The Northern Illinois Huskies are the athletic teams that represent Northern Illinois University (NIU). The Huskies are a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I and the Horizon League. The athletic program is made up of seven men's sports (baseball, basketball, football, golf, soccer, tennis, and wrestling) and 10 women's sports (basketball, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, tennis, track, and volleyball). The football team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
NIU began athletic competition in 1899 and were nicknamed the Profs. In the 1920s, they were referred to as the Cardinals. During the 1930s they were called Evansmen after George Evans. The Huskie mascot and nickname used today were officially chosen in 1940.
On January 7, 2025, NIU announced that they would be joining the Mountain West Conference as a football-only member in 2026. On February 27, NIU announced that all non-football sports would join the Horizon League in July 2026.
Sports sponsored A member of the Horizon League (HL) for most Olympic sports except women's gymnastics (Mountain West Conference) and men's wrestling (Pac-12 Conference), NIU sponsors teams in seven men's and ten women's NCAA sanctioned sports.
Men's sports Women's sports Baseball Basketball Basketball Cross country Football Golf Golf Gymnastics Soccer Soccer Tennis Softball Wrestling Tennis Track and field Volleyball
Baseball
NIU baseball started playing in 1900. The program was disbanded from 1983 through 1990. They currently play home games at the Ralph McKinzie Field in Dekalb, Illinois. They have appeared in the NCAA Tournament three times (1972, 1996, 2026).
Championships 1924 – Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions 1925 – Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions 1936 – Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions 1945 – Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions 1946 – Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions 1950 – Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions 1951 – Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions 1964 – Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions 1972 – Midwestern Conference Champions 1996 – Midwestern Collegiate Conference Champions (Tournament) 2013 – Mid-American Conference West Division Champions 2026 - Mid-American Conference Champions
Men's basketball
NIU men's basketball started playing in 1900. They currently play home games at the NIU Convocation Center in DeKalb, Illinois. They have appeared in the NCAA Tournament three times (1982, 1991, 1996).
Championships
1932 – Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions (Tournament) 1933 – Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions 1934 – Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions 1935 – Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions 1941 – Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions 1945 – Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions 1972 – Midwestern Conference Champions 1981 – Mid-American Conference Champions 1982 – Mid-American Conference Champions (Tournament) 1991 – Mid-Continent Conference Champions 1996 – Midwestern Collegiate Conference Champions (Tournament) 2006 – MAC West Division Champions
Football
NIU football started playing in 1899. They have won one National Championship, have won 12 football conference titles, and have appeared in 16 Division I-A and College Division Bowl Games.
Championships 1938 – Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions 1941 – Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Co-Champions 1944 – Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions 1946 – Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions 1951 – Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions 1963 – NCAA College Division National Champions 1963 – Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions 1964 – Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Co-Champions 1965 – Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions 1983 – Mid-American Conference Champions (MAC) 2001 – MAC West Division Co-Champions 2002 – MAC West Division Co-Champions 2004 – MAC West Division Co-Champions 2005 – MAC West Division Champions 2010 – MAC West Division Champions 2011 – MAC West Division Champions 2011 – Mid-American Conference Champions (MAC) 2012 – MAC West Division Champions 2012 – Mid-American Conference Champions (MAC) 2013 – MAC West Division Champions 2014 – MAC West Division Champions 2014 – Mid-American Conference Champions (MAC) 2015 – MAC West Division Champions 2018 – Mid-American Conference Champions (MAC) 2021 – Mid-American Conference Champions (MAC)
Men's golf NIU men's golf team currently plays its home matches at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Illinois, where it hosted the 2017 NCAA Men's Golf Championship. The team has won the Mid-American Conference Golf title in 1976, 1985, and 2023. The Huskies also qualified for the 1976 NCAA Golf tournament.
Championships 1976 – Mid-American Conference Champions 1985 – Mid-American Conference Champions 1990 – Mid-Continent Conference Champions 1991 – Mid-Continent Conference Champions 1992 – Mid-Continent Conference Champions 1994 – Mid-Continent Conference Champions 2023 – Mid-American Conference Champions
Men's soccer
NIU men's soccer started playing in 1962. They currently play their home games at the NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex. They have appeared in the NCAA Tournament four times (1973, 2006, 2011, 2021).
With the MAC discontinuing its men's soccer league after the 2022 season, NIU moved that sport to the Missouri Valley Conference for 2023. It moves to the Horizon League July 1st, 2026.
Championships 1984 – Midwest Metropolitan Conference Champions 1989 – Big Central Conference Champions (Tournament) 1990 – Mid-Continent Conference Champions 2006 – Mid-American Conference Champions 2006 – Mid-American Conference Champions (Tournament) 2011 – Mid-American Conference Champions (Tournament) 2021 – Mid-American Conference Champions (Tournament)
Men's tennis NIU men's tennis team has had six players qualify for the NCAA tournament, one player twice and another player three times (1963, 1968, 1970–1973, 1987). They currently play their home matches at the NIU West Tennis Courts.
Championships 1991 – Mid-Continent Conference Champions 1992 – Mid-Continent Conference Champions 1993 – Mid-Continent Conference Champions 1994 – Mid-Continent Conference Champions 1996 – Midwestern Collegiate Conference Champions 1997 – Midwestern Collegiate Conference Champions
Wrestling
NIU Wrestling started in 1931, and first started competing in the Division I (NCAA) in 1969. The team had 9 NCAA All-Americans and 96 wrestlers qualify for the NCAA tournament, with two winning the NCAA title. Three other Huskie Wrestlers won the NAIA championship (1958 (@123), 1961 (@167), 1961 (@177))
Ryan Ludwig (three-time NAIA All-American and a national finalist at 157 pounds) is currently in his 3rd season as head coach for the Huskies. Completed in the fall of 2008, the NIU Wrestling Training Complex features everything a student-athlete needs to reach the highest levels on and off the mat.
Championships 1985 – Mid-American Conference Champions
Softball
NIU women's softball started playing in 1959. They currently play their home games at Mary M. Bell Field. They have made two NCAA Regional appearances (1988, 1996) and one appearance in the Women's College World Series (1988).
Championships 1988 – North Star Conference Champions 1989 – North Star Conference Champions 1990 – North Star Conference Champions 1996 – Midwestern Collegiate Conference Champions (Regular Season) 1996 – Midwestern Collegiate Conference Champions (Tournament) 1999 – Mid-American Conference Champions 2000 – Mid-American Conference Champions
Women's basketball
NIU women's basketball started playing in 1957. They currently play home games at the NIU Convocation Center in Dekalb, Illinois. They have appeared in the NCAA Tournament five times (1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995). They have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) two times (1991, 2017).
Championships 1972 – Midwest AIAW Region Champions 1982 – Illinois AIAW State Champions 1989 – North Star Conference Champions 1990 – North Star Conference Champions 1990 – North Star Conference Champions (Tournament) 1992 – North Star Conference Champions (Tournament) 1993 – Mid-Continent Conference Champions 1993 – Mid-Continent Conference Champions (Tournament) 1994 – Mid-Continent Conference Champions 1995 – Midwestern Collegiate Conference Champions
Women's soccer
NIU women's soccer started playing in 1993. They currently play their home games at the NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex.
Championships 1997 – Mid-American Conference Champions 1997 – Mid-American Conference Champions (Tournament) 1998 – Mid-American Conference Champions 1998 – Mid-American Conference Champions (Tournament)
Women's volleyball
NIU women's volleyball started playing in 1970. They currently play home games at the NIU Convocation Center in Dekalb, Illinois. They have appeared in the NCAA Tournament seven times (1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2011, 2016). They appeared in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC) three times (1991, 1992, 1994).
Championships 1988 – North Star Conference Champions (Regular Season) 1988 – North Star Conference Champions (Tournament) 1990 – North Star Conference Champions (Regular Season) 1991 – North Star Conference Champions (Tournament) 1992 – Mid-Continent Conference Champions (Regular Season) 1992 – Mid-Continent Conference Champions (Tournament) 1993 – Mid-Continent Conference Champions (Regular Season) 1993 – Mid-Continent Conference Champions (Tournament) 1995 – Midwestern Collegiate Conference Champions (Regular Season) 1996 – Midwestern Collegiate Conference Champions (Regular Season) 1996 – Midwestern Collegiate Conference Champions (Tournament) 1997 – MAC West Division Champions 1997 – Mid-American Conference co-champions (Regular Season) 1997 – Mid-American Conference Champions (Tournament) 1998 – MAC West Division Champions 1998 – Mid-American Conference co-champions (Regular Season) 2001 – MAC West Division Champions 2001 – Mid-American Conference Champions (Tournament) 2006 – MAC West Division Champions 2011 – MAC West Division Champions 2011 – Mid-American Conference Champions (Regular Season) 2014 – MAC West Division Champions 2015 – MAC West Division Champions 2015 – Mid-American Conference Champions (Regular Season) 2016 – MAC West Division Champions 2016 – Mid-American Conference co-champions (Regular Season) 2016 – Mid-American Conference Champions (Tournament)
Women's tennis NIU women's tennis team started playing in 1974. They currently play their home matches at the NIU West Tennis Courts.
Championships 1989 – North Star Conference Champions 1990 – North Star Conference Champions 1991 – North Star Conference Champions 1993 – Mid-Continent Conference Champions 1994 – Mid-Continent Conference Champions
Women's gymnastics
NIU women's gymnastics started competing in 1978. They currently compete at the NIU Convocation Center in Dekalb, Illinois.
Championships 1992 – Midwest Independent Conference Champions 1993 – Midwest Independent Conference Champions 2019 – Mid American Conference Champions (Tournament)
Women's golf NIU women's golf team currently plays its home matches at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Illinois, where it hosted the 2017 NCAA Women's Golf Championship.
Women's track and field
NIU women's outdoor track and field team currently competes at the NIU Soccer and Track & Field Complex. The women's indoor track and field team competes at NIU Convocation Center.
Women's cross country