NIU volleyball’s season came to a close a few weeks ago, but I still can’t stop thinking about what I’ve witnessed this year. I laughed, I cried, I screamed at my TV during the road matches and ultimately had a really good time.
The Huskies rounded out 2025 with their best record since 2022. Although their 13-14, 6-12 Mid-American conference performance wasn’t a winning one, this team still showed a lot more promise than in the last two years. I mean this literally, because the 2023 and 2024 seasons saw 12 total wins.
Despite the previously mentioned figures, the future remains bright for Huskie volleyball. As we say goodbye to MACtion, NIU will soon become the newest bombshell to enter the Horizon League.
ROSTER RETENTION
Barring any more players entering the transfer portal, the Huskies are keeping a solid majority of their roster heading into 2026. The team’s youth was apparent in many instances this season, but the Huskies have plenty of room to grow as individuals and as a team. In case you’ve been living under a rock, NIU has many standouts across the roster.
Outside hitters Emma McCartney and Ava Grevengoed put NIU’s offense on the map, collectively leading the Huskies in kills in 23 out of 27 games. On defense, McCartney had 10 games with at least three total blocks and nine games with 10 or more digs.
Grevengoed jumped 24 total blocks this season and had 13 games with 10 or more digs. The pair had five and 11 double-doubles, respectively. Heading into their junior season, McCartney and Grevengoed will pose as new threats in the Horizon League.
NIU’s middle blockers also can’t be ignored. Autumn Flynn and Rylea Alvin contributed on both sides of the ball. Flynn led the Huskies in kills four times this season, and only went two games without recording a block.
Alvin’s defensive prowess is a force to be reckoned with, as she led the Huskies in blocks through 16 matches, and recorded nine total blocks four times. Alvin ended the season with 129 kills and 124 total blocks.
I have something interesting and cool to say about way more players than you see listed here, but we don’t have time to unpack all of that. Watch this team, and you’ll see what I mean.
THE ABILITY TO ADAPT
Huskie fans should be very excited about the number of returners there are; there’s no question about that. What is equally exciting is the roster’s ability to fill in the gaps where their game might be lacking.
Delaney Steers is listed as an outside hitter on NIU’s roster, but she rocked a libero jersey through the last 10 games of the season. Of those 10 matches, Steers led the Huskies in digs in six. It’s unclear what position she’ll be playing next season, but Steers proved she’s an asset no matter what jersey she’s wearing.
NIU struggled with defense a few times throughout the season, but the team supported the liberos where they could. Six different players led a match in digs this season, including Steers, McCartney, Grevengoed, libero Jordyn Tynsky and setters Ella Strausberger and Kylie Schulze.
A FRESH START
NIU is shaping up to be a dominant team, and a new conference might give them the jump start they need to succeed.
In 2024, NIU took the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee to five sets at the Huskie Invitational before falling short 13-15 in the fifth. This season, the Huskies defeated Indiana University – Indianapolis 3-2 at the Hampton Inn Invitational.
IU Indy ranked fourth in the Horizon League standings, and Milwaukee finished in fifth. When the Huskies arrive in the conference, they need to have a newfound aggression that we have yet to see from them. Only time will tell, but head coach Sondra D’Amore’s confidence in the team tells me all I need to know about the next chapter of NIU volleyball.
