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The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

Recently-retired NIU head gymnastics coach Sam Morreale walks on the floor during a gymnastics meet. The school announced Morreale’s retirement Thursday after a 13-year head coaching tenure with the program. (Courtesy of NIU Athletics)

Gymnastics head coach Sam Morreale retires after 22 years at NIU

By Northern Star Sports Staff | September 26, 2024

DeKALB – NIU head gymnastics coach Sam Morreale has retired after 13 years at the helm of the program and 22 years on the team’s staff, NIU Vice President and Director of Athletics and Recreation Sean Frazier announced in an NIU Athletics news release...

NIU sophomore gymnast Kiera O’Shea is introduced ahead of the first session of the semifinals round of the NCAA Fayetteville Regional on Thursday at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Arkansas. O’Shea made her NCAA Regional debut Thursday after battling sickness and injuries during her first two years as a college gymnast. (Courtesy of Meaghan Frazier)

Through illness and injury, O’Shea prospers

By Skyler Kisellus, Senior Sports Reporter | April 4, 2024

Sophomore gymnast Kiera O’Shea was standing in line March 2 at Jeni’s Ice Creams in Raleigh, North Carolina, waiting to place her order – a scoop of chocolate sheet cake and a scoop of salted peanut butter, adorned with a waffle chip. As she...

Junior gymnast Isabella Sissi swings her arms out as she poses during her floor routine. Sissi returned to NIU's lineup Sunday after missing the Huskies' home finale on March 10. (Tim Dodge | Northern Star)

Huskies finish third in Minnesota to close regular season

By Skyler Kisellus, Senior Sports Reporter | March 18, 2024

Junior Isabella Sissi had long dreamed of competing inside the Maturi Pavillion, the home of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. “I grew up watching the Gophers my entire childhood,” Sissi said. On Sunday, the Blaine, Minnesota, native...

NIU junior gymnast Isabella Sissi competes on floor during the second rotation of a quad-meet Sunday inside the James T. Valvano Arena at William Neal Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, North Carolina. Sissi finished second in the all-around with a score of 39.050 as NIU finished third in the meet, behind North Carolina State University and Iowa State University, with a team score of 195.200. (Courtesy of NC State Athletics)

O’Shea vault title lands NIU third place in N.C.

By Skyler Kisellus, Senior Sports Reporter | March 4, 2024

NIU sophomore gymnast Kiera O’Shea scored her third 9.900 on vault this season as she championed the event at Saturday’s road quad-meet. “I thought it was one of the best vaults that I’ve done this season,” O’Shea said. O’Shea’s...

NIU senior gymnast Alyssa Al-Ashari salutes at the end of her bars routine in the second rotation of the Beauty and the Beast Meet on Feb. 9 at the Convocation Center. Al-Ashari serves as one of the Huskies' four team captains while being a consistent standout on the uneven parallel bars and the balance beam. (Totus Tuus Keely | Northern Star)

Alyssa Al-Ashari’s ascent to bar and beam stardom

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

Every routine for Alyssa Al-Ashari starts the same way. Once the shamrock green flag waves from the nearby judges table, she gives her opening salute, and takes a deep breath in. As she expels the air from her lungs, the noise around her fades to...

NIU freshman gymnast Dawsyn Sallee salutes at the end of her vault routine during the second rotation of NIU's road meet against Eastern Michigan University on Sunday inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Sallee scored a 9.850 in the fourth spot of the Huskies' vault lineup to match her personal best in the event. (Steve King | EMU Athletics)

Huskies drop EMU rematch despite strong finish

By Skyler Kisellus, Senior Sports Reporter | February 18, 2024

Six NIU gymnasts placed on their respective events Sunday as the Huskies took a second crack at a MAC foe in enemy territory. Despite their efforts, NIU’s gymnastics squad failed to overcome Eastern Michigan University at Sunday’s MAC meet inside...

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, Senior Sports Reporter | February 11, 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...

Junior gymnast Isabella Sissi poses during her floor exercise routine at NIU gymnastics' and wrestling's Beauty and the Beast meet Friday. Sissi, an all-arounder, finished Friday's quad meet with a total score of 39.100. (Totus Tuus Keely | Northern Star)

Gymnastics take second at Beauty and the Beast meet

By Skyler Kisellus, Senior Sports Reporter | February 10, 2024

DeKALB – Following a disappointing start to its home meet schedule, NIU gymnastics has begun to find its footing with a runner-up finish at Friday’s Beauty and the Beast Meet at the NIU Convocation Center. NIU (4-6-1, 1-2 MAC) finished second with...

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, Senior 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 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, Senior 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...

Junior Isabella Sissi performs her routine on the uneven parallel bars during Saturday's 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, Senior 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...

Then-sophomore Emmalise Nock poses during her floor routine at an NIU gymnastics home meet on Feb. 17, 2023 at the Convocation Center. Nock tied for second place with NIU freshman Mikayla Brown on the floor exercise event to lead the Huskies to a victory over Bowling Green State University on Saturday. (Mingda Wu | Northern Star)

Gymnastics grounds Falcons in MAC opener

By Skyler Kisellus, Senior Sports Reporter | January 13, 2024

Six different Huskies earned podium finishes as NIU gymnastics earned its first victory of the season in the first meet of its MAC competition schedule. NIU (1-2-1) outperformed conference rival Bowling Green State University (0-2) on three of four...