Northern Illinois University has accepted an invitation to join the Horizon League in basketball and most other sports, excluding football. This move will make NIU the 12th member of the league and will see the Huskies competing in 14 of the 19 sports offered by the Horizon League starting in the 2026-27 academic year. The exception to this is football, as the program will be moving from the MAC to the Mountain West in 2026.
Northern Illinois has a long history of playing in various conferences, including the Mid-Continent Conference and the Horizon League in the past. The university has requested that its wrestling and gymnastics teams be allowed to remain in the MAC, as the Horizon League does not sponsor those sports.
With this move, Northern Illinois joins other universities such as Cleveland State, Detroit Mercy, and Oakland in the Horizon League. The addition of NIU will bring a new level of competition to the league and further solidify its position as a competitive conference in collegiate sports.
This announcement comes as Northern Illinois looks to strengthen its athletics program and provide more opportunities for its student-athletes to compete at a high level. The university is excited about the new partnership with the Horizon League and looks forward to the opportunities it will bring for both its athletes and fans.
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