Hello Huskies!

February is the shortest month of the year, but it is definitely one of the busiest months around here!  Start with the crossover of the winter and spring sports seasons, then add preparing for a full slate of upcoming special events, finalizing and releasing the 2024 Huskie Athletic Fund Guide and opening 2024 season ticket sales. On top of that we are welcoming a new multimedia rights holder and continuing to press forward with plans for the 1899 Club.  Whew!

First up, the Huskie Huddle and Cram the Convo this Saturday (February 24)!  At 11 a.m. Huskie Athletic Fund and 2023 NIU football season ticket members are invited to join me, Coach Hammock and members of his staff for an inside look at the Huskie Football program, including a look at the recruiting process, a preview of spring practices and a breakdown of the 2024 roster. The event includes a casual lunch, a tour of the locker room and weight room and best of all, is absolutely free to attend as a benefit of membership.  Register here.

After the Huddle, head over to the Convocation Center where the annual Cram the Convo doubleheader begins at 1 p.m.  Join the teams and wear black for the Black Out and check out the new merchandise that will be on sale for the first time, including a limited selection of apparel featuring the Fighting Huskie logo!  Remember, with the Saturday 2024 Pack, you get four tickets and four meals for just $40 and for this doubleheader, you get two games!

This weekend is a great example of February’s crossover action!  In addition to Saturday’s home basketball doubleheader, on Friday night, the NIU wrestling team, which has been dominant during the dual match season, takes on SIUE in the Convo in the final dual before March’s MAC Championships. On Sunday, the NIU gymnastics team takes over the floor of the Convo for a Quad Meet as they continue to build scores heading into March. Meanwhile in Michigan, the Huskie women’s track & field team are competing at the MAC Indoor Track & Field Championships on Friday and Saturday, while the NIU Baseball team is in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where they are taking on defending national champions LSU, among others, in a four-game series. Our tennis teams are well into their spring schedules, softball has this weekend off but has already played 10 games, and men’s and women’s golf are gearing up for the championship portion of their season. Also, a quick note, we are currently recruiting volunteers to assist during the 2024 MAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships, which will be held at the NIU Soccer/Track & Field Complex from May 9-11, 2024. No experience required!

Spring football will start on March 26 this year with the Spring Showcase set for Saturday, April 27.  Before we get to the Showcase, though, mark Saturday, April 20 on your calendar as that is the date of the “Huskie Royale.” That’s right, we are reimagining the Victor E. Bash, NIU Athletics’ premiere spring fundraising event, into an exciting casino-themed night that will be held at Acquaviva Winery in Maple Park, Illinois. Guests – only 200 spots available – will play casino-style games with NIU coaches and staff, win exclusive prizes and enjoy live entertainment and fabulous food and drink. More information on what is sure to be a great evening, with proceeds supporting NIU student-athlete and sports programs, is coming soon!

The night of the Huskie Royale will also mark the first time NIU fans can secure their tickets to see the Huskies play Notre Dame for the first time in school history. Remember, access to tickets for that game will be determined through the Huskie Athletic Fund priority points system and reserved for season ticket and HAF members. NIU football 2024 season tickets are available to renew online and be sure to check out the 2024 Huskie Athletic Fund Membership Guide with printed versions set to be mailed out in the next in the next two weeks.

When reviewing the guide, take note of the section on the 1899 Club, the most ambitious capital project for NIU Athletics in nearly 10 years. This multi-use facility is the next step in fulfilling our commitment to providing a training table for Huskie student-athletes – beginning with the football, volleyball and basketball teams and eventually expanding to additional programs – and is a top fundraising priority moving forward. Watch a virtual walk-through of the planned space on NIU Athletics Official YouTube Channel here.

If you have any questions on the 1899 Club, the 2024 HAF Guide, football season tickets or Huskie Royale, please contact the Huskie Athletic Fund at 815-753-1923 or huskieathleticfund@niu.edu.

In the next few months, we will be welcoming the staff of Van Wagner, our new multimedia rights holder, to NIU. I’m excited about this partnership and what Van Wagner will bring to NIU Athletics in terms of generating new revenue and impacting the overall fan experience with a dedicated local staff. At the same time, I want to thank Learfield, our partners for the past 10 years, for all they have done to help us grow in this area.

As always, thanks to all of you for reading, for attending Huskie games and events and for your support of NIU student-athletes and programs.  Hope to see you soon and …

Go Huskies!