July 30, 2007

DeKALB, Ill. - Northern Illinois Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics Jim Phillips will receive the 2007 General Robert R. Neyland Outstanding Athletic Director Award from the All-American Football Foundation at tonight's 86th Annual Banquet of Champions which will be held in Chicago at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

Former Northern Illinois running back Garrett Wolfe will receive one of four Colonel Red Blaik Leadership Scholarships as NIU will receive a $500 grant in Wolfe's name

In addition, NIU Associate Athletic Director for Communication Donna Turner will be one of five collegiate media relations professionals honored with the Scoop Hudgins Outstanding SID Award.

Phillips is in his third year guiding the Huskie athletics program and most recently oversaw completion of the $14 million Jeffrey and Kimberly Yordon Center, a 62,000-square foot facility which will house the NIU football program as well as the department's student-athlete support units, including an academic center, strength and conditioning area and athletic training room. In football, Northern Illinois has played in two bowl games in the last three seasons and in addition to selling out the 2007 season opener versus Iowa at Soldier Field, NIU has future games scheduled with Tennessee, Alabama, Navy and Wisconsin. Under Phillips, Northern Illinois student-athletes have attained a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above for four straight semesters.

Wolfe was a third-round draft choice of the NFL's Chicago Bears after a record-setting career at NIU that saw him lead the country in rushing and all-purpose yards as a senior in 2006. Wolfe ranks 11th on the NCAA all-time rushing list, and set the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision record for career yards per carry. He earned All-America honors for the Huskies as a senior.

Turner enters her second year at Northern Illinois in 2007-08. She was recently awarded with the Bill Esposito Backbone Award by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) for her work in guiding Tulane University through the turbulent 2005-06 season during Hurricane Katrina. At NIU, she has overseen production of 15 publications last year alone and oversees the editorial portion of www.niuhuskies.com, Northern Illinois Official Athletics Website.

Phillips, Turner and Wolfe join a list of honorees that includes legendary Chicago Bear Ed Sprinkle, the late Bo Schembechler, Illinois Coach Ron Zook and his wife, Denise, and Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune.

-- NIU --