DeKALB – The NIU baseball team released its 2015 schedule Tuesday, a 56-game slate that will send the team to six different states, including Texas, where the Huskies will play 2014 College World Series participant Texas Tech.
Northern Illinois University and the Red Raiders will begin their four game series Friday, Feb. 20 and play two games on Saturday, Feb. 21. It will be NIU’s seventh trip to Lubbock all-time and the first time the teams have played a full series since 2012, when NIU nearly secured an upset over the 24th ranked Red Raiders in the series finale, 3-2.
The Huskies will open the season at the Governors Challenge Feb. 13-15, hosted by Austin Peay, where they will take on South Dakota State in the tournament opener. The Jackrabbits are coached by former NIU Head Coach Dave Schrage, who manned the Huskie dugout from 2000-02. Along with playing two games against host APU, NIU will also take on Niagara on Feb. 14.
NIU returns to Tennessee on the third weekend of the season when it heads to Tennessee Tech for a three-game set with the Golden Eagles. It will be Northern Illinois University’s first trip to Cookeville since 1992. Tennessee Tech led the NCAA last season in home runs with 83.
On their spring break trip, the Huskies will play their annual series at Southern Illinois, starting March 6-8, followed by two midweek games at Murray State March 10-11. NIU will close the break March 13-15 at Purdue.
The Mid-American Conference season will open March 20 when NIU heads to Buffalo for three games with the Bulls. The following weekend, the Huskies will host Bowling Green March 27-29 for the first series of the year at Ralph McKinzie Field.
Senior weekend will be held May 8-10 versus Western Michigan, while NIU will close the regular season for the fourth-straight season versus Ball State May 14-16 in Muncie, Ind.
This year’s midweek schedule includes trips to Iowa (April 22), Chicago State (March 17), UIC (March 25), Illinois State (April 7) and UW-Milwaukee while the Huskies will host the Panthers (March 31), Bradley (April 15) and Valparaiso (April 29).
The Valpo game will mark the return of former Huskie Brian Schmack (1992-95), who appeared with the Detroit Tigers in 2003.
Postseason play begins May 20-24 with the Mid-American Conference Tournament at All Pro Freight Stadium in Avon, Ohio, where the top-eight teams in the conference will vie for the MAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Regional. The first round of regionals begins May 30 and concludes June 1.
NIU returns 18 letterwinners and seven position starters from last season’s team, which posted a 17-36-1 overall record.
2015 Northern Illinois Schedule
