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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

Redshirt senior Jaivon Jones studies his Lock Haven University opponent at the Beauty and the Beast meet Friday. Jones was announced as the MAC Co-West Wrestler of the Week on Tuesday. (Courtesy of NIU Athletics)

Jones announced as MAC Co-West Wrestler of the Week

By Zack Rodriguez, Sports Reporter | February 15, 2024

DeKALB – Redshirt senior Jaivon Jones was named MAC Co-West Wrestler of the Week, the conference announced Tuesday. Jones pinned nationally ranked 149-pounder Nick Stonecheck in 2:22 at the annual “Beauty and the Beast dual” on Friday. Jones...

Senior Diana Lukyanova prepares to return a shot in an NIU womens tennis home meet. Lukyanova and sophomore Isabella Righi were named the MAC Doubles Team of the Week on Thursday. (Courtesy of NIU Athletics)

Lukyanova, Righi named MAC Doubles Team of the Week

By Kalin Schaefer, Sports Reporter | February 15, 2024

DeKALB – NIU women’s tennis duo senior Diana Lukyanova and sophomore Isabella Righi were named the MAC Doubles Team of the Week, the conference announced on Tuesday.  The pair won both of their completed matches over the weekend, defeating...

Senior guard Jayden Marable (3) ducks under Western Michigan senior guard Gabi Saxman (10) in a drive to the basket. Marable contributed 11 points in the Huskies loss on Wednesday. (Katherine Follmer | Northern Star)

No shot for women’s basketball against Western Michigan

By Lucas Didier, Assistant Sports Editor | February 14, 2024

DeKALB – Poor shooting plagued NIU women’s basketball (11-12, 4-7 MAC) as the Huskies were thwarted by the Western Michigan University Broncos (10-12, 5-6 MAC) by a score of 65-47. The Huskies shot just 34% from the field and went 1-for-15 from...

Then-junior outfielder Eric Erato (5) waits on deck on April 7, 2023. (Tim Dodge | Northern Star)

Building a culture key for baseball ahead of 2024 season

By Zachary Bertram, Senior Sports Reporter | February 14, 2024

DeKALB – Coming off a 10-43 2023 campaign, NIU baseball looks to rebound in 2024 under new leadership. After nine years under former head coach Mike Kunigonis, Ryan Copeland is the newest head coach of the Huskies.  “Coming into a program where...

Skyler Kisellus (from left), Ethan Gonzales, Emmalise Nock and Dawsyn Sallee sit in a podcast room. All-Star episode 34 discusses NIU gymnastics. (Anna Scanlan | Northern Star)

A sit down with NIU gymnastics

By Ethan Gonzales, Skyler Kisellus, and Anna Scanlan | February 14, 2024

Ethan and Skyler sit down with Emmalise Nock and Dawsyn Sallee with NIU gymnastics. They discuss the ins and outs of the sport, the season so far and life as college athletes. What sport do you want to see next?

Junior guard Zarique Nutter (2) shoots a jump hook as Buffalo senior forward Isaiah Adams (3) attempts to block the shot. Nutter led the team in rebounds, accounting for 12 of the team’s total 39. (Ryanne Sandifer | Northern Star)

Huskies survive Bulls for third straight conference victory

By Zachary Bertram, Senior Sports Reporter | February 14, 2024

DeKALB – Without the services of leading scorer junior guard David Coit, a short-handed NIU men’s basketball team (9-15, 3-8 MAC) snuck past the University at Buffalo Bulls (3-21, 1-10 MAC) 72-68 Tuesday. Despite missing four rotational players...

A phone shows a ticket for an NIU womens basketball game. A sporting event could be a great alternative event to an expensive dinner date on Valentines Day. (Nick Glover | Northern Star)

How-to sports date for Valentine’s day

By Eddie Miller, Sports Reporter | February 13, 2024

With Valentine’s Day upon us, love is in the air. On typical dates you will see expensive dinners and gaudy gifts. How about switching it up and taking someone on a date to a sporting event? For those who have never done it before, it could be a...

A graphic shows senior guard Jayden Marable as the Huskie of the Week. Marable scored a career-high 26 points Saturday en route to her second Huskie of the Week honor of the 2023-2024 season. (Eddie Miller | Northern Star)

Marable clutches Huskie of the Week with career-high scoring performance

By Northern Star Sports Staff | February 12, 2024

DeKALB – Senior guard Jayden Marable earned her second Huskie of the Week honor and the third for women’s basketball in the 2023-24 season. Marable shot 10-for-17 from the field and scored a career-high 26 points in the Huskies’ (11-11, 4-6 MAC)...

Junior guard David Coit drives past a University of Toledo defender on Jan. 23. Coit was selected as the starting guard for Senior Sports Reporter Zach Bertrams MAC mens basketball All-Star team. (Tim Dodge | Northern Star)

COLUMN: Creating the 2023-2024 MAC men’s basketball All-Star squad

By Zachary Bertram, Senior Sports Reporter | February 12, 2024

With MAC men’s basketball conference play a little more than halfway through and the NBA All-Star Game on the horizon, I decided to make my own MAC men’s basketball All-Star team. These players have not only been the best on their respective teams,...

Senior infielder Caitlyn Shumaker prepares for a pitch against Western Illinois University at the Doc Halverson UNI-Dome Classic on Friday. Shumaker blasted a walk-off RBI double against Butler University Sunday. (Landon Wirt | Courtesy of UNI Athletics)

Extra-inning walk-off sends softball over Butler

By Lucas Didier, Assistant Sports Editor | February 12, 2024

An eighth-inning walk-off double by senior infielder Caitlyn Shumaker gave softball (2-3) a 6-5 win over Butler University (1-4) before Drake University (4-1) delivered the Huskies a 7-2 loss GAME 1: NIU 6, BUTLER 5 A pitcher’s duel was in full...

NIU gymnasts cheer and head coach Sam Morreale oversees the start of sophomore Kiera O’Shea’s vault routine during Sunday’s dual meet against Kent State University at the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center in Kent, Ohio. O’Shea tied for first place on the event after implementing a Yurchenko full-and-a-half into her anchoring routine. (Cadence Pierce | Kent Stater)

Gymnastics falls to flashy Kent State

By Skyler Kisellus, Sports Reporter | February 12, 2024

On Sunday, NIU gymnastics sophomore Kiera O’Shea got to showcase a new move on vault: the Yurchenko full-and-half, a move that comes with a start value – or maximum score – of a perfect 10.0. O’Shea took home a 9.875 for her efforts, tying...

Sophomore forward Xavier Amos passes the ball during an NIU mens basketball home game against Eastern Michigan University on Feb. 3. Amos led the Huskies in scoring with 19 points Saturday against the University of South Alabama. (Sean Reed | Northern Star)

Coit-less Huskies fall to South Alabama in MAC-SBC Challenge

By Ethan Gonzales, Sports Editor | February 10, 2024

NIU men’s basketball was defeated 75-66 by the University of South Alabama in the Huskies’ second and final matchup of the MAC-SBC Challenge. A 23-point performance from Chicago native and senior guard Tyrell Jones propelled the Jaguars to their...