The Era of Wildcat Athletic Dominance
Men’s Soccer Has Historic Season
The NMU men’s soccer team turned in the best season in program history in 2025, winning the GLIAC Tournament Championship and advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the first time.
After finishing last in the GLIAC in 2024, head coach Alex Fatovic flipped the script on its head, as the Wildcats went on to win the GLIAC Tournament Title in 2025. The Wildcats faced adversity all throughout the season, but a second-half surge boosted the program to heights it has never seen before.
After a crucial weekend that saw NMU beat the No. 17 Saginaw Valley State Cardinals, the ’Cats would go undefeated in the final four games of the regular season, outscoring opponents 8-1 in those four games to finish third in the GLIAC table after a seventh-place finish a season prior. Thanks to a 3-0 win on senior day, the ’Cats finished third and would host a home playoff game for the first time in program history.
What followed was the most memorable day in men's soccer history: the snow game. Friends, family, community members, fellow coaches and athletes showed up to the NMU soccer field before the sun rose to shovel off the four-plus inches of snow that fell overnight. The ’Cats won dramatically, late in the shootout extra frame, giving the team its first postseason win as fans rushed the pitch and pandemonium ensued.
#3 NMU then went on the road to Saginaw Valley and played #2 Roosevelt in the GLIAC Semifinals. Ian Weimer scored twice, including the game-winning goal in overtime, and the ’Cats earned a spot in the championship for the first time in program history, and would face hosts #1 Saginaw Valley. Tyler Kowalczyk scored the game-winning goal in the 72nd minute in the 1-0 contest, and the ’Cats secured the program’s first GLIAC Tournament championship.
There was then a quick turnaround for the NCAA Tournament. The GLIAC Championship was played on Sunday, the team got back to Marquette late Sunday night, then left on Tuesday to fly to Oklahoma for the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday. The team not only battled through injuries and sickness of key players, but a Wildcat goal was called back, and the historic season came to a close after a flying header in the 87th minute.
Cross Country Team Reaches NCAA Championship
Northern Michigan cross country experienced a breakthrough season under head coach Jenny Ryan, earning her recognition as NMU Coach of the Year at this year’s Wildcat Awards. The Wildcats qualified for the NCAA Championships as a team for the first time since 2017 and climbed as high as No. 12 in the national rankings.
Northern delivered strong postseason performances, finishing fourth out of 32 teams at the NCAA Midwest Regional and second at the GLIAC Championships. The team’s success was driven by a balanced roster, with multiple runners earning postseason honors.
Senior Madi Szymanski led the team with All-GLIAC and All-Region honors. She finished 10th on the conference stage and 11th at the regional level. Freshman Ashley Choponis made an immediate impact, also earning All-GLIAC and All-Region recognition while helping lead the Wildcats to a 24th-place finish at the NCAA Championships. Emma Sweeney and Lamar Gordon were also recognized on the All-GLIAC team with top-25 finishes.
Women’s Basketball Reaches NCAA Tournament for Third Consecutive Year
Northern Michigan women’s basketball put together one of its strongest seasons in recent history, finishing with 25 wins, the program’s highest total since 1999-2000, while advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive year.
The Wildcats were powered by a record-breaking season from Jacy Weisbrod, who established new program marks for three-pointers in both a single season (106) and a career (278), surpassing a record that had stood since 2002. Weisbrod also led the nation in three-pointers, solidifying her place as one of the top shooters in Division II.
Her performance earned her All-GLIAC First Team honors, alongside teammate Sarah Newcomer, giving Northern multiple first-team selections.
Off the bench, Sydney Whitehouse provided a consistent spark, earning GLIAC Sixth Woman of the Year honors. She delivered a career-high 25 points in the GLIAC Quarterfinals.
Nordic Ski has a Dominant Season
The NMU men’s and women’s Nordic ski teams produced a solid season in the winter, capped off by postseason success, awards, and recognition.
The 2025/26 season saw five NCAA National Championship skiers, two major conference awards, team wins at NCAA Regionals and the CCSA Conference Championships, and numerous all-conference and all-region accolades.
The men held four of the top six spots, and the women claimed three of the top six spots heading into conference championships, as both the men and women were crowned CCSA conference champions after big wins in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The teams then won the NCAA Regional races in Duluth, Minnesota, outdueling rivals Michigan Tech and earning numerous awards and qualifications.
Head coach Andy Keller and assistant coach Ruth Oppliger earned CCSA Coaching Staff of the Year honors, and Henriette Nilssen was named CCSA Female Skier of the Year after finishing the CCSA schedule with the most points.
The ’Cats had 14 all-region finishers between the 7.5k and 20k mass start, including nine first-team honors, to go along with eight All-CCSA recognition, with five of those also earning first-team recognition. Nilssen and Luke Fricker, who finished second in men’s CCSA points, were first-team selections across all races.
Nilssen and Greta Leitheiser earned NCAA National Championship qualification spots for the women, while Fricker, Adrik Kraftson and Jonathan Clarke represented the men on the nation’s largest stage.
Historic Milestones Highlight Women’s Wrestling Season
Northern Michigan women’s wrestling delivered a season filled with historic milestones and continued program growth under first-year head coach Adam Wilson.
At the NCAA Championships, Alissa Caltagirone made program history by earning the Wildcats’ first-ever win at nationals. Sophia Bassino and Abbie Miles also represented Northern at the national level.
Earlier in the postseason, the Wildcats saw strong performances at the NCAA Regional Qualifier, where Caltagirone and Miles each finished second to earn automatic qualification to nationals, while Bassino placed third to secure her spot.
Beyond NCAA competition, Caltagirone capped a standout year with a fifth-place finish at the U.S. Open Championships in Las Vegas, earning qualification for the Senior World Team Trials. Bassino added her own distinction, earning a spot on the U20 World Team and setting up a trip to the U20 Pan American Championships in Brazil.
The Wildcats’ success extended into academic recognition, with Caltagirone, Bassino, Clarissa Wangen, Zhivanna Magdaleno and Samantha Chaon all named NWCA Scholar All-Americans. In conference honors, Caltagirone earned First Team All-GLVC recognition, Bassino and Miles were named Second Team All-GLVC, and Mickaela Keane and Alyssa Keane earned Third Team honors.
Track & Field has Strong Season
Northern Michigan track & field delivered a strong year across both the indoor and outdoor GLIAC Championships, highlighted by numerous podium finishes and record-setting performances.
During the outdoor season, Danielle Lund led the way, winning the GLIAC title in the discus while also placing third in the hammer throw. Her efforts earned her both Field Athlete of the Meet and High Point Athlete of the Meet honors. Lund’s season was equally impressive beyond the championship meet, as she set a new school record in the shot put (13.75m).
During the indoor season, the Wildcats’ distance medley relay team of Ashley Choponis, Baux Truckey, Beverly Harper and Madi Szymanski clocked in at 11:44.49 for a new school record.
The Wildcats finished the season with 17 podium finishes between the indoor and outdoor GLIAC Championships.
Dobert Runs Into the Record Books
Noah Dobert delivered a season for the record books on the gridiron, emerging as one of the most dominant offensive players in program history. The running back capped the regular season with a historic performance, rushing for a program-record 406 yards and four touchdowns in a 45-11 win over Wayne State. The total shattered the previous record of 317 yards and ranked among the top five single-game rushing performances in Division II history.
His standout performances earned him both GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week and D2Football.com Offensive Player of the Week honors, marking the first time a Wildcat has received national recognition from D2Football.com.
Dobert’s impact extended far beyond a single game. Over the course of the season, he set a new Northern Michigan single-season rushing record with 1,681 yards, surpassing the previous mark of 1,505. He finished third nationally in both total rushing yards and rushing yards per game, establishing himself as one of the premier backs in the country.
In one of the most thrilling games of the season, he powered in the game-winning two-point conversion in the fourth overtime to secure a 47-45 victory over Davenport. The play capped a remarkable outing in which he totaled 243 rushing yards and four touchdowns, sealing a win in one of the longest games in program history.
Dylan Kuehl Leads Men’s Basketball to Historic Season
The 2025-26 season will go down as one of the most successful in program history for Northern Michigan men’s basketball. The Wildcats set a new program record with 28 victories while capturing their fourth consecutive GLIAC regular or postseason championship and earning the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament.
Under GLIAC Coach of the Year Matt Majkrzak, Northern climbed as high as No. 10 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) National Poll, its highest ranking since 1993, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight season.
The historic run was powered by standout individual performances, led by graduate student Dylan Kuehl. One of the most decorated players in program history, Kuehl earned Division II Conference Commissioner’s Association (D2CCA) First Team All-America honors, becoming the first NCAA All-American since Bill Harris earned NABC First Team recognition in 1987. He was also named the Midwest Player of the Year while sweeping GLIAC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year accolades. He averaged 21.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game and finished his career with 2,197 points, second-most in program history.
Cal Klesmit also earned a spot on the All-GLIAC First Team, while Jackson Dudek was recognized on the Second Team.
Major Awards for NMU Swim & Dive
Wildcat Swim and Dive had a solid year, with the women finishing second and the men third at the GLIAC Championships, and boasting three major award honors.
Junior diver Kalina Ceglinski was named GLIAC Diver of the Year at the conference championships, winning gold on the 1-meter board and earning a place in the NCAA Championships, where she earned All-American honors in both the 1-meter and 3-meter boards. Ceglinski was one of the best divers in the nation throughout the season, with ProDivingCoach.org ranking her 1st in the 1-meter and 5th in the 3-meter across all DII female divers during the season.
Freshman Matteo Ballardin had a particularly standout performance in the pool at the GLIAC Championships, as the first-year student-athlete took the pool by storm, winning four gold medals and one silver medal, including a D2 A mark in the 200 fly finals, to earn GLIAC Male Swimmer of the Year and GLIAC Freshman of the Year honors. Ballardin carried momentum into the NCAA Championships, where he earned six All-America honors, including first-team recognition in the 200 fly, where he finished sixth in the country.
Josie Lakosky: The Definition of Dominance
Junior attacker Josie Lakosky had a year to remember in 2026, turning in the best season anyone in a Wildcat jersey has ever produced.
It started in the 2026 season-opening weekend at home, as Lakosky scored 15 goals and five assists for 20 points in two games to kick off the season, earning GLIAC Attacker of the Week and foreshadowing what would eventually become one of the greatest seasons of Division II lacrosse that has ever been seen.
Lakosky would go on to win GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week honors in four of the final six weeks of the season, including National Player of the Week honors in back-to-back weeks. Her first national honor came on April 7, 2026, after scoring eight goals and 11 points in one game, followed by Lakosky matching the NMU single-game goals and points record and matching the single-season goals record, becoming just the second Wildcat to eclipse 100 points in a season.
As the season went on, no record was safe, and night after night, another record fell, and it was claimed by the Wildcats’ #1.
Lakosky ended the season with 105 goals, 43 assists, 148 points, 216 shots, 179 shots on goal, 54 ground balls, 34 caused turnovers and 126 draw controls. All of those are NMU single-season records. In just three seasons of her Wildcat career, Josie’s 219 goals matched the program record for career goals (in 16 fewer games), set career records in shots on goal, caused turnovers and ground balls, and sits second in career assists, points and shots.
Lakosky was honored with GLIAC Attacker of the Year and First-Team All-GLIAC Honors for the second year in a row as the best attacker in the conference, but it went beyond that this year.
She led the entire Division II lacrosse landscape in goals, goals per game, points, points per game and was second in shots and shots on goal per game.
Not only was NMU the home to the best player in the conference or the region, but arguably the best player in the country, thanks to a season that will forever be etched in the history of Wildcat Athletics.
Four Wildcats Honored with GLIAC Commissioner’s Award
Northern Michigan Athletics saw four student-athletes earn the prestigious GLIAC Commissioner’s Award this year, recognizing excellence both in competition and in the classroom.
Dylan Kuehl had a historic season on the court and in the classroom. The graduate student earned Academic All-America and All-America honors while being named GLIAC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, finishing his career second in program history in scoring.
From swim and dive, Kalina Ceglinski and Leo Nolles were honored following standout seasons. Ceglinski earned All-America honors in both diving events and was named GLIAC Diver of the Year, while Nolles, a two-time recipient and Olympian, capped his career with seven All-America honors and multiple conference medals.
Men’s soccer captain Alessandro Scialanga rounded out the group, becoming the first player in program history to earn the award. A key leader, he helped guide the Wildcats to their first NCAA Tournament appearance while maintaining a 3.9 GPA.
Keil Ganz Named Head Men’s Basketball Coach
Keil Ganz returns to Marquette after spending the 2025-26 season as an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. This marks his third stint with the Wildcats program, as he previously served as associate head coach during the 2024-25 season and as an assistant coach in 2023-24, following an earlier stop in 2019-20.
During his most recent time in Marquette, Ganz was part of a staff that led the Wildcats through one of the most successful stretches in program history under head coach Matt Majkrzak. Northern Michigan captured its first GLIAC regular season championship in 31 years, hosted the conference tournament for the first time, and earned an NCAA Tournament berth as the No. 4 seed. The Wildcats also claimed the 2025 GLIAC Tournament Championship and produced a GLIAC Player of the Year in 2023-24.
Ganz spent the 2025-26 season at Green Bay, where he played a key role in one of the nation’s top turnarounds. The Phoenix improved from 4-28 overall and 2-18 in the Horizon League the previous season to 18-15 overall and 12-8 in league play, climbing from 11th to fifth in the standings.
His earlier tenure at Northern Michigan in 2019-20 saw the Wildcats finish third in the GLIAC North Division while securing three wins over top-25 opponents.
Ganz takes over the Northern Michigan program following the departure of Majkrzak, who accepted the head coaching position at Northern Illinois after seven seasons leading the Wildcats. Ganz will be the 16th head coach in program history.