With the first month of the 2025 season in the books, NIU’s fall sports are well underway. While most of NIU’s teams performed well to start their seasons, some had higher highs than others.
Here are two high points, and two low points, from NIU Athletics in August.
HIGH: MEN’S SOCCER REMAINS UNDEFEATED
After a 2024 campaign that saw just three wins, NIU men’s soccer wrapped up its first month of play without a loss. With a 2-0-1 record in August, the team is now just one win away from tying its total win count from last season.
The highlight of the month for men’s soccer came in a 5-0 slaughter against Western Illinois University where four different Huskies found the back of the net, including sophomore forward Katai Mukuka’s first two goals as a Huskie.
Junior goalkeeper Atahan Arslan has two shutouts on the season, only allowing goals in the season opener against the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
With roughly one month before beginning Missouri Valley Conference play, the Huskies have started the season on the front foot.
LOW: FOOTBALL’S NARROW VICTORY OVER HOLY CROSS
Despite winning its first game of the season against the College of the Holy Cross, this game did not go as planned for the Huskies. What was predicted to be a multiple-score, blowout win for NIU turned into a back-and-forth shootout ending in a two-point win for the Huskies.
Between offensive struggles and sloppy outings from the special teams unit, things need to be tightened up for the Huskies if they want a shot at beating Maryland on Friday.
HIGH: VOLLEYBALL GOING 2-1 TO START SEASON
Another NIU team that struggled in their 2024 season was volleyball, ending with a 4-24 record. After their first invitational of the season, the Huskies are already halfway to their total wins from last year.
Going 2-1 at the Stetson Hatters Invitational with sophomore outside hitter Ava Grevengoed being named the MVP, the Huskies came out with a strong start to the season.
Sophomore libero Jordyn Tynsky and sophomore middle blocker Rylea Alvin were also named to the all-tournament team, which is a promising look for the rest of the Huskies’ season.
LOW: CROSS COUNTRY’S NEAR LAST FINISH
In their first race of the season at the Fighting Illini Open, the Huskies finished in seventh place, only finishing ahead of Chicago State University.
With five freshmen, seven transfers and just one returner, the NIU cross country team is an entirely different group from last year. While a young team often needs time to adjust, a seventh-place finish is not the most ideal start to a season.
A bright spot to the low finish was freshman Amelie Ojeda’s 20th-place finish in the 4K, with a 14:16.10, but the team’s 183 points leave room for improvement.
