Northern Illinois Huskies men's soccer

Last updated

Northern Illinois Huskies men's soccer
Northern Illinois Huskies soccer logo.svg
Founded1962;63 years ago (1962)
University Northern Illinois University
Head coach Ryan Swan (6th season)
Conference MVC
Location DeKalb, Illinois
Stadium NIU Soccer Complex
(Capacity: 1,500)
Nickname Huskies
ColorsCardinal and black [1]
   
Kit left arm whitelower.png
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body redcollar.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm whitelower.png
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks color 3 stripes black.png
Kit socks long.svg
Home
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks color 3 stripes white.png
Kit socks long.svg
Away
NCAA Tournament Round of 16
1973
NCAA Tournament Round of 32
1973, 2006, 2011, 2021
NCAA Tournament appearances
1973, 2006, 2011, 2021
Conference Tournament championships
1989 (BCSC)
2006, 2011, 2021 (MAC)
Conference Regular Season championships
1984 (MMC)
1990 (Mid-Con)
2006, 2021 (MAC)

The Northern Illinois Huskies men's soccer team is the college soccer team that represents Northern Illinois University (NIU) in DeKalb, Illinois, United States. The school's team competed in NIU's full-time home of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) through the 2022 season, after which the conference stopped sponsoring men's soccer. [2] NIU moved that sport to the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) effective with the 2023 season, joining fellow MAC members Bowling Green and Western Michigan in this move. [3] NIU men's soccer started playing in 1962 and has appeared in the NCAA Tournament four times (1973, 2006, 2011, 2021). The Huskies are coached by Ryan Swan.

Contents

The 2025 season will be the Huskies' last in the MVC. On July 1, 2026, NIU will rejoin the Horizon League, in which it had been a member from 1994 to 1997 (1994–1996 seasons).

Season-by-season records

Statistics overview
SeasonCoachOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Bob Kahler (Independent)(1962–1962)
1962Bob Kahler 0–5
Bob Kahler:0–5
William Healey (Independent)(1963–1968)
1963William Healey 3–4
1964William Healey 3–4
1965William Healey 0–5
1966William Healey 2–3
1967William Healey 6–1
1968William Healey 8–1
William Healey:22–18
Dave Bucher (Independent)(1969–1979)
1969Dave Bucher 8–1
1970Dave Bucher 6–3–2
1971Dave Bucher 7–2–1
1972Dave Bucher 3–5–2
1973Dave Bucher 7–2–2 NCAA Round of 16
1974Dave Bucher 5–2–3
1975Dave Bucher 6–5
1976Dave Bucher 7–3–2
1977Dave Bucher 7–4
1978Dave Bucher 7–2–3
1979Dave Bucher 6–7–1
Dave Bucher:69–36–16
John LeWang (Independent)(1980–1980)
1980John LeWang 5–7–2
John LeWang:5–7–2
Jerry Collins (Midwest Metro)(1981–1986)
1981Jerry Collins 4–9–21–23rd
1982Jerry Collins 7–9–13–1–1T–2nd
1983Jerry Collins 8–7–24–12nd
1984Jerry Collins 13–5–15–01st
1985Jerry Collins 8–10–23–12nd
1986Jerry Collins 6–12–11–3–1T–5th
Jerry Collins:45–52–917–7–2
Willy Roy (Big Central)(1987–1989)
1987Willy Roy 6–10–21–35th
1988Willy Roy 7–10–10–67th
1989Willy Roy 14–4–24–23rd
Willy Roy (Mid-Con)(1990–1993)
1990Willy Roy 13–5–26–11st
1991Willy Roy 11–5–35–2–13rd
1992Willy Roy 6–9–23–3–14th
1993Willy Roy 11–6–24–2–24th
Willy Roy (MCC)(1994–1996)
1994Willy Roy 10–7–15–3–13rd
1995Willy Roy 7–10–23–56th
1996Willy Roy 8–9–13–4–14th
Willy Roy (MAC)(1997–2002)
1997Willy Roy 10–9–12–4–16th
1998Willy Roy 12–4–15–33rd
1999Willy Roy 12–93–4T–5th
2000Willy Roy 7–93–35th
2001Willy Roy 4–12–11–57th
2002Willy Roy 4–13–12–46th
Willy Roy:142–131–2250–54–7
Steve Simmons (MAC)(2003–2008)
2003Steve Simmons 3–12–22–45th
2004Steve Simmons 12–74–2T–2nd
2005Steve Simmons 11–6–24–22nd
2006Steve Simmons 15–6–14–11st NCAA Round of 32
2007Steve Simmons 7–9–41–3–15th
2008Steve Simmons 11–6–44–1–12nd
Steve Simmons:59–47–1319–13–2
Eric Luzzi (MAC)(2009–2016)
2009Eric Luzzi 10–8–13–34th
2010Eric Luzzi 9–6–22–45th
2011Eric Luzzi 15–64–12nd NCAA Round of 32
2012Eric Luzzi 7–10–34–2–1T–2nd
2013Eric Luzzi 4–13–10–5–17th
2014Eric Luzzi 3–9–50–4–16th
2015Eric Luzzi 7–7–11–3–15th
2016Eric Luzzi 2–10–41–3–15th
Eric Luzzi:57–69–1715–25–5
Ryan Swan (MAC)(2017–2022)
2017Ryan Swan 3–11-10-4-16th
2018Ryan Swan 8–9-11-4-06th
2019Ryan Swan 7–10-12-3-0T-4th
2020-21Ryan Swan 5–8-14-6-05th
2021Ryan Swan 15–3-24-0-21stNCAA Round of 32
2022Ryan Swan 5–8-42-5-14th
Ryan Swan (MVC)(2023–2025)
2023Ryan Swan 7-9-13-4-1T-5th
2024Ryan Swan 3-12-11-6-19th (Last)
Ryan Swan:53–70–1217–32–6
Total:452–435–91

      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

NCAA tournament

The Huskies have appeared in four NCAA Tournaments. Their combined record is 3–4. [4]

YearRoundOpponentResultNIU Head Coach
1973 Round of 16 SIU Edwardsville L 3–0Dave Bucher
2006 First round
Second Round		 Loyola Chicago
(7) Indiana 		W 1–0 (OT)
L 1–0		 Steve Simmons
2011 First round
Second Round		 Western Illinois
(2) Creighton 		W 3–0
L 3–0		Eric Luzzi
2021 First round
Second Round		 Oaklnd
Pittsburgh(5)		W 2–1
L 5–2		Ryan Swan

Lewang Cup

Since 1981, the winner of the annual match between NIU and UW-Milwaukee claims the John Lewang Memorial Cup. The trophy is named in honor of former NIU coach John Lewang, who was killed in a car accident prior to the 1981 season. Lewang came to NIU as head coach in 1980 following his time as an assistant at UW-Milwaukee and died in a car accident after his first season leading the Huskies. [5]

Match results

NIU victoriesMilwaukee victories

Honours

Honors

All-Americans

NIU men's soccer has had seven players named to All-America teams, including two NCAA First-Team All-Americans. [4]

YearPlayerPositionTeam
1970 Flag of the United States.svg Allan Zelechowski Sweeper Honorable Mention
1971 Flag of the United States.svg Edward Kositzki Forward Honorable Mention
1974 Flag of the United States.svg Peter Mannos Goalkeeper First-Team
1975 Flag of the United States.svg Peter MannosGoalkeeperFirst-Team
1975 Flag of the United States.svg Paul Wenson Midfielder Second-Team
1976 Flag of the United States.svg Mike Strahler Defender Honorable Mention
1984 Flag of Norway.svg Johan BergsethForwardThird-Team

Academic All-Americans

NIU men's soccer has had a combined 13 players named to CoSIDA and NSCAA Academic All-America teams, including four First-Team Academic All-Americans. [4]

YearPlayerPositionOrganizationTeam
1989 Flag of the United States.svg Markus Roy Goalkeeper NSCAAHonorable Mention
1990 Flag of the United States.svg Markus RoyGoalkeeperNSCAAFirst-Team
1991 Flag of the United States.svg Markus RoyGoalkeeperNSCAAFirst-Team
1996 Flag of Norway.svg Sigurd Slaastad Midfielder CoSIDASecond-Team
1997 Flag of Norway.svg Sigurd SlaastadMidfielderCoSIDASecond-Team
1998 Flag of the United States.svg Jeff StojakMidfielderCoSIDASecond-Team
1999 Flag of the United States.svg Jeff StojakMidfielderCoSIDAFirst-Team
2000 Flag of the United States.svg Peter Agrimson Defender NSCAASecond-Team
2002 Flag of the United States.svg Peter AgrimsonDefenderNSCAASecond-Team
2003 Flag of the United States.svg Andy ChampionDefenderCoSIDASecond-Team
2008 Flag of the United States.svg Kyle Knotek MidfielderCoSIDASecond-Team
2010 Flag of the United States.svg Kyle KnotekMidfielderCoSIDAFirst-Team
2014 Flag of the United States.svg Dusty PageDefenderCoSIDASecond-Team

Freshman All-Americans

NIU men's soccer has had two players named to College Soccer News All-Freshman teams. [6]

YearPlayerPositionTeam
2004 Flag of the United States.svg Curt Zastrow Forward Second-Team
2008 Flag of the United States.svg Brad Horton Midfielder Second-Team

Coaches of the Year

NIU men's soccer has had three head coaches named Coach of the Year by the conference. [4]

YearHead CoachConference
1990 Flag of the United States.svg Willy Roy Mid-Continent
2004 Flag of the United States.svg Steve Simmons MAC
2006 Flag of the United States.svg Steve SimmonsMAC

References

  1. ↑ "NIU Athletic Marks Standards Guide" (PDF). July 12, 2016. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  2. ↑ "MAC to Suspend Sponsoring Men's Soccer Following 2022 Season" (Press release). Mid-American Conference. November 11, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Missouri Valley Conference To Expand in Men's Soccer for 2023" (Press release). Missouri Valley Conference. November 11, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "NIU Men's Soccer Record Book" (PDF).
  5. ↑ Huskies Travel to Milwaukee for Lewang Cup Showdown
  6. ↑ College Soccer News All-Freshman Team Archives
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.