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Northern Star

Northern Illinois University’s student media 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

NIU head football coach Thomas Hammock speaks to his players after the Huskies’ annual spring showcase on April 27. NIU enters the 2024 season as a dark-horse contender for the Mid-American Conference championship after tying for third in the league’s preseason coaches poll. (Totus Tuus Keely | Northern Star)

Football eyes title contention with senior-heavy roster

By Skyler Kisellus, Senior Sports Reporter | August 26, 2024

DeKALB – When it comes to building a program, NIU head football coach Thomas Hammock approaches his team as one would the caretaking of a Chinese bamboo tree. The subject of an often-cited parable about patience and development, the Chinese bamboo...

Senior forward Kevin Kelly (10) approaches the ball Sunday at the NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex. Men's and women's soccer have added 22 new student-athletes for the 2024 season as the Huskies look to expand on conference championship tournament appearances in 2023. (Courtesy of NIU Athletics)

New faces lead charge for men’s and women’s soccer

By Kalin Schaefer, Sports Reporter | August 26, 2024

Successful seasons for both NIU men’s and women’s soccer, with trips to the MVC and MAC championship tournaments last season, respectively, leave both teams with expectations for improvement.  While the men’s team advanced further in the MVC...

Junior forward Taylor Davis winds up a kick on Sunday at the NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex. NIU men's soccer defeated Chicago State University 4-2 in the Huskies' 2024 home opener. (Courtesy of NIU Athletics)

Men’s soccer takes home opener 4-2

By Kalin Schaefer, Sports Reporter | August 25, 2024

With four Huskies scoring their first goal in a NIU uniform, NIU men’s soccer bounced back from a 1-0 defeat in the season opener with a 4-2 win over the Chicago State University Cougars.  NIU men’s soccer head coach Ryan Swan touched on the difference...

A graphic displays photos of NIU student-athletes from football, volleyball, men's soccer and women's soccer. Sports Editor Lucas Didier shares his most important focus areas for each of NIU's fall sports teams. (Eddie Miller | Northern Star)

COLUMN: How the Huskies can excel in fall 2024

By Lucas Didier, Sports Editor | August 25, 2024

Victories in the Camellia Bowl and the opening round of the MVC Tournament contributed to a fairly successful Fall 2023 season for NIU, but there is plenty of room for the Huskies to surpass themselves in 2024. Here’s how NIU can step up its game...

Freshman catcher Cooper Cohn (4) beats a throw to first base on May 3 at Ralph McKinzie Field at Walt and Janice Owens Park. NIU baseball lost the series finale against Ball State University by a score of 13-10 on Sunday. (Totus Tuus Keely | Northern Star)

Huskies out-slugged by Ball State, drop series finale

By Joseph Segreti, Sports Reporter | May 5, 2024

DeKALB – NIU baseball lost a slugfest against Ball State University, as the Cardinals slugged four home runs, losing by a score of 13-10.  EARLY DEFICIT The Huskies starting pitcher for the day, senior pitcher Dominic Hann, totaled three innings...

Senior outfielder/catcher Colin Summerhill swings at a pitch in an NIU baseball home game against Ball State University on Friday. Summerhill notched four RBIs in the Huskies 12-3 rout of the Cardinals on Saturday. (Totus Tuus Keely | Northern Star)

Brouwer’s no-hit bid powers Huskies to weekend win

By Zachary Bertram, Senior Sports Reporter | May 4, 2024

DeKALB – Redshirt sophomore pitcher Adam Brouwer was dominant on the mound as NIU baseball (16-30, 10-13 MAC) tied the series against the Ball State University Cardinals (26-19-1, 13-10 MAC) with a 12-3 win Saturday. Brouwer went seven or more innings...

Freshman catcher Cooper Cohn (4) hits a home run during the second inning at Ralph McKinzie Field at Walt and Janice Park. NIU baseball dropped the series opener against Ball State University by a score of 4-3 on Friday. (Totus Tuus Keely | Northern Star)

Ball State outlasts Huskies, NIU drops series opener

By Joseph Segreti, Sports Reporter | May 3, 2024

DeKALB – NIU baseball (15-30, 9-13 MAC) dropped its third straight contest, losing to the Ball State University Cardinals (26-18-1, 13-9 MAC) by a score of 4-3. TOUGH START FOR BRACHBILL Freshman pitcher Ty Brachbill started the series opener...

Junior Felix Krammer lines up a shot at the Badger Invitational in October of 2023. Krammer, along with junior Ben Sluzas, was voted to the All-MAC Second Team for the 2023-24 season. (Northern Star File Photo)

Sluzas, Krammer earn All-MAC Second Team honors

By Eddie Miller, Sports Reporter | May 3, 2024

After all nine coaches voted, the Mid-American Conference announced the All-MAC first and second team selections Friday. Two Huskies were awarded, with juniors Felix Krammer and Ben Sluzas each earning second team honors.   This is Sluzas’ second...

NIU senior infielder Andre Demetral gets set to throw the ball to first base on April 24 at Curtis Granderson Stadium. Demetral scored two runs as NIU baseball fell 6-5 to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers on Wednesday. (Northern Star File Photo)

Timely hitting evades NIU baseball in loss to Milwaukee

By Zachary Bertram, Senior Sports Reporter | May 2, 2024

NIU baseball (15-29, 9-12 MAC) was unable to come up with the clutch hit needed Wednesday, falling to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers (14-28, 9-12 Horizon League) 6-5. The Huskies scored just one run after the second inning, leaving...

A graphic shows redshirt junior quarterback Ethan Hampton, redshirt junior quarterback Jalen Macon and redshirt freshman quarterback Josh Holst. Sports Reporter Skyler Kisellus believes the three have emerged as the top contenders to succeed Rocky Lombardi as NIU’s starting quarterback. (Eddie Miller | Northern Star)

COLUMN: Evaluating NIU’s top quarterback options

By Skyler Kisellus, Senior Sports Reporter | May 1, 2024

NIU football may have wrapped up spring practices last week, but its ongoing competition for the most important position in team sports remains unsettled. With three-year starter Rocky Lombardi graduated and now vying for a roster spot in the NFL,...

Then-sophomore guard Keshawn Williams (0) shoots a layup over Kent State University's then-redshirt junior guard Sincere Carry on March 1, 2022 at the NIU Convocation Center in DeKalb. Williams announced on his Instagram Monday that he will be transferring to Colorado State University for the 2024-25 season. (Northern Star File Photo)

Keshawn Williams commits to Colorado State

By Zachary Bertram, Senior Sports Reporter | May 1, 2024

DeKALB – NIU senior guard Keshawn Williams announced his commitment to Colorado State University for the 2024-25 season via his Instagram on Monday. Williams is the third of seven 2023-24 Huskies that entered the transfer portal to commit to a new...

Sophomore forward Xavier Amos looks for an open teammate in an NIU men's basketball home game against Appalachian State University on Nov. 11. Amos announced his commitment to the University of Wisconsin-Madison via Instagram on Monday. (Courtesy of NIU Athletics)

Xavier Amos commits to Wisconsin

By Zachary Bertram, Senior Sports Reporter | April 30, 2024

DeKALB – Former NIU sophomore forward Xavier Amos announced his commitment to the University of Wisconsin-Madison for the 2024-25 season via his Instagram on Monday.  Amos is the second of seven 2023-24 Huskies who entered the transfer portal to...