Hello Huskies, Hello 2021 and Hello Winter!
 
After a heartbreaking end to the 2020 winter and spring seasons a year ago, and a quiet fall with only football and cross country in action, it is amazing to see the calendar once again filled with Huskie games, meets and matches. With most of our fall, winter AND spring sports all competing this semester, the next three months are going to be incredibly busy and we love it! As you can imagine, our student-athletes and coaches are appreciative of every opportunity they have to compete and to represent NIU.
 
While men's basketball is currently paused due to COVID-19, women's basketball, gymnastics and wrestling are in full swing with volleyball underway and men's and women's soccer ready to go. Women's basketball has now won seven of their last eight games, including an epic comeback last night (Wednesday) versus Bowling Green! Congratulations to Head Coach Lisa Carlsen and her squad for successfully navigating this COVID season while playing at a very high level! Let's keep it going!
 
Wrestling is also off to a great start with a 6-2 record to date, and gymnastics is still defending its 2019 MAC Tournament title and are already 2-0 versus MAC competition. The indoor season is underway for our women's track and field team, and men's and women's tennis, as well as women's golf, have returned to action for the first time in nearly a year. Looking out at the snow, it's a little hard to believe that we're just a few weeks away from baseball and softball seasons!
 
Of course, it's always a good time to talk Huskie Football and I hope you were able to be with us on Monday night (Feb. 1) for our live ZOOM Leaders of the Pack Webinar. During the 90-minute session, Thomas Hammock provided an update on recruiting, the 2021 signing class, and talked about the work the Huskies are putting in during the offseason program. The coordinators discussed every position group, and host Andy Garcia helped us get to know players Dustin Fletcher and Rocky Lombardi, James Ester and Nick Rattin, and Marques Cox and Lance Deveaux.
 
If you weren't able to be with us during the live webinar on Monday, check it out on the NIU Athletics YouTube Channel beginning Thursday night (Feb. 4) at 7 p.m..
 
After hearing from these "Leaders of the Pack," I am fired up about the 2021 Huskies! I can't wait for spring practice to see the growth and development of this young team. Spring drills begin March 19 and I certainly hope that at some point this spring, COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted, and we will be able to welcome fans out to Huskie Stadium to watch practice. If and when that happens, we will EXPECT to see all of you out supporting this team.
 
In a little over 200 days, - on September 4, 2021 - the Huskies will take the field in Atlanta in the 2021 season opener at Georgia Tech. NIU will take on Wyoming (Sept. 11) and Maine (Sept. 25) at home during the non-conference schedule and face Michigan (Sept. 18) in addition to the Sept. 4 opener in Atlanta. The league schedule – including crossover games versus MAC East teams Kent State, Bowling Green and Buffalo as well as the MAC West match-ups – should be announced in the next month. In mid-March, the 2021 season ticket renewal forms and Huskie Athletic Fund guides will be arriving in mailboxes and available online.

This month, we are celebrating Black History Month. I have been impressed by our student-athletes' continuing commitment to social justice this year and during February, we will feature their heroes, favorite quotes and more on our social media platforms. In addition, I joined several of our student-athletes and coaches in participating in the DeKalb Public Library's "Highlighting Black Voices" campaign. Be on the lookout for some great stories as our staff had fun reading children's books by African-American authors for the Library's social media accounts. We're also working with our campus partners to highlight some of their Black History Month initiatives.
 
One silver lining of this entire year has been discovering new ways to connect with our fans without having to be in the same place. Along those lines, we're making plans to hold another Virtual Victor E. Bash this June. We're excited to be able to engage with fans across the country through YouTube programming, Zoom and online, whether through replays of classic games, interviews with famous Huskies, the online auction or the wine and spirits pull! Stay tuned as I'm sure our staff will continue to explore more new and fun ways to connect during this annual fundraising event.   
 
Please continue to wear a mask and observe social distancing as we need you safe and healthy!  I'm proud that NIU Athletics can help defeat this virus as the NIU Convocation Center is currently being used as a vaccine distribution center for DeKalb County. Of course, we cannot wait to bring fans – starting with family members of student-athletes – back into our venues soon. The games just aren't the same without you there.
 
Take care and GO HUSKIES!
 
 
 



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