Football | July 1

DeKALB, IL – The NIU Football Team continues to collect the preseason accolades as the defending Mid-American Conference champion Huskies have a league-high 15 selections on Phil Steele's 2022 Preseason MAC Team.
 
The Huskies had five selections to Steele's First Team. Offensive linemen Logan Zschernitz (Spencer, Wis./Spencer HS) and Nolan Potter (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Washington HS) were chosen for the first team offense along with wide receiver Trayvon Rudolph (Crete, Ill./Crete-Monee HS). Potter and Zschernitz started all 14 games of the 2021 season at right tackle and right guard respectively, helping pave the way for the nation's fourth-leading rushing offense. Rudolph, NIU's leading receiver last season with 51 receptions for 892 yards and seven touchdowns, was also put on the second team as a kick returner.
 
Safety C.J. Brown (Canton, Mich./Walled Lake Western HS) earned a place on the first team defense after leading the Huskies with 109 tackles. Kicker John Richardson (Orland Park, Ill./Brother Rice HS) was also a first team choice as the top placekicker in the conference. Richardson was top-10 in the nation in field goals per game with 1.69 and made over 80 percent of his field goal attempts last season.
 
NIU had another three selections on offense to the second team in quarterback Rocky Lombardi (Clive, Iowa/Valley HS), running back Harrison Waylee (Johnston, Iowa/Urbandale HS) and offensive tackle Marques Cox (Peoria, Ill./Peoria HS). Cornerback Jordan Gandy (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb HS) was also placed on the second team, a year after recording 10 pass breakups and 3.5 tackles for loss. Lombardi accounted for over 3,000 yards of total offense and 24 touchdowns in his first season in DeKalb. Waylee averaged 114.8 rushing yards per game in the five games he played in 2021.
 
Defensive Tackle James Ester (Detroit, Mich./Cass Tech) is on the third team as defensive end Raishein Thomas (Racine, Wis./Washington Park), linebacker Kyle Pugh (Chicago Heights, Ill./Bloom Township HS) and safety Devin Lafayette (Brunswick, Ga./Brunswick HS) are on the fourth team. Tight End Miles Joiner (Dayton, Ohio/Butler HS) is also on the fourth team. Ester was one of three Huskies on defense to start every game of the 2021 season recording 25 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. Thomas started 11 of the 14 games he played last season and was one of two Huskies to have two fumble recoveries. Both Pugh and Lafayette were selected to the All-MAC Third Team in 2020.
 
Tickets for the 2022 NIU football and volleyball seasons are on sale now. Season tickets offer the best value, with football tickets priced as low as $15 per ticket with the Huskie Plan; see every Huskie Volleyball home game for just $35. 
 
In Huskie Stadium, a reserved seat season ticket in sections C, D or E (between the 35s) is just $162 for a great seat to all six home games, including the Sept. 17 contest versus Vanderbilt, 115th Homecoming game against Toledo on Oct. 8 and season opener versus Eastern Illinois on Thursday, Sept. 1. General admission (East Side) season tickets are $97. Discounts on West Side reserved tickets are available for seniors (62+), Varsity Club and NIU Alumni Association members, Young Alumni (graduated in last five years) and DeKalb County residents, as well as NIU faculty and staff.
 
Premium seating options, including NEW volleyball courtside seats, are also available. To purchase season tickets anytime, click here or call 815-753-PACK (7225) Monday through Friday.
 
-- NIU --
 
First Team
WR – Trayvon Rudolph
OG – Logan Zschernitz
OT – Nolan Potter
S – C.J. Brown
K – John Richardson
 
Second Team
QB – Rocky Lombardi
RB – Harrison Waylee
OT – Marques Cox
CB – Jordan Gandy
KR – Trayvon Rudolph
 
Third Team
DT – James Ester
 
Fourth Team
TE – Miles Joiner
DE – Raishein Thomas
LB – Kyle Pugh
S – Devin Lafayette