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Northern Star

Northern Illinois University’s student news organization since 1899

 

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The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

A graphic of San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs helmets sit on turf with fireworks in the distance. The 58th Super Bowl will start at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada. (Eddie Miller | Northern Star)

The Northern Star to host ‘The Big Game’ Contest

By Ethan Gonzales, Sports Editor | February 6, 2024

Super Bowl LVIII’s matchup features the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs. The two offensive juggernauts are set for what could be one of the highest-scoring Super Bowl’s in NFL history. San Francisco’s star-studded lineup of Christian...

A graphic shows sophomore forward Xavier Amos. Amos has led the Huskies in scoring in their past two games, scoring 25 points against Central Michigan University and 19 points against Eastern Michigan University. (Eddie Miller | Northern Star)

Amos scores second Huskie of the Week honor

By Northern Star Sports Staff | February 5, 2024

DeKALB – A 19-point, 6-rebound performance from sophomore forward Xavier Amos propelled NIU men’s basketball to its first conference win and Amos’ second Huskie of the Week honor. The 6-foot-8-inch forward led the Huskies in scoring in their...

Freshman guard Will Lovings-Watts (1) gets in stance to guard Eastern Michigan University sophomore guard Orlando Lovejoy (55). Lovings-Watts scored 18 points and swiped 5 steals in NIU mens basketballs victory over the Eagles on Saturday. (Sean Reed | Northern Star)

Amos, Lovings-Watts lead men’s basketball to first conference win

By Ethan Gonzales, Sports Editor | February 3, 2024

DeKALB – The streak is finally over! After 47 days of winless conference play and 10 straight losses, NIU men’s basketball (7-14, 1-8 MAC) has found the win column after a 76-66 victory over Eastern Michigan University (9-13, 2-8 MAC) on Saturday. The...

Redshirt sophomore guard Zion Russell (10) yells to teammates to coordinate a pass as Toledo junior guard Dante Maddox Jr. (21) guards him. Russell finished Tuesdays game against Central Michigan University with 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. (Tim Dodge | Northern Star)

Men’s basketball loses double-overtime heartbreaker to Central Michigan

By Zachary Bertram, Senior Sports Reporter | January 31, 2024

DeKALB – A career-high 23 points from junior guard Zarique Nutter was not enough for NIU men’s basketball (6-14, 0-8 MAC) to pull out its first conference victory of the season, as the Huskies fell 84-77 to the Central Michigan University Chippewas...

NIU wrestling head coach Ryan Ludwig screams at his wrestler in a home dual against Central Michigan University on Saturday. Ludwig eclipsed the 100 career-win mark on Dec. 19, 2023. (Elyse Jones | Courtesy of NIU Athletics)

From the Mat to Mentorship: Ludwig paving the path to 100 wins

By Zack Rodriguez, Sports Reporter | January 30, 2024

Thirteen consecutive NCAA qualifiers, 13 All-MAC honorees, 34 MAC champions, and 40 Academic All-MAC selections and a feat repeated just twice in program history: 100 career wins. In the grand tapestry of NIU wrestling head coach Ryan Ludwig's coaching...

Former NIU mens tennis head coach Patrick Fisher stands in front of a gray wall, wearing a red shirt, on Oct. 23, 2023 at the DeKalb Police Department. After an incident between Fisher and his wife on Oct. 3, 2023, police charged Fisher with domestic battery. (DeKalb Police via Northern Star Media)

Former NIU men’s tennis coach charged with domestic battery

By Ethan Gonzales, Sports Editor | January 29, 2024

DeKALB – Former NIU men’s tennis head coach Patrick Fisher was formally charged with domestic battery that occurred on Oct. 3, 2023. The case was deemed a misdemeanor. According to a court record from the 23rd Judicial Circuit Court of DeKalb County,...

Then-junior guard Jayden Marable attempts to dribble past a defender in an NIU womens basketball home game against Ball State University on Feb. 18, 2023. Marable, the shortest player listed on NIUs current roster, is second in rebounds per game for the Huskies. (Alyssa Queen | Northern Star)

COLUMN: NIU women’s basketball has become the face of mediocrity

By Lucas Didier, Assistant Sports Editor | January 25, 2024

NIU women’s basketball (9-9, 3-4 MAC) has dropped to .500 for the fifth time this season as it lost by double-digits for the seventh time this season. The Huskies have capitalized on the cushy games in their schedule, going 8-2 against teams with...

Junior guard David Coit (11) hooks past Toledo redshirt freshman forward Javan Simmons (1) with possession of the ball. Coit led the team in scoring, with 23 of the team’s total 73 points attributed to him. (Tim Dodge | Northern Star)

Depleted Huskies burned by Toledo’s hot second half

By Ethan Gonzales, Sports Editor | January 24, 2024

DeKALB – The “second-half Huskies” strike again! Despite a night of putback dunks and streaky shooting from the Huskies, NIU men’s basketball (6-12, 0-6 MAC) was outscored in the second half for the 11th time this season in an 89-73 loss to...

Sophomore Nataly Ninova (left) and junior Erika Dimitriev celebrate a point during an NIU womens tennis home match against the University of Wisconsin on Saturday. (Courtesy of NIU Athletics)

Dimitriev, Ninova snag MAC doubles weekly honor

By Skyler Kisellus, Sports Reporter | January 23, 2024

DeKALB – NIU women’s tennis’ No. 1 doubles team of junior Erika Dimitriev and sophomore Nataly Ninova secured the first MAC Doubles Team of the Week honor of the 2024 dual match season after routing a ranked opponent, the conference office announced...

A graphic shows NIU senior gymnast Alyssa Al-Ashari as the Huskie of the Week. Al-Asharis career-best bars routine have allowed her to become the first NIU gymnast to receive Huskie of the Week honors. (Eddie Miller | Northern Star)

Al-Ashari lands Huskie of the Week honor after bars victory

By Northern Star Sports Staff | January 22, 2024

DeKALB – A first-place bars routine and season-best finish in Tennessee have enabled NIU senior Alyssa Al-Ashari to become the first NIU gymnast to capture Huskie of the Week honors. Al-Ashari championed the bars at Friday’s Tennessee Collegiate...

NIU sophomore Kiera OShea strikes a pose during her floor exercise routine at a Jan. 13 meet against Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. OShea scored a 9.900 on vault, a score that is tied for the fourth-best in program history. (Courtesy of Dena Martz)

Huskies explode with team-record scoring in ‘meet of the year’

By Skyler Kisellus, Sports Reporter | January 20, 2024

NIU gymnastics found its rhythm Friday after putting together one of the greatest performances in team history: multiple season-highs, even more personal bests, three podium finishes, and a new program record. Eight Huskies achieved personal bests...

NIU football and basketballs radio announcer Andy Garcia speaks at Winter Sports Media Day on Oct. 24, 2023. Garcia was announced as the new play-by-play radio commentator of NIU football and basketball following the retirement of Bill Baker. (Courtesy of NIU Athletics)

Passing of the mic: new “Voice of the Huskies”

By Zack Rodriguez, Sports Reporter | January 17, 2024

From the elevated confines of the press box to the press row down below, radio broadcast legend Bill Baker’s 44-year legacy will be succeeded by another Huskie luminary: NIU volleyball, gymnastics, basketball and football radio and television sportscaster...