DeKALB | The NIU gymnastics team finished second out of four teams over the weekend at the Quadrangular Meet in Iowa City, Iowa. The Huskies posted wins over Wisconsin-Whitewater and Winona State but fell to host team Iowa 194.575-190.700.

NIU posted its best performance of the year on the uneven parallel bars and tied its season-best mark in balance beam.

Sophomores Leah Johnson and Jennifer Naughton along with senior Jody Yednock led the way for the Huskies Saturday afternoon. Johnson placed fourth on the vault and sixth on the bars, collecting a 9.725 score on each, and tied for seventh on the floor for the Huskies.

“Leah had a really nice night,” head coach Mark Sontag said. “She had four strong events, with a beautiful set on the floor.”

Naughton and Yednock each had top five finishes on the bars as the Huskies rebounded from its rough outing on the bars last weekend to capture a team season-high score of 48.400.

Baseball

NIU closer Matt German was added to the preseason National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Watch List for the 2007 season. The senior had an .049 earned run average and 11 saves last season for the Huskies.

Fellow Huskie, and team captain, Scott Simon received recognition on the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List for national player of the year.

German and Simon are the only two baseball players in Illinois to be named to either list this season.

“Having both Matt and Scott on national award lists recognizes two staples of our program,” Mathey said. “They are both captains and have put up numbers that warrant their recognition. By getting it done on the field and also off the field with leadership and academic performance, they exhibit everything we like to have in our program.”

Women’s track and field

The NIU women’s track & field team swept the throwing events this past weekend at St.Mary’s Cardinal Invite.

Freshman Cora Caulfield won first place in the shot put with a throw of 42’1″ while senior Meagan Guenther earned first place in the weight throw with a toss of 26’3″.