Northern Illinois Huskies

The Northern Illinois Huskies are the athletic teams that represent Northern Illinois University. The Huskies are a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I and the Mid-American Conference. The athletic program is made up of 7 men's sports (baseball, basketball, football, golf, soccer, tennis, wrestling) and 10 women's sports (basketball, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, tennis, track, volleyball). The football team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Northern Illinois 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 "Chick" Evans. The Huskie mascot and nickname used today were officially chosen in 1940.

Baseball
Northern Illinois 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 twice (1972, 1996).

Championships
 * 1924 - Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference / Little 19 Champions
 * 1925 - Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference / Little 19 Champions
 * 1936 - Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference / Little 19 Champions
 * 1945 - Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference / Little 19 Champions
 * 1946 - Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference / Little 19 Champions
 * 1950 - Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference / Little 19 Champions
 * 1951 - Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference / Little 19 Champions
 * 1964 - Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Champions
 * 1972 - Midwestern Collegiate Conference Champions
 * 1996 - Mid-Continent Conference Champions
 * 2013 - Mid-American Conference West Division Champions

Basketball
Northern Illinois men's basketball started playing in 1900. They currently play home games at the Convocation Center in DeKalb, Illinois. They have appeared in the NCAA Tournament three times (1982, 1991, 1996).

Championships
 * 1934 - Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference / Little 19 Champions
 * 1941 - Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference / Little 19 Champions
 * 1945 - Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference / Little 19 Champions
 * 1972 - Midwestern Collegiate Conference Champions
 * 1982 - Mid-American Conference Champions


 * 1996 - Horizon League Champions

Football
Northern Illinois football started playing in 1899. As of 2011, they have won 10 football conference titles, appeared in 12 Division I-A and College Division Bowl Games (winning five).

Championships
 * 1938 - Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference / Little 19 Champions
 * 1941 - Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference / Little 19 Co-Champions
 * 1944 - Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference / Little 19 Champions
 * 1946 - Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference / Little 19 Champions
 * 1951 - Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 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)
 * 2011 - Mid-American Conference Champions (MAC)
 * 2012 - Mid-American Conference Champions (MAC)

Golf
The Northern Illinois men's golf team currently play their home matches at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Illinois. The team won the 1976 Mid American Conference Golf title and qualified for the 1976 NCAA Golf tournament.

Soccer
The Northern Illinois 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 two times (2006, 2011).

Championships
 * 1984 - Midwest Metro Conference Champions
 * 1990 - Mid-Continent Conference Champions
 * 2006 - Mid-American Conference Champions
 * 2011 - Mid-American Conference Champions

Tennis
The Northern Illinois men's tennis team had six players qualify for the NCAA tournament, one player twice and another player three times (1963, 1968, 1970–1973, 1987).

Wrestling
The Northern Illinois Wrestling team started in 1931, and first started competing in the Division I (NCAA) in 1969. The team had 9 NCAA All-Americans & 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 Northern Illinois Wrestling Training Complex features everything a student-athlete needs to reach the highest levels on and off the mat.

Softball
Northern Illinois women's soccer 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 world series (1988).

Championships
 * 1988 - North Star Conference Champions
 * 1989 - North Star Conference Champions
 * 1990 - North Star Conference Champions
 * 1996 - Midwestern Collegiate Conference Champions
 * 1999 - Mid-American Conference Champions
 * 2000 - Mid-American Conference Champions

Basketball
Northern Illinois women's basketball started playing in 1957. They currently play home games at the Convocation Center in Dekalb, Illinois. They have appeared in the NCAA Tournament five times (1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995).

Championships
 * 1990 - North Star Conference Champions
 * 1993 - Mid-Continent Conference Champions

Soccer
Northern Illinois 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
 * 1998 - Mid-American Conference Champions

Volleyball
Northern Illinois women's volleyball started playing in 1970. They currently play home games at the Convocation Center in Dekalb, Illinois. They have appeared in the NCAA Tournament six times (1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2011).

Championships
 * 1997 - MAC West Division Champions
 * 1998 - MAC West Division Champions
 * 2001 - MAC West Division Champions
 * 2006 - MAC West Division Champions
 * 2011 - MAC West Division Champions

Tennis
Northern Illinois women's tennis team started playing in 1974. They currently play their home games at the NIU West Tennis Courts.

Championships
 * 1989 - North Star Conference Champions
 * 1990 - North Star Conference Champions
 * 1991 - North Star Conference Champions
 * 1992 - Mid-Continent Conference Champions
 * 1993 - Mid-Continent Conference Champions

Gymnastics
Northern Illinois women's gymnastics started playing in 1978. They currently play home games at the Convocation Center in Dekalb, Illinois.

Rugby
Founded in 1968, the Northern Illinois Rugby Football Club plays college rugby in the Mid-American Conference conference of Division 1-AA. The Huskies are led by Head Coach Kris Osterloh. The Huskies reached the 2013 D1-AA national playoffs, but lost to Lindenwood in the round of 16.

Huskie Hall of Fame
The Huskie Hall of Fame first started in 1978. There was an annual class induction since 1983. Women were inducted into the Hall of Fame since 1986. There are currently 179 individuals and 14 teams enshrined in the Huskie Hall of Fame.