Women's Soccer | April 25
DEKALB, Ill. -- Debbie Huston, a championship winning pioneer from the early years of the Northern Illinois University women's soccer program, will be inducted into the NIU Athletics Hall of Fame in the Class of 2024.
Huston becomes the sixth member of the 2024 Hall of Fame Class, joining
Jordan Lynch and
Jimmie Ward from the Huskie football program,
Holly Reichard (Gymnastics, 2008-11),
Kate McCullagh (Volleyball, 2003-06) and
Pete Waite (Volleyball Head Coach, 1988-98). The group will be formally inducted during Homecoming Week (Oct. 18-19) at NIU.
Rodney Davis, Chairman of the NIU Hall of Fame Committee, praised Huston's accomplishments and selection to the Hall of Fame.
"Debbie Huston had an outstanding career as a Huskie and was instrumental in the championship success of the women's soccer program during her time at NIU," said Davis. "We are very excited to welcome her into this year's Hall of Fame class."
Huston ranks in the top-five in program history in goals, assists and points, playing a key role in multiple championship teams for NIU.
An All-State honoree at Batavia High School, Huston came to NIU as a freshman in 1994 and helped the Huskies to a .500 record (10-10) in just their second season as a varsity program. Huston scored three goals and tallied four assists in 19 matches during her rookie season at NIU.
The following year, Huston earned First Team All-Midwestern Collegiate Conference honors and Third Team All-Great Lakes Region recognition from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) as she helped NIU to an 11-6-2 mark, the program's first winning season, and a third-place conference finish. Huston tied for the team lead with nine goals and recorded five assists to finish with 23 points in 19 contests.
During the 1996 season, Huston scored a pair of goals and had one assist in four games before taking a medical redshirt. Without her presence on the field, the Huskies slipped back to a six-win campaign.
Huston returned to the lineup in 1997 as the Huskies entered the Mid-American Conference and helped NIU win the conference regular season and tournament titles. Huston scored six goals and recorded four assists in 21 matches, while earning Second Team All-MAC honors.
In 1998, Huston and the Huskies won a school record 14 games, tying Ohio for the MAC regular season crown before avenging their lone league loss by defeating the Bobcats in the conference tournament title game to capture their second-straight MAC Tournament championship. Huston, who scored four goals with six assists in 21 games, earned First Team All-MAC, Third Team All-Region from both the NSCAA and Soccer Buzz as well as MAC All-Tournament Team honors.
Huston concluded her Huskie career with 24 goals, fourth best in program history, 20 assists, third-most in NIU history and 68 points, which ranks fourth in Huskie history and holds the school record with 84 career games played and starts.
