Hall of Fame
A right-footed, soccer-style kicker, Steve Azar became NIU’s all-time leading scorer and the only player in NIU football history to earn all-conference honors four times. As a freshman in 2000, Azar not only earned All-MAC Honorable Mention recognition, but was also named a First Team Freshman All-America by Football News and a Second Team Freshman All-America by The Sporting News.
During his sophomore campaign in 2001, Azar was a First Team All-MAC honoree and the league’s Co-Special Teams Player of the Year as he set a school record with 20 field goals made, a mark he would break during his senior seasons with 21. An All-MAC Second Team honoree as a junior in 2002, Azar closed his career with his second First Team All-MAC honor in 2003, while being named the MAC’s Special Teams Player of the Year and a Lou Groza Award semifinalist, both for the second time in his Huskie career.
Azar was named the MAC Player of the Week an amazing eight times. The Colorado Springs, Colo., native established at least 15 school records, including Most Points Scored, Career (370); Most Field Goals Made, Career and Season (73/21); Most Field Goals Attempted, Career (92); and Highest Field Goal Percentage, Career and Season (.793/.933).
His 370 career kick-scoring points and 73 field goals were not only NIU records, but also established new standards in Mid-American Conference history. In addition, Azar owned five of the six longest field goals in school history by the end of his career, including a record 52-yarder vs. nationally-ranked Maryland on national TV in the 2003 season opener at Huskie Stadium.
