If you're a fan of Montana State University-Northern athletics, then the next two weeks shouldn't be missed.
    The middle of October is the time when fall and winter sports collide at MSU-N.
    But before men's and women's basketball joins the rest of the sports at Northern, this will be a weekend too.
    On Friday night, the MSU-Northern volleyball team begins a  stretch of six of its last eight regular season matches at home when the Skylights host Montana Tech.
    The Frontier volleyball season took a week off last week, and the Skylights, who are 2-5 in league play, start the second half of the season against a pair of teams they swept on the road. After MSU-N plays the Orediggers on Friday at 7 p.m., the Skylights will host winless UM-Western on Saturday at 5 p.m. Northern also hosts UGF on Oct. 22.
    It's a UM-Western weekend in Havre.
    On Saturday, before the Skylights take on the Bulldogs in volleyball, the Northern Lights will host Western in football at 12 p.m.
    The Lights and Bulldogs met back on Aug. 28 in Dillon with Northern coming out on top 20-3. Since that time the Lights have lost four straight, while Western is 0-6 on the season.
    MSU-N has two home game left. Northern hosts Eastern Oregon in its home finale on Oct. 30.
    This week also marks the start of the preseason wrestling campaign for the Lights.
    The MSU-N wrestling team travel to Ronan on Thursday night for the first of four preseason scrimmages. The Lights will hold a Maroon/Gold Dual in Ronan, as well as duals next week in Glasgow and Havre.
    The weekend of Oct. 22-23 will also be a big one at Northern.
    MSU-N will hold its annual Alumni Weekend with not only wrestling and men's and women's basketball games all on the same day, but volleyball as well. There will also be Northern Hall of Fame induction ceremonies that weekend.
    But before the alumni festivities begin, the MSU-N men's basketball team, under veteran head coach Shawn Huse will open its season with a home against the University of Regina on Oct. 21.
    The Lights host Regina then play the alumni game. The Skylights basketball team will play their alumni game then open regular season play Oct. 28-30 with the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic in Havre. The MSU-N wrestling team officially opens its season Oct. 29 against North Idaho College in Havre.