Q&A with volleyball coach Ray Gooden NS: How long have you been coaching? RG: I've been coaching college volleyball since 1994. NS: What sparked your interest in volleyball? RG: It has always been a sport that I love. I started playing volleyball...

Even if the stakes weren't so high, NIU's loss to Akron still would have been heartbreaking. But as it turns out, the Huskies fell short of extending their season another match. Steve Zakuani scored the winning goal for Akron in the 116th minute of double...

Maybe the NIU men's soccer team should play all their matches during the season with something on the line. Either that, or make sure it's playing a nationally ranked team, because both scenarios bring out the best in the Huskies. In matches earlier this...

When you offered my old baseball coach an opinion, you got a customary response. "Nokes," he would say. "You know what opinions are like? I'll give you a hint; we all got ‘em and they all stink." For those of you reading between the lines, you can...

On Tuesday afternoon, facing a must-win, the NIU men's soccer team played just about as complete a match as it could have. The Huskies beat Bowling Green, 3-0 in quarterfinal play of the MAC Tournament, keeping alive its hopes of defending its MAC Tournament...

The NIU men's soccer team won't need motivation for what could be its final match of the season. The Huskies have plenty of bulletin-board material for their play-in match with Bowling Green in the MAC Tournament. If the Huskies want to extend their season...

On a very windy and very emotional day at Huskie Soccer Field, the NIU men's soccer team achieved one small goal that coach Steve Simmons welcomed with open arms. No, the Huskies are not MAC champions. They don't even head into the MAC Tournament with...

Though the NIU men's soccer team couldn't end its MAC schedule with a victory, they will get a chance at revenge when the postseason tournament rolls around. The Huskies lost 3-1 to Bowling Green on Friday - their last MAC match. But they will travel...

The NIU men's soccer team currently boasts a 5-7-4 season record. It is 1-2-1 in the MAC, with hopes of a regular-season conference championship gone. Though it would seem like the Huskies have nothing left to play for, the opposite is true. NIU concludes...

After a strong first half Sunday against Hartwick, the NIU men's soccer team didn't bring its defensive swagger out for the second half. The Huskies (5-7-4, 1-2-1) allowed three second half goals and lost 3-0 to the Hawks in a MAC match. "We didn't respond...

When looking at the men's soccer team's lineup at any given time, one might see some pretty imposing players Chris Rufa and Steve Algozino provide height on the back row. Marcus McCarty and Chris Johnson provide size on offense. And goalie Joe Zimka stands...

After an emotional victory Wednesday against No. 11 Northwestern, the men's soccer team looks to keep momentum on its side this weekend by getting back to its MAC schedule and traveling to New York to face MAC newcomer Hartwick at noon Sunday. After the...