Northern Illinois Huskies baseball

American college baseball team From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Northern Illinois Huskies baseball team is a varsity intercollegiate athletic team of Northern Illinois University (NIU) in DeKalb, Illinois, United States.[2] The team is a member of the Horizon League, which is part of the NCAA Division I. NIU's first baseball team was fielded in 1900. The team plays its home games at Ralph McKinzie Field in DeKalb, Illinois. The Huskies are currently led by head coach Ryan Copeland, who just finished his third season with the team by winning a 2026 MAC Championship and NCAA post-season game.

Founded1900 (1900)
UniversityNorthern Illinois University
Head coachRyan Copeland (3rd season)
ConferenceHorizon League
Quick facts Founded, University ...
Northern Illinois Huskies
2026 Northern Illinois Huskies baseball team
Founded1900 (1900)
UniversityNorthern Illinois University
Head coachRyan Copeland (3rd season)
ConferenceHorizon League
LocationDeKalb, Illinois
Home stadiumRalph McKinzie Field
(capacity: 1,500)
NicknameHuskies
ColorsCardinal and black[1]
   
NCAA tournament appearances
1972, 2026
Conference tournament champions
1996 (MCC)
2026 (MAC)
Conference regular season champions
1924, 1925, 1936, 1945, 1946, 1950, 1951, 1964 (IIAC)
1972 (Midwestern)
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History

As of 2021, Northern Illinois and Akron are the only current or former MAC schools not to have a player named the MAC Baseball Player of the Year or MAC Baseball Pitcher of the Year since those awards were first given in 1986 and 1988 respectively.

NIU reached the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1972 by winning the 2026 Mid-American Conference baseball tournament in their final season as a member of the MAC. They previously had a chance in 1996 as MCC champion but lost a play-in series to Northeastern Illinois.

NIU recorded their first ever NCAA Tournament win in the 2026 NCAA Division 1 Baseball Tournament by defeating Coastal Carolina 12-10 in the first round of the Tallahasse Regional.[3]

Conference membership

NCAA Tournament

Northern Illinois has participated in the NCAA Division I baseball tournament twice.

More information Year, Round ...
Year Round Opponent Result
1972Quarterfinals
Lower Round 1		Bowling Green
Iowa		L 0–2
L 1–8
2026Tallahassee RegionalCoastal Carolina
St. Johns
Florida State		W 12–10
L 8–21
L 4–7 (10)
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Year-by-year results

More information Season, Coach ...
Record table
Season Coach Overall Conference Standing Postseason
1900 Fred Charles 3–3
1901 Fred Charles 3–5–1
1902 Fred Charles 2–2
1903 A.F. Johnson 4–0
1904 Henry Stiness 7–4
1905 A.C. Kinsbury 5–1
1907 Nelson A. Kellogg 4–5
1908 Nelson A. Kellogg 5–6
1909 Nelson A. Kellogg 7–4
1910 Nelson A. Kellogg 10–2
1912 William Wirtz 5–3
1913 William Wirtz 3–4–1
1914 William Wirtz 5–4
1915 William Wirtz 3–2
1916 William Wirtz 8–1
1917 William Wirtz 5–1
1920 Robert G. Buzzard 10–3
1921 Paul Harrison 3–3–1
1922 Paul Harrison 4–7
1923 Paul Harrison 4–3
1924 William Muir 7–3N/A1st
1925 William Muir 11–0N/A1st
1926 William Muir 6–3
1927 Roland Cowell 2–3
1928 Roland Cowell 7–2
1929 Roland Cowell 3–3
1930 Chick Evans 5–7
1931 Chick Evans 3–5
1932 Chick Evans 3–4
1933 Chick Evans 7–4–1
1934 Chick Evans 6–4
1935 C. Nordly 8–1
1936 Chick Evans 5–6N/A1st
1937 Chick Evans 17–8
1938 Chick Evans 10–12
1939 Chick Evans 10–14
1940 Chick Evans 14–12
1941 Chick Evans 4–14
1942 Chick Evans 8–9
1943 Chick Evans 5–9
1944 Chick Evans 1–9
1945 Ralph McKinzie 8–1N/A1st
1946 Chick Evans 15–37–01st
1947 Chick Evans 13–5–2N/A
1948 John Pace 11–114–33rd
1949 Ralph McKinzie 10–63–4
1950 Ralph McKinzie 16–8N/A1st
1951 Ralph McKinzie 11–6N/A1st
1952 Ralph McKinzie 5–123–74th
1953 Ralph McKinzie 6–122–65th
1954 Ralph McKinzie 5–154–8
1955 Ralph McKinzie 5–172–8
1956 Ralph McKinzie 4–133–96th
1957 Darrel Black 7–10–15–54th
1958 Darrel Black 8–18–17–10
1959 Darrel Black 13–149–8
1960 Darrel Black 12–155–66th
1961 Darrel Black 20–13–17–84th
1962 Darrel Black 13–215–74th
1963 Darrel Black 17–176–64th
1964 Thomas L. Meyer 23–510–21st
1965 Thomas L. Meyer 15–17–16–62nd
1966 Thomas L. Meyer 13–6–16–22nd
1967 Thomas L. Meyer 20–14–1
1968 Thomas L. Meyer 13–14–1
1969 Thomas L. Meyer 16–19
Dave Mason (1970–1971)
1970 Dave Mason 18–15–1
1971 Dave Mason 24–155–6
Wayne Franke (1972–1972)
1972 Wayne Frank 24–67–21st
Dave Mason (1973–1975)
1973 Dave Mason 14–15
1974 Dave Mason 18–217–76th
1975 Dave Mason 20–178–86th
Walt Owens (1976–1982)
1976 Walt Owens 15–2219–2610th
1977 Walt Owens 26–13–24–104th
1978 Walt Owens 14–272–1110th
1979 Walt Owens 2–13–119–269th
1980 Walt Owens 19–20–26–107th
1981 Walt Owens 19–26–26–106th
1982 Walt Owens 19–24–14–94th (West)
Spanky McFarland (1991–1997)
1991 Spanky McFarland 11–25
1992 Spanky McFarland 18–36
1993 Spanky McFarland 15–35–1
1994 Spanky McFarland 23–30
1995 Spanky McFarland 29–27
1996 Spanky McFarland 27–3012-104th
1997 Spanky McFarland 19–29
Frank Del Medico (1998–1999)
1998 Frank Del Medico 10–39–1
1999 Frank Del Medico 4–51–1
Dave Schrage (2000–2002)
2000 Dave Schrage 24–3311–156th (West)
2001 Dave Schrage 28–2710–175th (West)
2002 Dave Schrage 23–3211–145th (West)
Ed Mathey (2003–2014)
2003 Ed Mathey 34–2415–113rd (West)
2004 Ed Mathey 31–2814–102nd (West)
2005 Ed Mathey 16–368–166th (West)
2006 Ed Mathey 24–318–186th (West)
2007 Ed Mathey 34–2416–113rd (West)
2008 Ed Mathey 28–2616–102nd (West)
2009 Ed Mathey 19–3410–16
2010 Ed Mathey 24–3112–155th (West)
2011 Ed Mathey 30–2716–11
2012 Ed Mathey 15–407–20
2013 Ed Mathey 22–3416–111st (West)
2014 Ed Mathey 17–36–111–165th (West)
Mike Kunigonis (2015–2023)
2015 Mike Kunigonis 22–3310–175th (West)
2016 Mike Kunigonis 24–3214–102nd (West)
2017 Mike Kunigonis 17–3811–135th (West)
2018 Mike Kunigonis 20–369–1810th
2019 Mike Kunigonis 20–3614–125th
2020 Mike Kunigonis 7–100–0Season canceled due to COVID-19
2021 Mike Kunigonis 16–3815–25T-9th
2022 Mike Kunigonis 14–4013–2510th
2023 Mike Kunigonis 10–435–2411th
Ryan Copeland (2024–present)
2024 Ryan Copeland 21-3314-167th
2025 Ryan Copeland 21-339-219th
2026 Ryan Copeland 36-2021-134th
Total:1793-2224-37

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

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See also

References

External links

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