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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

NIU junior defensive specialist/libero Jada Cerniglia serves the ball during a Sept. 8 match against DePaul University during the DePaul Invitational at McGrath-Phillips Arena in Chicago. Cerniglia has nine service aces on the 2023 season, tied for second place on the Huskies. (Tim Dodge | Northern Star)

COLUMN: In defense of NIU volleyball

By Skyler Kisellus, Sports Reporter | September 19, 2023

Two wins, 10 losses and rock bottom in the MAC standings. Not a great start to a season by any stretch of the imagination.  That is where the NIU volleyball team stands through 12 matches, all against non-conference competition. This column was...

`NIU junior libero Crew Hoffmeier digs a ball during the Huskies’ Aug. 25 match against Chicago State University at the NIU Convocation Center in DeKalb. Hoffmeier was named the Week 4 MAC West Division Defensive Player of the Week on Monday after a 47-dig effort at the UNI Tournament. (Scott Walstrom | NIU Athletics)

Hoffmeier pockets MAC weekly honors

By Skyler Kisellus, Sports Reporter | September 18, 2023

NIU volleyball junior libero Crew Hoffmeier has been named the Week 4 Mid-American Conference West Division Player of the Week, the conference announced Monday.  "I'm really glad to see Crew honored because she has been working very hard since day...

NIU junior middle blocker Charli Atiemo digs up a ball during Friday’s match between the NIU Huskies and the University of Dayton Flyers. The Huskies went on to fall in three sets to UNI Tournament host University of Northern Iowa on Saturday, ending the weekend with a 2-1 record in the tournament. (Logan Colglaizer | UNI Athletics)

Huskies collared by Panthers in non-conference closer

By Skyler Kisellus, Sports Reporter | September 16, 2023

One day removed from a crushing defeat followed by a resounding win to open the UNI Tournament, NIU volleyball was forcefully brought back to earth by a “Northern” foe. NIU’s post-win fire was extinguished by an overpowering performance by the...

Graduate student outside hitter Katie Erdmann, junior middle blocker Charli Atiemo, senior opposite/outside hitter Emily Dykes, senior setter Ella Mihacevich, junior libero Crew Hoffmeier and junior defensive specialist/libero Jada Cerniglia celebrate after a rally in Friday’s morning match between NIU and the University of Dayton at the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The Huskies fell to Dayton in three sets before sweeping the University of North Dakota in the following match for their first shutout victory of the season. (Logan Colglaizer | UNI Athletics)

Volleyball bags first sweep, snaps six-game skid

By Skyler Kisellus, Sports Reporter | September 16, 2023

From suffering a sweep to dishing one out. From the worst hitting percentage in a match to the best. All in a matter of hours. A tale of two extremes. That tale tells the story of NIU volleyball’s first day of action Saturday at the UNI Tournament...

NIU junior libero Crew Hoffmeier (1) serves the ball to the University of Evansville during Friday’s matchup between the Huskies and Purple Aces at the DePaul Invitational in Chicago. (Tim Dodge | Northern Star)

COLUMN: Volleyball stonewalled in Chicago, rocky start persists

By Skyler Kisellus, Sports Reporter | September 11, 2023

Like you might find its players doing on the sideline during a mid-match challenge, NIU volleyball has found itself in a limbo near the end of its non-conference stretch. After losing every one of its matches at the DePaul Invitational in Chicago this...

NIU senior opposite/outside hitter Emily Dykes attacks the ball against a pair of blocking University of Evansville players during Friday’s meeting between the Huskies and Purple Aces at McGrath-Phillips in Chicago. (Tim Dodge | Northern Star)

Volleyball ends Chicago road trip winless

By Skyler Kisellus, Sports Reporter | September 10, 2023

Knocking on the door of a win on the final day of the DePaul Invitational, the NIU volleyball team was answered with a harsh ending. On match point and leading 15-14 in Saturday’s fifth and deciding set, the Huskies surrendered a 3-0 scoring run....

Graduate student outside hitter Katie Erdmann, junior libero Crew Hoffmeier, junior middle blocker Charli Atiemo, sophomore defensive specialist Olivia Hogan, junior defensive specialist Jada Cerniglia and senior setter Ella Mihacevich celebrate after a rally during Friday’s season-opening match against Chicago State University at the NIU Convocation Center. The Huskies were defeated 3-2. (Scott Walstrom | NIU Athletics)

Volleyball readies for Chi-town showdowns

By Skyler Kisellus, Sports Reporter | September 5, 2023

DeKALB – The one-win NIU volleyball team, back from a two-day spell on the East Coast, has set their sights on success in the Windy City. NIU will play its third out-of-conference tournament of the season – and second on the road – at the DePaul...

Davidson College sophomore outside hitter Jackie Bardin attacks over the net against NIU graduate student right side hitter Isabelle Percoco and sophomore middle blocker Savanah Brandt during Saturday’s match at John M. Belk Arena in Davidson, North Carolina. The Huskies lost the match 3-1 for their first road defeat. (Tim Cowie | Davidson Athletics)

Huskies fall flat in road opener finale

By Skyler Kisellus, Sports Reporter | September 2, 2023

As the saying goes, “all good things must come to an end.” For NIU volleyball, that end came sooner than the Huskies might have hoped. NIU – fresh off its first win of the season Friday – was snuffed out on the final day of the Wildcat Classic...

NIU volleyball head coach Sondra Parys talks with her team courtside during the Huskies season-opening match against Chicago State University on Aug. 25 at the NIU Convocation Center. Parys earned her first win as an NCAA Division I head coach Friday, a 3-2 victory over the University of North Carolina Wilmington. (Scott Walstrom | NIU Athletics)

Volleyball’s Sondra Parys bags first win as head coach

By Skyler Kisellus, Sports Reporter | September 1, 2023

Four matches into her first season leading NIU volleyball, first-year head coach Sondra Parys has reached the first major milestone in her young coaching career: her first win. The Huskies outlasted the University of North Carolina Wilmington Seahawks...

NIU junior middle blocker Charli Atiemo spikes the ball over the net during Saturdays matchup against University of Illinois. The Huskies dropped the match by a set score of 3-1. (Scott Walstrom | NIU Athletics)

Volleyball dazed in rematch with Cougars

By Skyler Kisellus, Sports Reporter | August 27, 2023

DeKALB – Seeking its first win and a bit of vengeance, NIU volleyball was forcefully rebuffed by a familiar foe and remains winless to start 2023. The winless Huskies were plagued by the offensive onslaught dealt by visiting Chicago State University...

Senior setter Ella Mihacevich rises up to hit the volleyball in a Saturday matchup against the University of Illinois. (Scott Walstrom | Courtesy of NIU Athletics)

Volleyball begins Parys’ era winless

By Skyler Kisellus, Sports Reporter | August 27, 2023

DeKALB – The debut of NIU volleyball’s first-year head coach Sondra Parys has come and gone, and the Huskies remain winless to begin the tenure of their new leader. More than nine months after missing out on a MAC Tournament bid by four tiebreakers...

NIU volleyball adds assistant coach Mackenzie Rombach

By Ethan Gonzales, Sports Editor | February 16, 2023

DeKALB – NIU women’s volleyball head coach Sondra Parys announced Thursday that the Huskies’ coaching staff is adding Mackenzie Rombach as an assistant coach. Rombach previously spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Jacksonville...