Hello Huskies!
 
As associate vice-president and director of athletics, I get fired up every time we have an opportunity to bring the Huskie faithful and our outstanding NIU student-athletes together.
 
Once you meet the young men and women I get to see almost every day, their commitment to NIU becomes infectious. Their dedication to representing the Huskies in competition, in the classroom and in the community, is uplifting.
 
In April, we had two tremendous, yet very different, events where Huskie fans had the chance to meet and speak with NIU student-athletes one-on-one.
 
Third Annual Victor E. Ball
First, the Third Annual Victor E. Ball, held on April 14 at the NIU Naperville Conference Center was undoubtedly the best Victor E. Ball yet! Everything - from the location to the meal to the program and most of all, the camaraderie, Huskie spirit, and support for NIU Athletics – was outstanding. The video (above) hits many of the highlights of a great evening.
 
I loved watching our guests and supporters interact with the student-athletes, coaches and staff during the cocktail reception, and then at the tables during the dinner. Anna Martucci of gymnastics and Trayshon Foster of football spoke eloquently and from the heart about what the support of Huskie Athletic Fund donors – specifically their donations toward Cost of Attendance – means to them. Watch the videos of their speeches below. 

 


Emcee Adam Grabowski – who volunteered to host the event for the second time – gets it; we're thankful to him for being with us again in 2018.  NFL Hall of Famer and former Chicago Bears' defensive lineman Dan Hampton hit the mark with his remarks, which led off the program. With NIU alumnus Barry Rozner providing the topics – as well as some words of wisdom himself - three-time world champion Bill Wennington of the Chicago Bulls and Major League Baseball hitter extraordinaire Bill Buckner entertained with great stories of their playing days.
 
Thank you to everyone who participated, either through bidding on items through the Live and Silent Auctions, attending the event or by sponsoring a student-athletes' attendance. Thanks to your support, the Victor E. Ball has raised nearly half a million dollars for Huskie student-athletes over its three-year existence. 
 
If you could not make it to this year's Victor E. Ball or lost out in the Silent Auction, you can still support Huskie student-athletes through the Huskie Athletic Fund. You can designate your gift toward Cost of Attendance or toward a specific sports program. Call 815-753-1923 or go online to HuskieAthleticFund.com.  

Huskie Bowl & Block Party
Two weeks after the Victor E. Ball, on April 28, the NIU Football team wrapped up its 2018 spring practices with the Annual Huskie Bowl and Communiversity Block Party. At the Block Party, I saw NIU student-athletes engaged in four-square, bubble ball, soccer and face-painting with young Huskie fans while adults enjoyed free samples from Forge Brewery, giveaways from some of our corporate partners and music on a beautiful Saturday afternoon.
 
While the coaching staff opted for a traditional practice instead of a true "Huskie Bowl" game this year, a nice crowd was on hand to get their first look at the 2018 Huskies. Spring practice is often a time for the coaching staff to evaluate younger players who were redshirted or served in back-up roles, while focusing on skill development, and that was certainly the case for NIU this spring. Quality depth is going to be important for the Huskies this year as NIU takes on one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country with road games at Iowa, BYU and Florida State plus the home contest versus Utah. This schedule provides our student-athletes with great opportunities to test themselves against quality opponents and promotes the national brand of Huskie Football and Northern Illinois University.
 
Coach Carey mentioned the improvement of young players like Cole Tucker, Michael Kennedy, Rayshawn Gay and others, while knowing we can rely on veterans like Sutton Smith, Max Scharping and Mykelti Williams to provide leadership and to set a high standard for the team.
 
How about that last play of the Huskie Bowl? I don't know who was more excited about 12-year-old Tyler Neppl's touchdown run, Tyler, his parents or our players! That's what it's all about.

Great way to end @NIU_Football 2018 spring ball as 12-year old Tyler Neppl of Sycamore, who is battling a genetic disorder called Neurofibromatosis, is escorted to the endzone on the final play! pic.twitter.com/RwQjrgNfGh

— NIU Huskie Athletics (@NIUAthletics) April 28, 2018

Following the practice, the entire crowd headed to the field for autographs, photo opportunities and a chance to talk to the guys. All in all, it was a great day.
 
I encourage you to take the opportunity to meet our student-athletes and coaches, whether at fundraising events like the Victor E. Ball, exclusive season ticket member or Huskie Athletic Fund gatherings, or community events like the Huskie Bowl or this summer's Family Fun Day.
 
The Huskie Bowl left me ready for more football!  It won't be long until we're packing up the Big Dog equipment truck and heading to Iowa City for the season opener on September 1. A week later, it's Utah right here in Huskie Stadium. Get your season tickets by calling 815-753-PACK (7225) or online at NIUHuskies.com. Groups of four season tickets are on sale for as little as $220 with the Family Pack or check out available seats in the premium areas, including the Sky Box and Sky Club. (See all pricing here)  Volleyball season tickets are also on sale for $35, or get four season tickets for $95.
 
When we talk about getting involved, a prime example of that is our Huskie Fan Advisory Board. This month, we will be holding a Huskie Fan Advisory Board Summit with our members where we will develop and introduce plans for the group's second year, hear the latest ideas from the ticket sales and fan attendance subcommittees and recap the board's first year.  With their help, we made strides forward in 2017-18 and I'm anxious to see what we can accomplish together in 2018-19.
 
I hope you'll be right there with us!
 
Go Huskies!

 



Sean T. Frazier
Associate Vice-President and Director of Athletics
 
 

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