The NIU softball team will be home this weekend to begin conference play with hopes of returning to the kind of play that made them North Star Conference champions from 1988-1990.

NIU, which was runner-up in the NSC last season, will play two doubleheaders this weekend against conference foes for the first time this year.

On Saturday, the Akron Zips (2-2 in conference) will be at Huskie Softball Diamond for a twin bill and assistant coach Donna Martin is anxious for the Huskies to begin conference play.

“This is our first conference foe and it has been a while since Akron’s been here (at NIU),” Martin said. “We’re anxious to play them.

“The last two times we’ve played them was (at Akron) so now it’s their turn to come here to play.”

On Sunday, Cleveland State (1-1 in conference) will visit DeKalb to cap off a weekend full of softball for NIU.

“We’re excited to start the conference season at home,” Martin said. “I hope we have a lot of fans there.”

The Huskies also hope to have two of their key players back in action this weekend. Lori Reimer and Tracy Meade were both injured in Wednesday’s action at Iowa.

Reimer was injured when a ball took a bad hop and hit her in the mouth. Meade served up a pitch that was promptly lined back to her, striking Meade on the left instep.

Both players won’t know if they will play until Friday or game time on Saturday.