General | January 20

DeKALB, Ill.—Eight NIU Athletics teams will be in action this week, including home dates for women's basketball, wrestling, men's and women's tennis, and gymnastics. Men's basketball, men's tennis, track and field, and women's golf, who start their spring season, will be in action on the road this week.
 
Men's Basketball
Tuesday, Jan. 20 at Ohio, 6 p.m. – ESPN+ | Live Stats | Live Audio
Saturday, Jan. 24 at Ball State, 1 p.m. – ESPN+ | Live Stats | Live Audio
 
The NIU men's basketball team is on the road for a pair of games this week, starting tonight at Ohio at 6 p.m. The Huskies are coming off a 70-68 win over UMass on Saturday at the NIU Convocation Center. Makhai Valentine tied his career-high with 27 points against the Minutemen, his third 20-point effort in the last four games. Over that four-game stretch Valentine is shooting 47.3 percent from the field, 42.9 percent from the three-point arc and 88.9 percent from the foul line. 
 
Ohio is 10-9 on the season and 4-3 in the Mid-American Conference. The Bobcats are coming off back-to-back road losses at Toledo and Ball State. NIU's last win against Ohio came on March 4, 2022. The Huskies and Cardinals meet at Worthern Arena on Saturday at 1 p.m. The two teams split their two meetings last season with the home team winning each game. A full preview of Saturday's game will be available on NIUHuskies.com later in the week.
 
 
Women's Basketball
Wednesday, Jan. 21 vs Western Michigan, 6 p.m. - ESPN+ | Live Stats | Live Audio | Purchase Tickets
Saturday, Jan. 24 at Eastern Michigan, 12 p.m. - ESPN+ | Live Stats | Live Audio
 
NIU Women's Basketball is back at the Convocation Center Wednesday night at 6 p.m. to host Western Michigan. The Huskies had four players score in double figures last Saturday in a 66-62 loss at Ohio. Freshman Sa'Mahn Johnson led all scorers in the game with 16 points off the bench. Nadechka Laccen added 15 points and tied her career-high with seven assists. The Huskies are just the fourth team this season to hold Ohio under 70 points.
 
The Huskies and Broncos split last season's two meetings with the road team winning each game. Western Michigan is 5-11 on the season and 2-4 in the MAC after a loss at home to Ball State. NIU heads to Eastern Michigan on Saturday for a 12 p.m. tip-off at the George Gervin GameAbove Center. A full preview will be available on NIUHuskies.com later in the week. 
 
Wrestling
Friday, Jan. 23 vs Kent State, 4 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 23 vs Ohio, 6 p.m. - Live Stats
 
NIU Wrestling continues their home stand with a doubleheader of action on Friday night as the Golden Flashes of Kent State and Bobcats of Ohio visit DeKalb. The Huskies won a close battle on Friday, January 16 as they defeated Central Michigan, 19-15. The dual came down the final bout as then ranked No. 21/20 Devon Dawson defeated then No. 31 Bryan Caves for his sixth major decision win over the season.
 
On Tuesday, January 20, Dawson was named the Mid-American Conference West Wrestler of the Week, his first career honor. This is the second time this season that NIU has been MAC West Wrestler of the Week in back-to-back weeks as Markel Baker earned that honor in November 2025.
 
Men's Tennis
Friday, Jan. 23 vs IU Indy, 1 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 24 vs Illinois State, 1 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 25 at Chicago State, 9 a.m.
 
NIU men's tennis begins its dual season with a pair of matches this weekend at the Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Fieldhouse. Sophomore Nikola Puntaric had a standout fall campaign, winning the co-championship of the singles back draw at the ITA Conference Masters Championships. Puntaric qualified for the event by becoming the first NIU player to win the Singles Flight A draw at the MAC Indoor Championships. 
 
IU Indy (0-1) fell 5-2 to Eastern Kentucky in its season opener on Sunday, Jan. 18. Saturday's match will be the season opener for Illinois State. The Huskies will finish the weekend as they travel to 0-2 Chicago State on Sunday.
 
Women's Tennis
Friday, Jan. 23: vs. Marquette, 9 a.m.
Saturday, Jan. 24: at Valparaiso, 4 p.m. 
 
NIU women's tennis is back in action following a notable weekend in which the Huskie defeated Missouri, 4-3, and Chicago State, 7-0, on Saturday. Senior Isabella Righi and sophomore Lucia Yecora were named MAC Women's Tennis Doubles Team of the Week after clinching the doubles point against Missouri and recording a swift 6-1 victory against Chicago State. 
 
Senior Jenna Horne clinched the match against Missouri with a 6-3, 6-3 singles victory on the final court on Saturday afternoon.
 
Marquette (0-2) opened its season with matches against North Dakota and Montana State last weekend while Valparaiso (0-1) fell to SIUE, 4-0. 
 
Track and Field
Saturday, Jan. 24, 12 p.m. – Watch | Live Stats
 
NIU track and field continues the indoor season as they head to the Fighting Illini Classic. The Huskies were last in action on January 16 at the Bill Bergan Classic at Iowa State, winning the 4x400-meter relay and high jump honors.
 
Arianna Calloway, who took top honor in the high jump, cleared 1.74 meters (5-08.50) on her first attempt to win the event while recording the second-best mark in the conference this season. Miashlie Jean, Samira Rosenfeld, Sanaii Vaughn, and Natasha Chetty won the 4x400 relay with a time of 4:03.09. Six other Huskies placed in the top-6 of their respective events.  
 
Gymnastics
Saturday, Jan. 24: vs. Ball State, 2 p.m. - ESPN+ | Live Stats
 
NIU Gymnastics has its home opener this weekend at the NIU Convocation Center against Ball State. Fans attending are encouraged to wear black and admission is free. 
 
The Huskies enter the conference meet coming off a second place finish in the Golden GIrls Classic against Eastern Michigan and SUNY Brockport. Freshman Alanah Wallace had a stellar performance in the meet, earning a 9.800 on both vault and floor. Wallace placed tied for first on floor and second on vault in the meet. 
 
Ball State (2-1) defeated Bowling Green on Sunday, 195.225-193.200. The Cardinals took first place in all four events against the Falcons. 
 
Women's Golf
Sunday, Jan. 25 – Tuesday, Jan. 27 at UCF Challenge, 8 a.m. – Live Stats
 
The NIU Women's Golf team returns to action as they head to the Sunshine State for a three-day tournament, starting on January 25. The Huskies will compete at the 2026 UCF Challenge, a par 72 – 6392 yards course. Action will start at 8 a.m. CT with a shotgun start at the Eagle Creek Golf Club in Orlando, Florida.
 
The Huskies were last in action at the White Sands Bahamas Invitational in October. Dakota Tallent led the Huskies with a top-6 as she carded four birdies in total, including two of the last three holes. Tallent matched her season-low of 74 in the third round, ending two over par as she led the Huskies on the course for the first time this season.