After a long, quiet summer around the University of Northern Iowa campus, students are finally returning, and the campus will again be a buzzing place full of people and activities. With the start of the fall semester also comes the start of the 2022-23 athletic season. There are plenty of UNI teams that will be getting action underway during the fall semester, and they should have the support of Panther students all season long.

Fortunately for all students at UNI, the university makes it very easy to attend sporting events. Unlike the other two Division I schools in the state, Iowa and Iowa State, admission to every single sporting event is free of charge to UNI students, including football and men’s basketball, which the other schools charge students to attend. This makes it as easy as possible for UNI students to support Panther athletics.

One team that has already gotten their season started is the women’s soccer team. Coming off of a season in which they hosted a Missouri Valley Conference Tournament game, head coach Bruce Erickson has the Panthers ready to go for the 2022 season. This will also be UNI’s second season back on campus after several years of playing their home games in Waterloo. The UNI Soccer Field is behind the UNI-Dome, and is a great venue to take in a Panther soccer game.

UNI students also have football season to look forward to, with the season opener coming up on Sept. 3, the home opener Sept. 17. With a Panther team fresh off of another FSC playoff appearance last season and hungry for more, there should be another talented Panther team on the field this season. The Missouri Valley Football Conference is once again the premier conference in FCS football, with four conference teams ranked in the FCS preseason top 10. With Panther games played inside the UNI-Dome, one of the top venues in all of FCS football, Panther fans should be in for another great year rooting on the Panthers this season.

Later this semester, when the leaves have fallen off the trees and the temperatures get cooler, it will be time for Panther basketball. The women had another standout season last year, getting within a game of qualifying for the NCAA Tournament, and still managing to get a postseason win, taking down Kansas City in the first round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament. The Panthers lost three starters to graduation, but return a lot of talent, especially young players that came off of the bench last season looking to make a big impact in a bigger role this year.

The men are also coming off of a great season in 2021, clinching the Missouri Valley Conference regular season championship in a thrilling overtime victory over Loyola Chicago in front of a sold out McLeod Center. Like the women, the men also got a postseason victory, hitting the road to take down Saint Louis in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament. The Panthers lost a lot to graduation, saying goodbye to four seniors including two-time MVC Player of the Year AJ Green, now signed to the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks. However, just like the women’s team, the men have plenty of young talent eager to get more playing time this year, including the MVC’s reigning Sixth Man of the Year Bowen Born.

With so many exciting storylines to watch for between both the men’s and women’s basketball teams, and a beautiful area to watch them compete in the form of the McLeod Center, students have the perfect opportunity to support their fellow Panthers in a fun, exciting environment. Make sure to get out to some games once basketball season gets rolling in November.