April 21, 2016
DeKALB, Ill. – Enjoy a great day with Huskie Athletics, get a look at the NIU Football stars of tomorrow and bring the family out for fun, food and more for free at the 2016 NIU Athletics Communiversity Block Party & Huskie Bowl Spring Football Scrimmage. See below for all the details and see you Saturday in DeKalb!
The Basics
• NIU Athletics Communiversity Block Party & Huskie Bowl Spring Football Scrimmage
• Saturday, April 23
• Huskie Stadium & Surrounding Area
• FREE to attend! Free Parking!
Schedule of Events
Noon – Communiversity Block Party Opens (located between Ralph McKinzie Baseball Field and the Chessick Practice Center)
1 p.m. – NIU Baseball vs. Buffalo (Ralph McKinzie Field)
2 p.m. – NIU Football Team Takes the Field
2:40 p.m. (approximately) – Scrimmage Begins
4 p.m. (approximately) – Scrimmage Ends
4 p.m. (approximately) – Huskie Athletic Fund Donor Appreciation Event (Barsema Hall of Champions)
4:10 p.m. (approximately) – Postgame Autographs (North End Zone)
Parking - FREE
• Available in paved lots/streets surrounding Huskie Stadium
• Stadium Drive East, South and West; Lot L/K, Lot 33, Lot PS, Lot P and Convocation Center Lots
• Map
• All grass lots are closed
COMMUNIVERSITY BLOCK PARTY (Noon-2 p.m.)
Located between Ralph McKinzie Baseball Field and the Chessick Practice Center.
Activities
• Face-painting, bounce house, obstacle course, bubble ball, quarterback toss
• Interact with NIU teams from men’s basketball, women’s basketball, volleyball, wrestling, women’s soccer, men’s soccer, men’s golf and women’s tennis as each will have games and activities.
• Mission, Victor E. Huskie, NIU cheerleaders
• Mane in Heaven mini-horses
Vendors & Organizations
Village Commons Bookstore, Top Golf , DJ Toxic , Athletico Physical Therapy , Kish Health System , Kishwaukee Family YMCA / Camp Power, Microsoft, Red Riot , Proudly DeKalb , CHANCE , TCF Bank , NIU STEM Outreach, AM 560 The Answer, Sprint, Sycamore Integrate Health, Campus Activities Board, NIU Orientation and Family Connections, Batteries Plus Bulbs, Blue Moon Balloons
NIU Athletics
Marketing - Stop by to get your free limited edition Huskie Bowl schedule poster!
Tickets - Renew or purchase 2016 football or volleyball season tickets on the spot and get all of your ticket questions answered!
Huskie Athletic Fund – Renew your donation for 2016; meet here for tours of Huskie Stadium Premium Areas beginning at 1 p.m.
Food & Drink
Sodexo - purchase hot dogs, hamburgers, sodas, water, beer and more from NIU’s concessionaire
Barb City Bagels – free samples
Tapalaluna – free sliders
Huskie Bowl Draft and Rosters
Teams were drafted on April 13 and “practiced” briefly as separate Cardinal and Black teams this week at the conclusion of the Tuesday and Thursday morning practices. Check out the video below to get a glimpse of draft day.
2016 Huskie Bowl Rosters
The “Trash Talk” is Underway. Kind Of.
Black Team Head Coach Joe Tripodi is the only coach to win a true Huskie Bowl scrimmage with wins in both 2013 and 2015. The veteran offered a little “coach-speak” before offering some tongue-in-cheek, and subtle, trash talk. “I feel good; it’s always fun to close out spring ball this way. Winning this game comes down to two things – one, the draft and two, execution. It’s a base offense versus base defense so whoever comes out with the most energy and can execute will be successful. I really haven’t thought about the streak. It’s kind of like [NIU] going to six straight MAC Championship games, [Black winning the Huskie Bowl] it’s expected, it’s what we do,” Tripodi said.
Interviewing Cardinal Team Head Coach Brett Diersen for a few words about his team’s chances in the Huskie Bowl is a little like what it must feel like to be an NBA sideline reporter talking to San Antonio Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich between quarters of an NBA game. Asked about breaking Tripodi’s three-game Huskie Bowl winning streak in his first year as Cardinal team head coach, Diersen replied with one word, “Who?” When pressed, he offered just a little more and closed out his comments like a true defensive line coach. “I love our players. I feel unbelievable [about our team]. I look forward to letting the players showcase their abilities. I wish the quarterbacks were live.”
Huskie Bowl Format
• Warm-ups, individual drills, seven-on-seven and special teams (30 minutes)
• Each team will have nine possessions beginning from its 30-yard line)
• Field goals and PATs only (no other special teams)
• If tied after nine possessions, normal overtime rules
Huskie Bowl History
2015 Black 21, Cardinal 0
*2014 Cardinal 69, Black 37
2013 Black 31, Cardinal 7
*Offense versus Defense, modified scoring format
-- NIU --
Twitter: @NIUAthletics
Facebook: NIU Huskies
Instagram: niuhuskies
