive conference opponents. The season opener will be on Sunday, Jan. 11 at 12 p.m. against the 2025 MAC regular season champions Kent State on the road.

The Huskies then travel to 2025 MAC Tournament runner-up Eastern Michigan for a Saturday matchup against the Eagles on Jan. 17 at 3 p.m.

The team will spend the next three weeks in DeKalb as NIU hosts its regular season home opener Saturday, Jan. 24 at 2 p.m. against Ball State at the NIU Convocation Center.

February opens with 2025 NCGA Champion University of Wisconsin-La Crosse on Sunday, Feb. 1 at 1 p.m. followed by a Friday night meet against conference opponent Western Michigan on Feb. 6.

NIU travels to Bowling Green for a dual on Feb. 15, before returning home to host a tri-meet against Southeast Missouri State and Wilberforce on Friday, Feb. 20. The tri-meet will be the annual Beauty and the Beast Meet, when both gymnastics and NIU wrestling both competing at the same time at the NIU Convocation Center. The Huskie wrestling team will be facing SIUE.

Three days after the Beauty in the Beast Meet, the Huskies travel to Illinois State on Feb. 23 at 6 p.m.

NIU then plays host to Central Michigan, the 2025 MAC Tournament Champions, on Friday, Feb. 27 at the NIU Convocation Center at 6 p.m. The dual against the Chippewas will be the Huskies' third meet in seven days.

The Huskies close the regular season competing against two Big Ten opponents that made the NCAA Regionals last season in Iowa and Minnesota. NIU travels to Iowa on Friday, March 6 for a quad-meet that will also include Central Michigan and SEMO.

The dual against Minnesota is the regular season finale for the Huskies on Sunday, March 15. The Golden Gophers finished the 2025 regular season ranked 10th and advanced to the NCAA Regional Finals.

Bowling Green will host the 2026 MAC Championship on March 21. NCAA Regionals are set to take place from April 1-5.

The Huskies have had a qualifier for NCAA Regionals for 11 straight seasons dating back to 2014. Last season, senior Kiera O'Shea competed in the Tuscaloosa Regional hosted by Alabama for the Huskies on vault.