Dear Huskie Fans and Supporters,

I have now had the privilege to be your Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics for a little more than a year and a half. Because of my strong belief in measurable goals and transparency, I wanted to share these Athletic Department outcomes with you. These have all taken place since my arrival at NIU in July 2013.

Leadership is a vital component to not only an individual's success, but to the success of the entire unit. Without strong leadership, goals would not be accomplished. NIU is fortunate to have a transformational leader in Dr. Doug Baker. Since my arrival, and under his leadership, great things have transpired within NIU Athletics. We are committed to the Speed of the Game and Capitalizing on Our Momentum. Through his directives, President Baker has allowed us to procure a number of successes within our department and here on campus.

To be clear, there is no doubt that NIU is facing new challenges. However, as you read through the following list of achievements, I know you will agree that the future goals of our University are within reach. And, while you may be familiar with some of these success stories, I want to be sure you are fully aware of all of our accomplishments. I hope you are as proud of them as we are.

ACADEMIC
Aligning with President Baker's Strategic Vision, NIU Athletics is committed to the overall success of our student-athletes both in the classroom and on the field of competition.

• NIU's Graduation Success Rate ranked first among public institutions that participated in a bowl game in 2014-2015.
• For the third consecutive year, NIU posted a new high in graduation rates for its student-athletes. NIU's latest overall Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 89 percent ranks as the best in the Mid-American Conference and is seven percentage points better than the national Division I average.
• NIU student-athletes posted a combined 3.084 GPA during the 2013-2014 academic year.
• Eleven teams had GPAs of 3.0 or higher.
• NIU Gymnastics was honored with an NCAA Public Recognition Award with a perfect APR score of 1000, indicating every student-athlete has been retained and graduated from the program over the last four years. (Outstanding!)
• Women's Cross Country, Women's Golf, and Women's Tennis finished 2013-2014 with a cumulative GPA above 3.5 and Men's Tennis finished with a 3.37 GPA.
• Every Huskie program surpassed the national average in the Academic Progress Rate (APR) for the ninth consecutive year.
• Twenty-eight NIU student-athletes earned Academic All-MAC honors.
• Fourteen fall-sport student-athletes earned the Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Award, a new award given to student-athletes who have excelled in academics and athletics, from the Mid-American Conference for Fall 2014.

ATHLETICS
Create a positive relationship within the community, to engage alumni, faculty, staff, and students while winning championships.

• NIU student-athletes completed 6,165.5 hours of community service in 2013-14.
• Women's basketball player Amanda Corral, who carries a 4.0 GPA in pre-physical therapy and averages 17 points per game, was one of just five Division I student-athletes named to Capital One CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team for 2014-15.
• Men's soccer senior Dusty Page, a third-team Capital One Academic All-American, was one of the first two student-athletes named to the NCAA Division I Council, which conducts the day-to-day business of Division I and will cast votes on NCAA rules.
• Nelle Youel became NIU's record holder for all-time victories in women's tennis in January.
• Jordan Lynch, the first Heisman Trophy finalist in NIU history, finished third in the 2013 voting to record the highest finish by a MAC player.
• Sarah Angelos set the NIU Volleyball record for sets played and ended the season as the NCAA's active career leader (2013).
• Huskie Football won three of the last four MAC Championships and has played in the MAC Championship game for five straight years.
• In 2013, Huskie Football made history by posting the school's first 12-0 regular season record.
• In 2013, NIU became the first Mid-American Conference football team to defeat two Big Ten teams (Iowa and Purdue) in the same regular season.
• In 2013-14, NIU Men's Basketball won 10 more games than it did the season before to record the best single-season turnaround in program history.
• Men's Tennis won the 2014 Mid-American Conference regular season title.
• Upgraded Huskie football schedule to put NIU in the best possible position to contend for a spot in the College Football Playoff while bringing Power 5 conference teams and quality opponents to Huskie Stadium and the City of DeKalb.
• IHSA Football Championships were held at Huskie Stadium for the first time in school history, bringing in over 30,000 people to the City of DeKalb.
• NIU Athletics Facility Master Plan was developed in connection with President Baker's Campus Master Plan Thesis.
• Procured the Russell Wilson Passing Academy to be held at Huskie Stadium and the Chessick Practice Center in June 2015.
• Introduction of the Huskie Summer Circuit, in connection with alumni outreach, engaging fans in the communities that are most populated with NIU alums.
• NIU was one of three schools in the MAC to be chosen to produce 35 ESPN3 broadcasts in 2014-15.
• NIU was one of five schools (with Georgia Tech, Duke, Monmouth, Florida State, Buffalo) showcased on National Signing Day on ESPN3.
• NIU and Rich Harvest Farms will host the 2017 NCAA men's and women's golf championships.
• NIU Athletics entered into a radio contract with AM560 The Answer, WIND-AM in Chicago, and 92.5 WCPT FM in DeKalb, and WLBK AM and FM in DeKalb to cover Football and Men's and Women's Basketball.

FINANCIAL
Athletics is committed to its goals of obtaining financial sustainability.

• Huskie Athletic Support Fund launched its new name, Huskie Athletic Fund, and new website, www.huskieathleticfund.com.
• Huskie Athletic Fund (HAF) enjoyed a banner year in 2014, breaking the million dollar mark (in cash received) for student-athlete support for the first time in history.
• Transition of the Convocation Center to Intercollegiate Athletics, allowing for unified leadership, along with an emphasis on bringing in new events, such as Brad Paisley and Casting Crowns.
• Renewed partnership with Licensing Resource Group (LRG) to manage NIU Athletics' trademark licensing while also increasing guaranteed revenues.
• Unveiling of the new Premium Experience at Huskie Stadium to include the Coaches Club, the Terrace Club, and the Sky Club.
• Unveiling of the new Premium Experience at the Convocation Center to include the Nelson Club and Courtside seats.
• Introduced The Yard, Huskie Stadium's official pregame tailgate area, featuring live bands, food vendors, and a kid's zone to provide all Huskie fans with a FREE college town atmosphere.
• Signed new multimedia rights agreement with Learfield Sports. This 10-year agreement provides Huskie Athletics with a multi-million dollar guarantee which is a significant increase from the previous contract.
• Partnered with Sodexo to enhance concessions and catering services at both the Convocation Center and Huskie Stadium.

NIU Athletics' Strategic Plan is aligned with President Baker's Strategic Imperatives and we are moving forward. There is no such thing as standing still. You are either moving forward or moving backward. NIU cannot afford to move backward. We need to be the catalyst for change for our university. The plan is in place. We need you to help us move our agenda forward. TOGETHER ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

Go Huskies!

Sean T. Frazier
Associate Vice-President and Director of Athletics