The MAC Tournament is something this year’s men’s tennis team is no stranger to.With four players from their 2012 run and five from their 2013 run still on board, the Huskies have a lot of experience in the tournament. The players have shared the...
The Northern Star sat down with Kathi Bennett, women’s basketball head coach, to talk about how the team’s season ended and what she expects next season. She also gave her thoughts about the men’s and women’s basketball NCAA tournament and No....
Women’s basketball’s 2013-14 season came to a close in the second round of the MAC Tournament when it suffered its third loss of the season to Ball State.The No. 9 seed Huskies (11-19, 7-13 MAC) lost to the No. 5 seed Ball State Cardinals (16-15,...
Men’s basketball officially punched its ticket to Cleveland with a 54-51 overtime victory over Bowling Green in the first round of the MAC Tournament at the Convocation Center March 10.With 25 seconds left at the end of regulation, guard Aaric Armstead...
The women’s soccer team got a boost from being at home and clinched a spot in the MAC tournament for the second year in a row.The Huskies (6-9-3, 4-4-2 MAC) upset the Kent State Golden Flashes (11-7, 6-4 MAC) 2-1 in Friday’s match, which was the program’s...
NIU men’s tennis will travel to Kalamazoo, Mich. Friday to open up its MAC play against Western Michigan (11-7, 1-0 MAC).
Western Michigan won the MAC Tournament from 2006 to 2010, but lost in the semifinals last season to eventual champion Ball State. NIU coach Patrick Fisher is familiar with Western Michigan’s success and knows first-hand how tough the Broncos are; he’s never beaten them in his tenure at NIU.
“Everyone in their lineup is a threat,” Fisher said. “They’ve won the league and gone to the tournament, I would say, seven or eight times out of the last 10. They are the team to beat. They are the class of the league. I think in a lot of ways they’ve been like the Akron of men’s soccer; no one really can beat them on a regular basis.”
The Huskies (14-5) have not matched the Broncos’ success over the past few seasons, but have steadily improved in each campaign.
This season has gone exceptionally well for NIU, already accumulating its most team wins since its 16-win 2002-03 showing with nine matches still scheduled.
The Huskies have made it clear they are ready to be the new breed of the MAC, and with a lineup capable of putting up 14 wins without two-time All-MAC performer Maksym Bartiuk, the once-tested depth of the lineup seems to no longer be a problem.
“We’ve had to deal with an unhealthy lineup this whole year,” Fisher said. “Regardless of where we are at, we still feel we have a good chance to win. We’ve won a lot already without having guys in the lineup at certain times this year.”
Fisher said his current roster has what it takes to avenge last season’s 6-1 loss to the Broncos.
“We’re really excited,” Fisher said. “We’re probably in the best shape going into the conference play in the last four or five years. Obviously, we’ve won a lot and our guys have some great confidence right now. Except for a couple matches, we’ve been in position to win every single match and I don’t see that changing this week.”
Wrestling competed in the MAC tournament in Buffalo, N.Y., and finished in a tie for fifth with Ohio University with 63.5 points over spring break. The University of Missouri tallied 136 points, finishing first, which ended a streak of 11 straight conference...
Even though spring break starts this weekend, 10 wrestlers will not have the luxury of a break as they will be competing in the MAC conference tournament Sunday at the University of Buffalo. Head coach Ryan Ludwig said it is crucial the competing wrestlers...
It was a wild weekend for volleyball as it reached the MAC Championship for the third straight year. The Huskies (21-14, 10-6 MAC) faced off against the No. 5-seeded Akron Zips (16-13, 9-7 MAC) in the first round and defeated them in four sets, 20-25,...
The time has come for NIU volleyball to show up when it matters most. The two seasons prior to this year, NIU (19-13, 10-6 MAC) made it to the MAC Championship game with ease, only to fail in its quest to be the best of the MAC. This year, as a fourth...
NIU men’s soccer will be the second seed in the MAC tournament after its 1-0 victory against the Buffalo Bulls in the regular season finale at Buffalo Friday. In the first half the Huskies (6-9-3, 4-2-1 MAC) started strong, as they came out and put...
NIU men’s soccer’s regular season is coming to an end. The Huskies now sit in second place in the MAC and need to win out their final conference games in order to secure a MAC tournament spot. A healthy junior midfielder, Sean Totsch may be the boost...
