March 25, 2010

DeKALB, Ill. - Wednesday, March 31st stands as the deadline for the Northern Illinois Hall of Fame Selection Committee to accept nominations for the 2010 Huskie induction class.

Anyone can send in nominations for any all-time Huskie standout or team to be considered by the committee. The nominee can be a former student-athlete, head coach, assistant coach, administrator, athletics trainer, equipment manager, etc.

In order to be measured for induction, the individual or team must have provided outstanding contributions to intercollegiate athletics at Northern Illinois University. The potential candidate must also fall under the Hall of Fame eligibility by-laws, in which former NIU student-athletes and teams are eligible for nomination after being 10 years removed from the final year of their respective intercollegiate athletics competition. Coaches, administrators, and staff can be nominated five years after their departure or retirement from the university.

Letters of nomination can be sent electronically by e-mailing committee chair Bill Finucane, Department of Transportation Manager, at bfinucane@niu.edu. Nominations, along with photo copies of newspaper or magazine press clippings, yearbooks, or scrapbooks, can also be sent by mail with attention to Glen Krupica, Deputy Athletics Director, at the Convocation Center, 1525 West Lincoln Highway, DeKalb, IL 60115. Any vintage, personal materials will be returned once they have been photocopied for the committee's use.

Founded in 1978, the Northern Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame celebrates its 29th induction class this fall and its storied roster currently boasts 184 individuals and 15 teams. The charter NIU men's Hall of Fame induction occurred in 1978. After a five-year hiatus, it resumed on an annual basis in 1983. The women's Hall of Fame originated in 1986. The two halls were combined in 1988. The famed group represents a virtual "Who's Who of Huskie athletics" featuring early program pioneers, All-America picks, national champions, Top 20 teams, All-Pro athletes, and prominent sports-related figures.

Once all nominations have been taken in, the committee will choose the individuals and teams to be inducted at the annual Hall of Fame Induction Banquet in October at NIU's Duke Ellington Ballroom in the Holmes Student Center. The exact dates and times will be released at a later time.

In 2009, the Northern Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame induction class included the 1981-82 men's basketball team, Bill Baker (Huskie Radio Network, 1980 to the present), Johan Bergseth (men's soccer, 1982-85), Cary Groth (basketball-head coach-tennis-athletics director, 1974-78 and 1981-2004), Cathy Holmes (Galloway) (volleyball, 1985-88), and Wes Luedeking (football-basketball-track-baseball, 1953-57).