Huskies open season with six returners and two new transfers
NIU women's basketball begins play Monday against Indiana State after a 7-23 season last year.
By Matthew Brooks ·
Northern Illinois University women's basketball opens its 2026-27 season at 6 p.m. Monday against Indiana State at the Convocation Center in DeKalb. Head coach Jacey Brooks enters her second year with a roster that includes six returning players and two senior transfers.
The Huskies finished last season with a 7-23 record, their worst since the 2012-13 campaign. Brooks noted that the team has maintained a core group of players who played at least 20 games last year. She said this continuity allows the program to build on established standards rather than starting over with a new group of transfers.
Leading scorer Nevaeh Wingate returns for her senior year. The 6-foot forward from St. John's averaged 13.5 points per game last season. She scored at least 20 points in her final three games, including a career-high 27 against Buffalo. Brooks said Wingate knows the offensive system well and should face less pressure because the team has more scoring options.
The roster also features Emilie Sorensen, who was a Mid-American Conference All-Freshman Team selection. She averaged 9.8 points per game and started all 30 games last year. Alecia Doyle returns after missing most of last season due to injury. She started all 30 games in the 2024-25 campaign and averaged 11.5 points per game.
Two transfers address specific needs on the court. Senior Ashlynn Brooke joins from Ball State, where she played for teams that won the MAC regular-season and tournament titles in 2025 and the regular-season title in 2026. Brooke is expected to improve the team's pace. Junior Anna Stromberg, a 6-foot-3 player from Radford, adds height to the lineup.
The Huskies moved from the Mid-American Conference to the Horizon League this season. The team averaged 57.5 points per game last year, ranking 315th in Division I among 359 teams. Brooks said the return of Doyle and the addition of Brooke and Stromberg should make the offense more dynamic. The team has practiced with its new group since June 15.
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