Track & Field places four in top 10

Four top-10 finishes highlighted the NIU Track & Field team’s performance at the Iowa State Classic over the weekend. Senior sprinter Rasheta Butler finished third in the 400-meter dash and Courtney Oldenburg raced to a fifth-place finish in the mile run. Four Huskies set personal records in the 400-meter run.

In the 200-meter dash, Butler finished 29th and recorded a personal best of 25.25 seconds. NIU will travel to Muncie, Ind. on Friday for the Ball State Quad meet.

Women’s soccer signs three new recruits

Late last week, NIU women’s soccer head coach Carrie Barker announced the addition of three student-athletes to the 2011 recruiting class. Ashley Neubeck will come to the Huskies from Lake Community High School. The four-year varsity letter winner totaled 11 goals and 12 assists in helping her team to a IHSA 2A state title in 2010. Lauren Noonan started 23 contests as a defender for Neuqua Valley High School.

The future Huskies’ club team, the Windy City Pride #39 won the 2010 National Championship. Rounding out the additions is Gwen Sabo, a defender from Alton, Ill. Sabo was named team MVP after her sophomore year at Alton High School.

Men’s hoops hosts Broncos tonight

Continuing its four-game home stand, the NIU men’s basketball team (7-16 overall, 3-8 MAC) welcomes Western Michigan to the Convocation Center tonight at 7 p.m. The Huskies are coming off an 84-77 loss to Kent State on Saturday. The Broncos currently sit atop the MAC West with a 6-3 record in the MAC and 13-10 mark overall. WMU holds a 47-29 edge in the all-time series with NIU. The home team has won the last five meetings in the series. Senior guard Xavier Silas currently sits second in the nation in scoring with a 24.2 points-per-game average.