Nov. 1, 2007
Huskie Indoor Training Facility Photo Gallery
DeKALB, Ill. - Northern Illinois student-athletes in four sport programs will no longer have to dread the approaching winter months thanks to the new Huskie Indoor Training (H.I.T.) Center which officially opened Wednesday. Located southwest of the Convocation Center in what was formerly called the John Deere Building, the H.I.T. Center will serve as the indoor practice home for NIU's baseball, men's and women's golf and softball programs.
"This is a special day because we are opening a new facility that will impact the lives of nearly 75 of our student-athletes," said NIU Associate Vice President/Director of Athletics Dr. Jim Phillips. "These dedicated and talented young men and women are deserving of support as they work to represent Northern Illinois in a first-class manner. Very directly, I would like to offer personal thanks and gratitude to President Dr. John Peters, Executive Vice President Dr. Eddie Williams and Director of Capital Budgeting and Planning for the Division of Finance and Facilities Jeff Daurer for their commitment to providing a world-class experience to our student-athletes. Most importantly, I would like to thank our wonderful donors and the Huskie Athletic Scholarship Fund (HASF) for their incredible generosity. Without their unconditional support, this facility certainly would not have been possible."
The building measures 9,800 square feet and features an Astroturf carpet floor and sport-specific lighting. Space is divided equally for baseball/softball and golf and the retractable netting allows for the redistribution of practice space.
"This is an incredible facility and will be a great place for our kids to work on their skill development, not only during practice, but on their own time," head baseball coach Ed Mathey said. "I am extremely appreciative to Dr. Peters, Dr. Williams, Jeff Daurer, Jim Phillips and Senior Associate Athletic Director Tim McMurray for providing us this opportunity. As a head coach, the H.I.T. Center is another facility to show our recruits and separate Northern Illinois from other schools."
Four full-size batting cages are located on the baseball/softball side of the facility while the golf side features space for six practice tees surrounded by netting. A putting green will also be installed.
"The H.I.T. Center is important for our team to be able to hone their skills, especially during the winter, as they prepare for the spring season," head women's golf coach Pam Tyska said. "This building adds to our existing facilities, such as the Yordon Center and the Convocation Center, to provide a world-class experience for our student-athletes."
Prior to the opening of the H.I.T. Center, NIU's spring sport student-athletes used space in the Rec Center and on the west side of Huskie Stadium to hone their skills during the winter months.
In August, Northern Illinois opened the $14 million Jeffrey and Kimberly Yordon Center next to Huskie Stadium. That facility serves all 467 NIU student-athletes.
