Oct. 30, 2014

"I think it's the right step for our university and the right time. With President Baker's and Sean Frazier's leadership, it's going to make a huge impact with our program and all the programs with recruiting. I think our community deserves it because they support us really well. Now it's time to get the facilities up to up to a standard they deserve."
Rod Carey
Football Head Coach

"It's a lot of sweeping changes in a positive direction for NIU and NIU Athletics. It's going to affect us in a positive way. We're hoping that all of NIU nation; alumni, athletics, supporters and fans, can help NIU and NIU Athletics grow for the future."
Patrick Fisher
Men's Tennis Head Coach

"I think the facilities in general are a huge thing for our student athletes... The level at which they'll be able to compete with a facelift of Mary M. Bell Field will bring us one step closer to competing at a national level."
Christina Sutcliffe
Softball Head Coach

"With the relocation and the upgrades, it will become the state-of-the-art facility in the entire region. Not only will it benefit our program, but baseball in the region. It will help us from an exposure, quality and recruiting standpoint."
Ed Mathey
Baseball Head Coach

"This facilities master plan addresses a lot of the issues and needs that we have. We have a really good training facility and it's serviceable ... This master plan puts us in one gym. Right now we are a little bit limited in our vault training... This would enable us to bring that up to what everybody else in the country uses."
Sam Morreale
Gymnastics Head Coach

"I think it will be a recruiting advantage for us... It will be nice for us not to have to travel to Rockford as we are presently doing, so I'm excited about this opportunity."
Tanya Gombera
Women's Tennis Head Coach

"In terms of student-athlete experience, the reality is our guys spend a lot of time in a common space like a locker room. So, the fact that it's going to be maybe three times as big as the one we currently have with all the amenities that are going to go in there, it's going to greatly increase the experience that our guys have on a day-to-day basis."
Eric Luzzi
Men's Soccer Head Coach

"Myself, along with every other coach at NIU, is extremely excited about the progress on and off the field here. The Facilities Master Plan is a game changer for every program at NIU."
Ryan Ludwig
Wrestling Head Coach