Kiera O’Shea, Jenna Horne share Huskie of the Week honors

March 25, 2024

A graphic shows sophomores Jenna Horne and Kiera O’Shea as the first ever Co-Huskies of the Week. O’Shea and Horne came up with big performances for their respective squads en route to their first career Huskie of the Week awards. (Eddie Miller | Northern Star)

DeKALB – For the first time ever, the Northern Star’s Huskie of the Week honor has been shared between two NIU sophomore student-athletes.

Gymnast Kiera O’Shea and women’s tennis player Jenna Horne each earned a share of the Huskie of the Week Monday after showing out for their respective squads this past weekend.

KIERA O’SHEA, GYMNASTICS

O’Shea was crowned the 2024 MAC Vault Champion on Saturday after posting a 9.925 from her anchor position on vault at the 2024 MAC Championships. The Norridge native became the fourth-ever Huskie to score a 9.925 on vault and the first since Kelly Kramer achieved the mark at the 2004 MAC Championships.

O’Shea was also one of two Huskies, along with senior Alyssa Al-Ashari, to be named to the MAC All-Tournament Team. O’Shea and Al-Ashari will compete at NCAA Regionals at the Fayetteville, Arkansas, Regional on April 4.

JENNA HORNE, WOMEN’S TENNIS

Sophomore Jenna Horne clinched a 4-3 victory over Western Michigan University following a thrilling 7-5 tiebreaker win against Bronco sophomore Audrey Smitek on Sunday.

The Huskies led the match 3-0 before Western Michigan stormed back to tie the team score at 3-3. Horne’s match at No. 6 singles proved to be the deciding factor of the day.

Horne lost the first set 6-2 and trailed 4-0 in the second set. The Glenview, Illinois native battled back in the second to win 6-4. In the third and final set of the entire match, Horne rallied from a 5-2 deficit to defeat Smitek in 7-5 in a tiebreaker.

Horne’s victory sealed the Huskies’ 4-3 triumph over the Broncos, NIU’s first conquest of MAC play.

Women’s tennis now sports a 12-7 overall record and 1-2 conference record. The Huskies will face Eastern Michigan University at noon Friday in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

Next week’s Huskie of the Week will be announced April 1.

The Northern Star sports section’s Huskie of the Week is voted for on a weekly basis. Student-athletes considered for this week’s edition were chosen based on their weekly performance in competitions taking place from March 18 to March 24.