04-24-2005, 09:04 PM
NIU to build $9.5 million student-athlete center
By MATT TROWBRIDGE
Rockford Register Star
Published: April 24, 2005
<a href='http://www.rrstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050424/SPORTS14/504240308/1001' target='_blank'>http://www.rrstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articl.../504240308/1001</a>
DEKALB -- When Northern Illinois University burst on the national football scene two years ago, rising to No. 10 in the BCS rankings, coach Joe Novak said the Huskies needed three things to continue their success:
Stability
Better facilities
Recruiting
The last two were tied together, and NIU now believes it has all three. Novak, 19-5 the past two seasons, was given an extension before last year and NIU announced plans Saturday to build a $9.5 million Academic and Athletic Performance Center (AAPC) in the north end zone of Huskie Stadium.
"It's the one missing piece," Novak said. "We've got a great locale. We're getting a winning tradition. We've got great fan support. If we get this, we have no excuse."
NIU will fund the project with $7 million in private donations and the final $2.5 million paid for by the university and its athletic department. No state funds or student fees will be used.
NIU will break ground the day it receives $7 million in commitments. The building would then take 12-14 months to construct. So far, $5.1 million has been pledged in the past year.
"People have stepped forward and contributed more money in 12 months than have been raised in the previous 107 years of Huskie athletics," NIU President John Peters said.
Before this year, only one donor had contributed at least $100,000 to NIU athletics. Fifteen "leadership donors" have contributed at least that much to this project, including former Huskies Ryan Diem of the Indianapolis Colts and Justin McCareins of the New York Jets.
"You can't compete recruiting-wise without a first-class facility like that," McCareins said. "And they are going to get it done. I'm proud to say I contributed to help them build it."
The 60,000 square foot AAPC will feature classrooms, a technology lab with Internet access, training rooms, a four-lane, 40-yard track and a 14,000 square foot strength and conditioning center -- triple the size of the team's current weight room -- for all 426 Huskie athletes in 17 different sports.
"This will make our student-athletes better," volleyball player Marie Zidek said. "There's more computers, more study halls, more training space. With this new facility, everyone can push that much harder."
"This facility is multi-functional for everybody," athletic director Jim Phillips said. "Every day, all day, it will support their needs on the field and in the classroom. It will be the jewel among athletic and training performance centers in the Mid-American Conference."
Phillips said the project almost doubled in size and increased in price from $5.4 million to $9.5 million when NIU asked its 17 coaches and their athletes for input in what they needed in the new building.
Several MAC schools recently built -- or are in the process of building -- similar centers.
"Those folks have a jump start on us," Phillips said. "that's OK. We have a chance to catch up quickly."
NIU's football players can't wait.
"It was one of the reasons I came here," said freshman running back Montell Clanton of Rockford Guilford.
"Think of people seeing it on TV," Novak said. "Jim (Phillips) has talked about athletics being the front porch of the university. Our facilities are our front porch of our athletics program."
By MATT TROWBRIDGE
Rockford Register Star
Published: April 24, 2005
<a href='http://www.rrstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050424/SPORTS14/504240308/1001' target='_blank'>http://www.rrstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articl.../504240308/1001</a>
DEKALB -- When Northern Illinois University burst on the national football scene two years ago, rising to No. 10 in the BCS rankings, coach Joe Novak said the Huskies needed three things to continue their success:
Stability
Better facilities
Recruiting
The last two were tied together, and NIU now believes it has all three. Novak, 19-5 the past two seasons, was given an extension before last year and NIU announced plans Saturday to build a $9.5 million Academic and Athletic Performance Center (AAPC) in the north end zone of Huskie Stadium.
"It's the one missing piece," Novak said. "We've got a great locale. We're getting a winning tradition. We've got great fan support. If we get this, we have no excuse."
NIU will fund the project with $7 million in private donations and the final $2.5 million paid for by the university and its athletic department. No state funds or student fees will be used.
NIU will break ground the day it receives $7 million in commitments. The building would then take 12-14 months to construct. So far, $5.1 million has been pledged in the past year.
"People have stepped forward and contributed more money in 12 months than have been raised in the previous 107 years of Huskie athletics," NIU President John Peters said.
Before this year, only one donor had contributed at least $100,000 to NIU athletics. Fifteen "leadership donors" have contributed at least that much to this project, including former Huskies Ryan Diem of the Indianapolis Colts and Justin McCareins of the New York Jets.
"You can't compete recruiting-wise without a first-class facility like that," McCareins said. "And they are going to get it done. I'm proud to say I contributed to help them build it."
The 60,000 square foot AAPC will feature classrooms, a technology lab with Internet access, training rooms, a four-lane, 40-yard track and a 14,000 square foot strength and conditioning center -- triple the size of the team's current weight room -- for all 426 Huskie athletes in 17 different sports.
"This will make our student-athletes better," volleyball player Marie Zidek said. "There's more computers, more study halls, more training space. With this new facility, everyone can push that much harder."
"This facility is multi-functional for everybody," athletic director Jim Phillips said. "Every day, all day, it will support their needs on the field and in the classroom. It will be the jewel among athletic and training performance centers in the Mid-American Conference."
Phillips said the project almost doubled in size and increased in price from $5.4 million to $9.5 million when NIU asked its 17 coaches and their athletes for input in what they needed in the new building.
Several MAC schools recently built -- or are in the process of building -- similar centers.
"Those folks have a jump start on us," Phillips said. "that's OK. We have a chance to catch up quickly."
NIU's football players can't wait.
"It was one of the reasons I came here," said freshman running back Montell Clanton of Rockford Guilford.
"Think of people seeing it on TV," Novak said. "Jim (Phillips) has talked about athletics being the front porch of the university. Our facilities are our front porch of our athletics program."