Hello Huskies!
I hope your summer is off to a tremendous start.
The past month has certainly kick-started NIU Athletics into 2017-18 in a big way!
First, we had the excitement of hosting one of the most successful NCAA Golf Championship events ever at Rich Harvest Farms. Then on May 31 in Cleveland, for the first time in school history, NIU won the Jacoby Trophy, presented to the top women's athletic program in the Mid-American Conference. To cap off the 2016-17 sports seasons, senior Hope Schmelzle became the first All-American in the history of our women's track and field program. Throw in four great nights with our coaches and fans at the Huskie Summer Circuit in June, and you can see why the past month has energized me and our entire staff.
The last two weeks of May were a blur as over two years of meetings and preparation to host the first NCAA Championship event in school history culminated in what we firmly believe was the most successful NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Golf Championships ever. In terms of fan support and volunteer efforts, NIU and Rich Harvest Farms knocked it out of the park!
Even long-time, sometimes cynical, college golf writers were impressed and commented on the overwhelming hospitality during all 14 days of the championships, and ou
r volunteers were a large part of that. Thank You to those of you who came out and drove a golf cart or a player shuttle, who served as live scorers or standard-bearers or handled any one of a myriad of other duties. We could not have put on an event of this magnitude without you! The crowds were tremendous, setting records for total attendance as 16,425 fans came through the gates, including 12,150 during the men's championship alone (when the weather was significantly better!). Golf Channel provided 60 hours of coverage, highlighting our beautiful home course, NIU and the entire region, tournament host and alum Jerry Rich, and of course some amazing golf.
The partnership between NIU and Rich Harvest Farms, the fantastic "Home of the Huskies" remains as strong as ever. Thank you to Jerry and Keith Rich, as well as the entire staff at Rich Harvest, for their tireless efforts and dedication to making the NCAA Golf Championships an overwhelming success.
Another thank you to all of our fans who came out to one of this year's Summer Circuit events in early June. We saw many new faces as the Summer Circuit continues to grow. Our coaches and staff really enjoy the opportunity to be together, share their stories and success and meet fellow Huskies!
On the day that the NCAA Golf Championships wrapped up at Rich Harvest Farms, I was in Cleveland, Ohio for the MAC Honors Dinner, the league's annual celebration and awards presentation. The moment when NIU was announced as the winners of the Fred Jacoby Trophy, presented annually to the league's best women's athletic program, ranks as one of my proudest as a Huskie!
The first Jacoby Trophy win in school history represents the "Hard Work" put in by hundreds of student-athletes, coaches and staff in our 10 women's sports teams as we claimed the title over Kent State. Congratulations to each of them who can take pride in their historic efforts. Just three years ago, we finished 11
th in the MAC in the Jacoby Trophy standings. Today, the Trophy sits proudly in the offices in the NIU Convocation Center! The Jacoby Trophy is also a clear indication that the course we set in our strategic plan to become more competitive across the board is succeeding!
Of course, we are not satisfied with winning the Jacoby Trophy once, and we won't be until both the Reese Trophy – given to the top men's overall athletic program – and the Jacoby Trophy take up regular residence in DeKalb!
The competitive success comes on the heels of another banner academic year for NIU student-athletes. At the end of the spring semester, Huskie student-athletes posted a record-setting cumulative grade point average of 3.17. Even more importantly, 81 student-athletes joined the ranks of NIU alumni by earning their undergraduate degrees during the 2016-17 academic year. The Huskies' Graduation Success Rate (GSR) and Academic Progress Rate (APR) numbers continue to rank among the best in the MAC and in the nation.
We will also continue to rely on the blueprint we laid out in the
Strategic Plan to guide us as we ramp up our efforts in the "Campaign to Sustain" announced in late April. Look for the launch of a new Campaign to Sustain website soon, along with increased social media presence and video features. As I've said before, the success of this campaign is absolutely critical for NIU Athletics to maintain a competitive advantage and to continue providing our student-athletes with everything they need to succeed academically, athletically and beyond. By supporting the Campaign to Sustain, you are committing to the sustainability and future success of Huskie Athletics and directly affecting NIU student-athletes in all 17 sports! Please consider joining us in this effort. Our staff stands ready to assist and answer any questions.
There has been so much positive momentum to close out the year, I (almost) wish it was August already! Of course, the fall sports seasons will be here before we know it, and I hope you'll be ready with football and volleyball season tickets. I cannot overstate the value – and importance - of being a season ticket member and/or Huskie Athletic Fund donor right now.
With the low season ticket prices available, great new options like the End Zone Club for football, special pricing for single game tickets through the Dog Deals and invitations to special events, there are so many reasons to be a part of NIU Athletics.
As both the campus and the state face changes and challenges, NIU Athletics events, the achievements of Huskie student-athletes and the success of NIU teams remains a source of pride, uniting our students, alumni, fans and community.
I hope you get some time to enjoy the summer, and I hope you are looking forward to 2017-18 as much as I am.
GO HUSKIES!
Sean T. Frazier
Associate Vice-President/Director of Athletics
