NIU Women's Basketball Starts Horizon League Season With Six Returning Players

Northern Illinois University women's basketball opens its 2026-27 season with six players returning from last year's roster. The Huskies face Indiana State at 6 p.m. Monday at the Convocation Center in DeKalb. This marks the team's first season in the Horizon League after leaving the Mid-American Conference.

Head coach Jacey Brooks entered her second year leading the program. She replaced Lisa Carlsen following the 2024-25 campaign, which ended with a 13-17 record. The Huskies posted a 7-23 record last season, their worst since 2012-13. They have not compiled a winning record since going 19-13 in 2018-19.

Leading scorer Nevaeh Wingate returns for her final year. The 6-foot senior forward averaged 13.5 points per game last season. She scored at least 20 points in each of her final three games, including a career-high 27 against Buffalo. Wingate played her first two years at St. John's University.

Brooks expects greater scoring depth this year to reduce reliance on Wingate. Emilie Sorensen, who earned Mid-American Conference All-Freshman Team honors, averaged 9.8 points per game and shot 38 percent from three-point range last year. She started all 30 games for the Huskies.

Alecia Doyle returns from an injury-plagued season. She started all 30 games in 2024-25 despite missing time due to injury. Doyle averaged 11.5 points per game and shot 35.2 percent from three-point range. Lexi Krestein also returns after playing just two games last year due to injury.

Sa'Mahan Johnson and Cyra Conwell round out the group of returning players who saw meaningful minutes last season. Johnson averaged 7.1 points and 17.7 minutes across 29 games. Conwell contributed 1.8 points and 1.7 rebounds in 12.4 minutes over 27 games.

The roster includes two high-profile transfers to address size and speed. Senior Ashlynn Brooke joins from Ball State, where she was a backup on teams that won MAC regular-season and tournament titles in 2025 and a regular-season title in 2026. Junior Anna Stromberg arrives from Radford, adding height at 6 feet 3 inches.

Brooks said the returning players helped newcomers adjust after their arrival on June 15. The Huskies averaged 57.5 points per game last year, ranking 315th among 359 Division I teams. Brooks stated the team will play at a faster pace this season to create more offensive possessions.