One of the best days of the calendar year is here.
Dillo Day, the biggest student-run musical festival in the nation, returns to Northwestern’s Lakefill on Saturday afternoon. Mayfest Productions has once again provided the Northwestern community with a star-studded setlist, headlined by artists like BabyChiefDoIt, Daya and Malcolm Todd. With sunny skies expected all afternoon, it’s sure to be a Dillo Day to remember.
Although we students at InsideNU are excited for the day, we could not stop our corrupted
minds from thinking about how the characters and cultures of NU sports could possibly relate to Dillo Day. Hence, I have been brought here today to summarize our thinking and present an objective answer to a timeless question:
Which Northwestern sports teams correspond with each set at this year’s Dillo Day?
** Note: The criteria for this list are vibes only. I matched teams to artists based on their identities as teams/artists. Though it’s hoped the list creates controversy, no match is meant to be degrading.
Lana Lubany: Men’s tennis
Lana Lubany makes music that feels elegant and controlled, blending emotional storytelling with polished execution. Additionally, Lubany blends alternative pop with Middle Eastern influences, with many of her songs containing bilingual lyrics. Similarly, Northwestern men’s tennis is known for blending composure with emotions while being known as having one of the most diverse, international rosters on campus.
Friko: Women’s swim & dive
Friko, an indie performer who will be taking her talents to Burrow Stage, is a local artist from Chicago. Friko mixes explosive guitar-driven arrangements with calm introspection. The same is true for the women’s swim & dive team, which is at its calm in the water amidst explosive athletic performance.
But why the women’s team and not the men’s team? Simple! One of Friko’s band members, Bailey Minzenberger, has Greek ethnicity, which matched up with Lydia Georgopolous, a talented Greek diver for the women’s team.
Tiffany Day: Women’s golf
Tiffany Day is a polished Chinese-American pop artist, first gaining attention through social media before evolving into a bright performer. The link here is rooted in diversity, as in the same way Day is an emerging Asian-American pop artist, the women’s golf team hosts some of Northwestern’s premier Asian-American athletes, as one of NU’s most recent success stories, winning a team national championship last season.
Nali: Baseball
Nail blends R&B, pop and contemporary soul, bringing a smooth, laid-back sound rooted in consistency and control rather than chaos. Considering this, what better match is there for Nali than Northwestern’s contingent of America’s great pastime?? Hello, it’s the baseball team!
DJ Fàáji: Volleyball
DJ Fàáji, a standout DJ, is known for nonstop party momentum, playing energetic sets that fuse Afrobeats, hip-hop and dance music. That energy perfectly fits NU women’s volleyball, a team defined by intensity and fast-paced, high-energy performance under the net.
310babii: Men’s basketball
310babii emerged as a breakout West Coast rap artist with tracks that went viral on social media, which made him especially popular with younger listeners. At Northwestern, men’s basketball currently has harnessed similar momentum. They’ve always been one of the most popular teams on campus, but with freshman Jake West, a viral internet personality, on the team this year, they had more national attention, as West broadcast his Cat-hood to his 1.6 million TikTok followers.
BabyChiefDoIt: Football
FMO Stage’s headliner BabyChiefDoIt represents the rising energy of a new rap generation in Chicago, with a strong local identity and hard-hitting beats. Similarly, Northwestern football represents a new wave of Northwestern Athletics at the moment, with the state-of-the-art, renovated Ryan Field set to open next year for a team characterized by the flashy offseason coaching signings, Chip Kelly (Offensive Coordinator) and Jerry Neuheisel (Quarterbacks Coach).
Beckfast Club: Wrestling
Beckfast Club brings community-centered energy as a student DJ group that worked its way up the campus ranks onto the main stage. Similarly, men’s wrestling prides itself on team culture, with a scrappy, passionate identity that has earned respect through effort.
Mee-ow Band: Lacrosse
The Mee-Ow Band, one of campus’s most beloved student groups, embraces creativity, humor and crowd interaction, while still delivering performances with extremely high coordination. It matches up well with NU WLAX, a powerhouse program that is a campus favorite, which combines elite execution with grace, confidence and flair. Both groups are entertaining, at the peak of their successes and impossible to ignore.
Jae Stephens: Women’s basketball
Jae Stephens mixes sleek R&B vocals with modern pop production. She is signed to a major label, but is working to keep developing her artistic identity as a 28-year-old. Similarly, NU women’s basketball is an up and coming team on campus, who will be working to find its identity next season under new head coach Carla Berube. They made the big signing, but will need to keep developing.
glaive: Softball
glaive has helped push hyperpop further into the mainstream, becoming especially popular among Gen Z listeners. Similarly, women’s college softball has really connected with a Gen Z audience, making NU women’s softball a natural link to the Florida-native singer-songwriter.
Daya: Field Hockey
One of Main Stage’s two major headliners, Daya rose to fame with chart-topping pop hits like “Don’t Let Me Down,” “Hide Away” and “Sit Still, Look Pretty” that showcase her powerful vocals and accessible songwriting style. However, her music is also fast-paced and energetic, making her a LOCK to ROCK Dillo. That aligns with women’s field hockey, a championship-level program built on discipline and aggressive offensive play. The field hockey team used its energetic identity to win a national title in 2025, making it a perfect match for one of pop’s stars, Daya.
Malcolm Todd: Men’s Soccer
Malcolm Todd is set to cap off Dillo Day 2026 as the most notable name on the tab for this year’s festival. Known for hit singles “Earrings,” “Sweet Boy” and “Roommates,” Todd creates mellow indie-pop songs that combine soulful vocals with understated, deeply personal lyrics. That mirrors the Northwestern Wildcats men’s soccer, a team known for patient buildup and quieter, technical play, but a deeply committed culture. Neither demands attention loudly, but both leave a lasting impression.
