DEKALB, Ill. – Huskie baseball and softball both begin their respective 2026 seasons this weekend as 10 NIU programs will be in action this week. Both the NIU men's and women's basketball teams will look to continue momentum from MAC/Sun Belt Challenges wins as they are both at home this week while six other programs will also be in action. 

Men's Basketball
Wednesday, Feb. 11: vs. Bowling Green, 7 p.m. – ESPN+ | Live Audio | Live Stats | Buy Tickets
Saturday, Feb. 14: at Central Michigan, 4 p.m. – ESPN+ | Live Audio | Live Stats

After picking up a road win at Georgia State in the MAC/Sun Belt Challenge this past Saturday (Feb. 7), the Huskies return to league play this week as they host Bowling Green on Wednesday (Feb. 11) before traveling to Central Michigan on Saturday (Feb. 14). Makhai Valentine led the way for NIU in the victory at Georgia State, scoring 23 points including five triples. 

Bowing Green comes into the week with a 14-10 overall record, 5-6 in league play. Central Michigan is 7-17 overall, 3-8 in conference play. 

Women's Basketball
Tuesday, Feb. 10: vs. UMass, 6 p.m. – ESPN+ | Live Audio | Live Stats | Buy Tickets
Saturday, Feb. 14: vs. Akron, 1 p.m. – ESPN+ | Live Audio | Live Stats | Buy Tickets

The NIU women's basketball team wraps up its current three-game homestand this week with games against UMass on Tuesday night at 6 p.m. and on Saturday against Akron at 1 p.m. The Huskies defeated Texas State 71-69 on Saturday on a Nevaeh Wingate layup with 0.6 seconds remaining in regulation. Wingate finished the game with 21 points, going 8-for-14 from the field. Freshman Emilie Sorensen also had 21 points with a season-high six three-pointers. Tuesday's game is the first meeting all-time between NIU and UMass. NIU leads the all-time series against Akron 26-13 and looks to snap a three-game losing streak to the Zips on Saturday. 

Baseball
Friday, Feb. 13: at North Carolina A&T, 2 p.m. – FloBaseball ($) | Live Stats
Saturday, Feb. 14: at North Carolina A&T, 1 p.m. – FloBaseball ($) | Live Stats
Sunday, Feb. 15: at North Carolina A&T, 11 a.m. – FloBaseball ($) | Live Stats

NIU Baseball opens its 2026 season this weekend with a three-game series at North Carolina A&T. The Huskies were 21-33 last season in head coach Ryan Copeland's second season and set single-season program records for runs scored, walks, home runs, runs batted in, and pitching strikeouts. NIU returns three of its top-five hitters from a season ago led by fifth-year first baseman Gavin Baldwin, who was named to D1 Baseball's Preseason Top 50 First Basemen last week. Baldwin was an All-MAC Second Team selection in 2025 and was second on the team with a .322 batting average, 18 doubles, 15 home runs, 57 RBI and a .644 slugging percentage. A full preview of the 2026 season will be available on NIUHuskies.com later this week.

Softball
Friday, Feb. 13: vs. Abilene Christian (Austin, Texas), 9:30 a.m.
Friday, Feb. 13: vs. Ohio State (Austin, Texas), 12 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 14: vs. Abilene Christian (Austin, Texas), 12 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 14: vs. Syracuse (Austin, Texas), 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 15: at Texas, 12 p.m. – SEC Network Plus

The Huskies softball will take the field for the first time in 2026 as they are set to compete at the Bevo Classic, hosted by the University of Texas. The Huskies will face Abilene Christian, Ohio State, Syracuse and the 2025 NCAA Champions Texas in the three-day tournament.
 
The Huskies return all-MAC honorees Danielle Stewart, Jenna Turner, and Lily Cassell as Turner led the team with 68 hits and 35 runs last season. Turner and Stewart both hit over .322 last season with four Huskies who saw action in 50 games last season. Cassell and Stewart combined for 15 wins in the circle during the 2025 season and return for NIU. The Huskies made the MAC tournament a year ago for the first time since the 2019 season.

Gymnastics
Sunday, Feb. 15: at Bowling Green, 1 p.m.

The Huskies travel to Bowling Green this Sunday for a conference meet against the Falcons. NIU finished third in a tri-meet last Friday against Western Michigan and West Viriginia. 

Senior Samantha Nickle and junior Mikayla Brown led the Huskies in the tri-meet. Nickle tied a career-high score on floor, finishing with a 9.875 and recording her first win of the season. Brown tied for third on vault with a 9.800, setting a new career-high. 

Bowling Green enters the meet coming off a first-place finish in a tri-meet against Fisk University and Wilberforce. The Falcons have a team score average of 193.004 through six meets this season. 

Wrestling
Friday, Feb. 13: at Northwestern, 7 p.m. – BTN Plus | Live Scoring

The Huskies will finish their non-conference slate as they travel to Northwestern on Friday evening. The Wildcats took the meeting last November (2024), winning 29-8 as Markel Baker and Jacob Christensen claimed wins. The Huskies last won against the Wildcats in December 2023, posting an 18-17 win in DeKalb.
 
Last time on the mat, the Huskies posted a 29-11 victory over the Buffalo Bulls in Buffalo on February 6. The Huskies won the first three bouts with extra points as seven of the ten bouts went in favor of NIU. Blake West moved to 114 career wins, just two shy of the school record as Markel Baker extended his win streak to 10. Devon Dawson earned his ninth straight victory for the Huskies as he remains undefeated in MAC action.

Women's Golf
Tuesday-Wednesday, Feb. 10-11: at BGSU Women's Intercollegiate (Litchfield Park, Ariz.) – Live Scoring

The Huskies women's golf team continues the spring season as they are set to compete at the BGSU Women's Intercollege on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Huskies will face fellow MAC-school Central Michigan, Toledo, and Bowling Green in the 15-team field. Action will take place at the Wigwam Golf Club-Blue Course in Litchfield Park, Arizona.
 
Dakota Tallent led the Huskies in their first tournament this spring at the UCF Challenge. Tallent was the lone Huskie to record a round under par, with a 71 in the second round of play. The Huskies carded ten birdies in the opening round as Tallent, Mia Raines and Emile Chile were the only Huskies to record all three rounds in the 70s.

Men's Tennis
Friday, Feb. 13: vs. Southern, 2 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 15: vs. Omaha, 10 a.m. 
Sunday, Feb. 15: vs. Wisconsin-Whitewater, 5 p.m.

NIU men's tennis hosts three matches this weekend at the Nelson Tennis Center at Chick Evans Field House, beginning with Southern University on Friday and a doubleheader on Sunday against Omaha and Wisconsin-Water. 

The Huskies defeated Roosevelt last weekend to move to 3-1 on the season. Senior Iker Gaztambide Arrastia and sophomore Nikola Puntaric remaining undefeated in singles play following wins at No. 1 and No. 2 against the Lakers, helping the Huskies record a 6-1 victory. 

Women's Tennis
Sunday, Feb. 15: vs. Saint Louis, 2 p.m.

NIU women's tennis has won nine of its last 10 matches and continue its non-conference schedule with a Sunday home match against Saint Louis. The Huskies (9-2) collected four wins last weekend, defeating North Dakota and Northern Iowa on Friday then Milwaukee and Judson on Sunday. 

Three Huskies went 4-0 in singles play in the jampacked weekend in sophomore Irmak Budak, freshman Rebeca Garcia Miralles and senior Nataly Ninova. Isabella Righi and sophomore Lucia Yecora went 3-0 in doubles. 

Women's Track and Field
Friday, Feb. 13: at Blue Demon Alumni Classic (Chicago, Ill.)
Friday, Feb. 13: at Chicagoland Indoor Championship (Naperville, Ill.)

The NIU track and field team returns to action this week following a rare weekend off. The Huskies were last in action at Notre Dame's Meyo Invitational (Jan. 30-31) where Jasmijn Raes earned a second-place finish in the high jump. Raes currently has the fifth-best mark in the high jump in the MAC this season, teammate Arianna Calloway is currently fourth with her mark at the Bill Bergan Classic on Jan. 16. Precious Umukoro is ranked in the top-10 in the conference in a pair of events as she is ninth in the triple jump and 10th in the long jump.

This weekend's Blue Demon Alumni Classic will be held at the Dr. Conrad Worrill Track & Field Center at Gately Park while the Chicagoland Indoor Championship is hosted by North Central College at the Al B. Carius Track in Naperville.