March 30, 2007
DeKALB, IL --- Opening Day? Done. Income tax? Done. Spring football game? Done.
So, all that means it's time for one other annual rite of spring---namely, the public invitation from the Northern Illinois University Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame Selection Committee for qualified nominations.
Any all-time Huskie sports great---be it a former student-athlete, head coach, assistant coach, administrator, athletics trainer, equipment manager, etc., you name it---can be nominated by Monday, April 30.
Founded in 1978, the Northern Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame celebrated its 25th induction class during the institution's Centennial Homecoming last October and its storied roster currently boasts 171 individuals and 11 teams. The group represents a veritable "Who's Who of Huskie athletics" featuring All-America picks, national champions, Top 20 teams, all-pro athletes, and prominent sports-related figures.
In other words, it's the annual Best of Northern Illinois. That was the basic idea from the hall's inception.
The committee---chaired by NIU sports information director emeritus Mike Korcek---starts its spring meetings in April. The 2007 Athletics Hall of Fame Induction class will be enshrined Friday (October 12) and recognized at halftime of the Saturday (October 13) Northern Illinois-Western Michigan football contest in the school's 101st Homecoming Game on Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium. The annual banquet will be held at the Duke Ellington Ballroom of NIU's Holmes Student Center.
Letters of nomination with documentation of each candidate (individual or team), photostatic copies of newspaper or magazine press clippings, yearbooks, or scrapbooks can be forwarded to Korcek and the committee. Any vintage materials will be returned once they have been photocopied for the committee's perusal.
Criteria for induction includes "...outstanding contributions to intercollegiate athletics at Northern Illinois University." According to the Hall of Fame by-laws, former NIU student-athletes and teams are eligible for nomination 10 years after the final year of their respective intercollegiate competition while coaches, administrators, and staff can be nominated five years after their departure or retirement from the university.
The 2007 Northern Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame Selection Committee includes Cliff Bottigliero, Bill Finucane, Andrea Hein, Glen Krupica, Donna Martin, Chuck Morgan, Don Shields, Donald Whiteside, and Korcek.
Korcek can be contacted via (1) regular mail (Convocation Center, 1525 West Lincoln Highway, NIU, DeKalb, IL 60115), (2) telephone (AC 815-753-9559), (3) fax machine (AC 815-753-9540 or AC 815-753-7700), or (4) e-mail <
mkorcek@niu.edu>.
In conjunction with NIU's historic 100th Homecoming gala, nearly 60 past Hall of Fame inductees returned to campus for the induction ceremonies. The 2006 induction class included Laurie Miller (softball in 1982-85), Jarod Schroeder (swimming in 1991-95), and Hollis Thomas (football in 1992-95).
The charter men's Hall of Fame induction ceremony happened in 1978. After a five-year hiatus, it resumed an a yearly basis in 1983. The women's athletic Hall of Fame originated in 1986. The two halls were integrated in 1988.
"Every year, our Hall of Fame induction is the ultimate Huskie event," said Korcek who has covered Northern Illinois athletics since 1966-67 and served on the HOF committee since 1987. "That is no exaggeration. You can literally see or feel the Huskie pride, nostalgia, and fellowship at the social hour and banquet. It's a trip through our illustrious past. To hear the stories about middle class kids winding up in the WNBA or the NFL or becoming successful head coaches, it's awe-inspiring. The ceremony oozes Cardinal and Black. This is our tradition, our Northern Illinois legacy.
"As far as the committee is concerned, we just want to make sure our community and all our alumni, fans, and friends have the opportunity to be involved in the selection process," Korcek added. "So there may be a relative, an aunt or an uncle, an old roommate or a teammate, a former coach or administrator who deserves such Hall of Fame recognition. That's why we ask for such external output. This is a tough, lengthy, and extremely competitive process. It is the best of NIU's best. That said, our biggest concern is missing qualified candidates. So, if you know of someone who is qualifed, please contact us by the April 30 deadline. Everyone's help is greatly appreciated."
NOTE: The updated NIU Athletics Hall of Fame list appears on the current official Northern Illinois Athletics website. Just "hit" "Hall of Fame" on the menu located on the left side of the main page.
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