Dec. 11, 2008
Complete NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region Team
KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Senior midfielder Drew Jeskey, who played in 70 games in his career with Northern Illinois men's soccer, was named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of American All-Great Lakes Region Third Team, capping a four-year career with the Huskies.
"We know how good Drew is and what he's done for our program in the last four years," NIU head coach Steve Simmons said. "It's always nice when opposing coaches around the country feel the same way we do."
Jeskey (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles East), though limited by injury for part of the season, started in all 14 matches in which he played. He scored three goals, a career-best to rank third on the team in the category. One of several highlights for the stalwart of NIU's defense was a goal in double-overtime versus Hartwick on senior day, which lifted NIU to a 2-1 victory. While Jeskey's goal-scoring was invaluable at times, it's not that attribute that sticks out most to Simmons.
"The quality that comes out in my mind about Drew is the combination of his toughness and durability," Simmons said. "As hard as he plays, he's been able to log a lot of minutes in four years."
After starting his career as a reserve, making two starts in 15 matches during his freshman campaign, Jeskey became a fixture in the NIU starting 11. Jeskey started in 55 consecutive games in which he played, including every match of his junior campaign, and all but one contest during his sophomore season.
Jeskey's name will go down in NIU lore not only for his consistency and dedication, but also for assisting the game-winning goal in the Huskies' 2007 upset of No. 9 Northwestern.
"He set the tone and set the bar for future, and all Huskies are going to have to try to adhere to that standard," Simmons said.
The Huskies went 11-6-4, and 4-1-1 in Mid-American Conference play with Jeskey as team captain. It was the fourth time in five seasons Northern Illinois had double-digit victories, highlighted by a win over No. 2 SMU in September.
