Hello, Huskie Nation!

As we dive headfirst into spring sports competition and hit the peak of winter sport activity, I wanted to bring you up to speed on the latest from Huskie Athletics.

First, I wanted to make you aware of a significant challenge that is facing NIU and the entire landscape of college athletics. The issue is whether the NCAA should allow student-athletes to benefit from their Name, Image and Likeness (NIL), and if so, how would athletic departments operationalize the process? This has been a long-running debate among NCAA institutions, and has now become a real political football with many different states and state legislators (Illinois included) developing laws that would enable student-athletes to benefit/profit from their Name, Image and Likeness.

As you can imagine, this is potentially a game-changing issue from the current collegiate model that all NCAA athletic departments are operating under. No matter what side of the debate you are on, there is no doubt that change is coming, and that change has the potential to drastically alter the student-athlete experience. My hope is that in the near future, we – as its member schools within the NCAA - finalize and operationalize the NIL issue in a way that continues to support the collegiate model.
I am passionate about the current collegiate model. As a former student-athlete, former coach and current director of athletics with 30 years in higher education, the current model has provided me and many other student-athletes a quality of experience and access that has been life changing. In support of the student-athlete experience, I wanted to share a letter that was recently written by the NCAA Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). The NCAA Division I SAAC serves as the student-athlete voice for all NCAA Division I institutions, including those from the Mid-American Conference, and is comprised of 32 NCAA student-athletes.

The letter is addressed to all who will listen and is titled "We are the 100%." I encourage you to take a few minutes to click this LINK and read their letter. I don't profess to have all the answers to deal with this newest NCAA governance challenge, but after reading this letter and reflecting on my own journey as an African-American who used the collegiate model as a vehicle to support my access and opportunity, I am sure we can figure things out for the greater good of all student-athletes.

All student-athletes, of course, includes nearly 400 Huskies competing in 17 sports programs in 2019-20. In February alone, 11 sports are in-season, making it one of the busiest months on the calendar! As men's and women's basketball enter the home stretch of their seasons, we invite you to "Cram the Convo" this Saturday as both teams take on Central Michigan while they battle for post-season seeding.

The women's team tips off at 1 p.m., but be sure to arrive early to pick up your free NIU Basketball replica jersey and catch the pre-game ceremony honoring the team's five 2020 seniors. Stop by Victor E. Court, where the NIU Alumni Association will hold its annual Alumni Day from 2-4 p.m., featuring NIU football head coach Thomas Hammock who will preview 2020 spring practices and review the recently-signed recruiting class. Click to Register and Purchase Tickets.

On March 7-8, NIU will play host to the largest MAC Wrestling Championship in history as the 15-team, two-day tournament comes to the NIU Convocation Center.  The 150 wrestlers will compete on four mats for the coveted title of MAC Champion and will vie for spots in the 2020 NCAA Wrestling Championships. This is going to be INTENSE, so make your plans now to be there and cheer on the Huskies, who are currently enjoying their best season in more than 15 years! Click here to get your tickets now.

In early March, NIU football season ticket members and Huskie Athletic Fund donors will receive the 2020 HAF Membership Guide and Season Ticket Handbook in the mail, along with their football season ticket renewal forms. As you know, donations to the Huskie Athletic Fund directly impact the success of our student-athletes and their experience at NIU. We could not sustain the services and support we are able to provide for our student-athletes without your contributions. This year, online giving is easier than ever thanks to a new system which takes donors directly to the athletics giving page.

Football season ticket renewals are available now online at your NIUHuskies.com/myhuskies account if you do not want to wait for your paper forms. With five games in DeKalb, three of which will be Saturday games at Huskie Stadium, NIU Football remains the best entertainment value in the region. Areas like The Yard and Fatty's Touchdown Village, which are free and open to all fans, a variety of promotions and giveaways, and expanded beverage options all add to the game-day atmosphere.

In addition to the five games at Huskie Stadium, NIU will take on BYU at SeatGeek Stadium in the 2020 Huskie Chi-Town Showdown on Saturday, October 24^th.

The decision to hold the BYU game at SeatGeek Stadium was not made lightly. In the end, taking this game to Chicago checked all the boxes. First, we will play in close proximity to the city where the majority of NIU alumni reside and/or work, allowing us a great opportunity to engage with more alumni. Second, the location in Chicagoland supports the efforts of Thomas Hammock and his staff to further establish this entire region as our "home" in terms of recruiting. Finally, the arrangement with SeatGeek Stadium is financially advantageous to NIU and NIU Athletics. To find out more about the Huskie Chi-Town Showdown game, click here.

Having six home games in 2020 allowed us to make this move as we are firmly committed to playing at least five games in Huskie Stadium every year. This year, just as in the past two, we are maintaining that five-game schedule. Our season ticket members have the CHOICE to see all six home games, including the BYU contest at SeatGeek Stadium, or to opt out and choose the five-game season ticket option. In addition, transportation from DeKalb to the Huskie Chi-Town Showdown game for both fans and students will be available.   

Finally, a reminder about the Victor E. Bash, the new, more casual, interactive and fun-filled incarnation of the Victor E. Ball that will be held Saturday, May 2^nd in the NIU Convocation Center beginning at 6 p.m.  It's going to be a great night spent with fellow Huskies supporting NIU student-athletes. This event remains NIU Athletics' premier fundraiser, and its success is critical to meeting our 2020 goals. Sponsorship opportunities are available and ticket information will be on its way soon! Contact Ryan Sedevie at rsedevie@niu.edu for questions or to get involved.

Getting involved, that's what it's all about. We need Huskie Nation to be a part of this program – no matter which sport (or sports), which events or how you support NIU Athletics. Just as importantly, we need to grow, and we're going to be aggressive in building our base so that we can continue to thrive. I hope you'll join me in that effort.

Go Huskies!
 

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