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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

Junior gymnast Isabella Sissi swings her arm as she poses during her floor routine Sunday at the NIU gymnastics Tri-meet. Sissi, the Huskies lone all-arounder, accumulated 39.050 total points Sunday. (Sean Reed | Northern Star)

NIU falters in home opener after beam breakdown

By Skyler Kisellus, Sports Reporter | January 28, 2024

DeKALB – From the first step in her sprint, junior Isabella Sissi had no doubt about the outcome of her pending vault routine. “I just knew right when I was running that I was going to stick it,” Sissi said. A pop off the table, a stick and...

Senior guard Jayden Marable (3) attempts to create space and drive past Akron junior guard Kaia Woods (0). The Huskies and Akron are scheduled to face off again March. 2 in Ohio. (Tim Dodge | Northern Star)

Women’s basketball loses heartbreaker to Akron

By Angel Morales and Lucas Didier | January 28, 2024

DeKALB – NIU women’s basketball (9-10, 3-5 MAC) lost in dramatic fashion to the University of Akron (7-11, 2-6 MAC). The back and forth battle ended on a last-second miss from junior guard Laura Nickel that kept the score at 61-59.  The Huskies...

Track & Field secure multiple top-5 performances at ONU Invite

By Joseph Segreti, Sports Reporter | January 27, 2024

DeKALB – Senior Malia Watkins took home a first place finish for NIU women’s track and field at the Olivet Nazarene Invite.  The Huskies sent just five athletes to the ONU Invite. Watkins was the standout at the event, winning the 60-meter dash.  Watkins...

Senior Olivia Lynd and the rest of the Huskie gymnasts make their entrance to a Jan. 13 meet against Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. NIU gymnastics is set to compete in a tri-meet against Central Michigan University and Eastern Michigan University on Sunday. (Courtesy of Dena Martz)

Back in black: Huskies to host CMU, EMU in home opener

By Skyler Kisellus, Sports Reporter | January 25, 2024

DeKALB – Fresh off a record-setting outing its last time out, NIU gymnastics prepares to host a pair of Michigan-based MAC foes in its first home showcase of the season Sunday. NIU (2-3-1, 1-0 MAC) will welcome defending conference champion Central...

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...

Senior forward Brooke Stonebraker shoots a jump hook over an Eastern Illinois University opponent on Dec. 18, 2023. Stonebraker is currently second in the MAC in rebounds and third among forwards in points per game. (Northern Star file photo)

Frequent miscues bring down women’s basketball in Toledo

By Lucas Didier, Assistant Sports Editor | January 24, 2024

NIU women’s basketball (9-9, 3-4 MAC) suffered from continuous mistakes to fall to University of Toledo (13-4, 6-1 MAC) by a score of 72-52. NIU is now 1-7 on the road this season with six away games left to play in 2024. The Huskies started strong,...

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...

Junior Erika Dimitriev prepares for her opponents serve in a home meet against the University of Wisconsin-Madison on Saturday. Dimitriev won her lone single match against James Madison on Sunday. (Courtesy of NIU Athletics)

Huskies fall to James Madison, remain winless in 2024

By Sana Polizzi, Sports Reporter | January 22, 2024

NIU’s women’s tennis suffered a loss against James Madison University, their second of the season. Although the team dominated in doubles, they could not keep pace with the Dukes in singles and were defeated 5-2 by last season’s No. 2 seed in the...

NIU womens basketball team huddled in a circle before the game on Feb. 18, 2023 against Ball State.  The Huskies defeated the University of Central Michigan on Saturday by a final score of 70- 57. (Northern Star file photo)

Second half surge sends women’s basketball over Central Michigan

By Lucas Didier, Assistant Sports Editor | January 21, 2024

DeKALB – A halftime revival sent NIU women’s basketball (9-8, 3-3 MAC) soaring over Central Michigan University (2-13, 1-5 MAC) by a score of 70-57, cutting off a losing streak and putting the Huskies back above .500. The game shifted in favor...

NIU track and field wins two events at Cyclone Open

By Joseph Segreti, Sports Reporter | January 20, 2024

DeKALB – NIU women’s track and field team finished its day at Iowa State with wins in the 200-meter dash and high jump, while also taking four other top five finishes.  Senior Malia Watkins earned NIU’s first top finish of the day, taking first...

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...

Junior Isabella Sissi performs her routine on the uneven parallel bars during Saturdays meet against Bowling Green State University at the Stroh Center in Bowling Green, Ohio. NIU gymnastics is set to compete at the Tennessee Collegiate Classic on Friday. (Courtesy of Dena Martz)

Headin’ south: Huskies to battle Lindenwood, Fisk at Tennessee meet

By Skyler Kisellus, Sports Reporter | January 18, 2024

DeKALB – A stone’s throw away from “Music City,” a team of trained performers clad in color and sparkle will take the floor with the same objective as every event before: shake the nerves, woo the critics and achieve a hit. But there’s a...