Northern Illinois - NIU may not be the first team that comes to mind when you think of the Mid-American Conference but they did set the conference on its ear in 2011 when they won the MAC Tourney and made the program’s third trip to the NCAA Tourney.



You have to like the direction the program is taking under the direction of head coach Eric Luzzi. The Huskies were 15-6-0 in 2011 matching the highest single-season win total in school history. Luzzi stated, “It isn’t easy to get a team in the NCAA Tournament and now our expectation is, moving forward we are going to be an NCAA Team every year.”



Success tends to breed success as reflected in the fact that Luzzi has added an eight member 2012 recruiting class that maintains NIU’s ties with the talent rich Chicago area while also going out of state to sign several very promising newcomers who should help the Huskies achieve their goal of returning to the NCAA Tourney. The 2012 class includes highly regarded center midfielder Gabe Christianson from Cedar Rapids, Iowa as well a midfielder Charlie Oliver who played for the Chicago Fire Academy team. The Huskies also return a solid core from the 2011 team including junior forward James Stevenson (6g, 3a) and senior goalkeeper Jordan Godsey.



NIU is a talented team but the factor that may separate them from the pack is a work ethic that often gives them the edge in the close contests. NIU belongs on the short list of programs for which the trend line looks to be heading upward.

Love to see all our programs succeed.

Nice to see that...would be nice if they got more publicity.

I'm really excited about our soccer program. It seems like an arms race between NIU & Akron to be tops in the MAC. Out of all the schools out there, that's pretty unusual.

(02-06-2012 04:21 PM)rabidawg900 Wrote:  I'm really excited about our soccer program. It seems like an arms race between NIU & Akron to be tops in the MAC. Out of all the schools out there, that's pretty unusual.

Lights are needed at the soccer complex. That will help a lot with scheduling. NIU needs to get this done.

Men's soccer is approaching women's volleyball in the late 90s level consistent quality. Got to keep that moving. That kind of work deserves support.

(02-06-2012 04:28 PM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(02-06-2012 04:21 PM)rabidawg900 Wrote:  I'm really excited about our soccer program. It seems like an arms race between NIU & Akron to be tops in the MAC. Out of all the schools out there, that's pretty unusual.

Lights are needed at the soccer complex. That will help a lot with scheduling. NIU needs to get this done.

This is key...the games times are tough without lights.

(02-06-2012 04:47 PM)BobL Wrote:  

(02-06-2012 04:28 PM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(02-06-2012 04:21 PM)rabidawg900 Wrote:  I'm really excited about our soccer program. It seems like an arms race between NIU & Akron to be tops in the MAC. Out of all the schools out there, that's pretty unusual.

Lights are needed at the soccer complex. That will help a lot with scheduling. NIU needs to get this done.

This is key...the games times are tough without lights.

to me, lights would not seem to be a very big expenditure

(02-06-2012 05:00 PM)gcd Wrote:  

(02-06-2012 04:47 PM)BobL Wrote:  

(02-06-2012 04:28 PM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(02-06-2012 04:21 PM)rabidawg900 Wrote:  I'm really excited about our soccer program. It seems like an arms race between NIU & Akron to be tops in the MAC. Out of all the schools out there, that's pretty unusual.

Lights are needed at the soccer complex. That will help a lot with scheduling. NIU needs to get this done.

This is key...the games times are tough without lights.

to me, lights would not seem to be a very big expenditure

The underground wiring has been done at the soccer complex. Still, it's estimated to be somewhere around $500,000 to buy and install the lights.

(02-06-2012 05:31 PM)huskiebob Wrote:  The underground wiring has been done at the soccer complex. Still, it's estimated to be somewhere around $500,000 to buy and install the lights.

That Much!!!