May 21, 2008

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio - Four Northern Illinois players earned All-MAC honors announced by the league at the commencement of its 2008 Tournament Wednesday. Catcher Justin Behm (Downers Grove, Ill./North) was named to the first team, marking the fifth consecutive season that a Huskie has garnered top accolades. Closer Andy Deain (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge), pitcher Trevor Feeney (Channahon, Ill./Joliet Catholic) and left fielder Jeff Thomas (Loves Park, Ill./Harlem) were named to the second team.

"Extending the streak of first team selections at Northern Illinois, especially in a season with tough competition for those spots, bodes well for our program," said head coach Ed Mathey. "To have four players among the 30 honored in a 12-team league is a compliment to our team and how well we played this season."

Behm, a junior, led the Huskies with nine home runs, eight of which came in conference play, and 36 RBI while hitting .296 on the year. The backstop ranked fourth in the MAC in home runs per game and compiled a career-best 15-game hitting streak in April. On April 13 vs. Akron, Behm tied the Northern Illinois single-game record with eight RBI in an outing that included two round trippers for his first multi-home run game.

Andy Deain's 10 saves lead the MAC and rank fourth on the NIU single-season list.

Deain, also a junior, leads the MAC with 32 appearances and 10 saves on the season. His season save total in he fourth-highest in Northern Illinois history while his career total of 11 ranks third all-time. Deain notched seven of his saves during the final month of the season, including twice collecting saves in three consecutive appearances during that stretch.

Feeney, a senior, leads the MAC in five statistical categories. The righthander tops the league with three complete games and ranks first in four conference game categories - wins (five), innings pitched per game (7.56), starts (nine) and complete games (three). Feeney posted a 5-4 record and 4.43 ERA on the year and went 5-2 with a 4.24 record in league outings.

Thomas, also a senior, is the Huskies' leading hitter at .352. and leads the MAC in stolen bases per conference game (0.48). A .361 hitter in league play, Thomas totaled 31 RBI on the year while compiling a pair of career-long 12-game hitting streaks on the season. Thomas totaled 19 multi-hit games and is batting an amazing .455 with runners in scoring position this season.

Jeff Thomas led the Huskies in hitting and topped the MAC in stolen bases per conference game.

"Justin [Behm] worked hard over the past year to get himself into shape and he went out and earned a first team selection with a big year that shows that he is reaching the potential we saw in him," said Mathey. "Jeff [Thomas] may have been a first team selection in other seasons and he has been a catalyst for our team and our most consistent hitter, both in terms of production and approach. Trevor [Feeney] had a great year and pitched very well in the league. As a Friday starter, he gave us everything we could have hoped for and provided opportunities for us to win games. The selection of Andy [Deain] speaks well of his capabilities and how the league views him. With 10 saves in the back end of our bullpen, he carries on a tradition of strong relief here."

Northern Illinois (26-24, 16-10) recorded its best MAC winning percentage (.615) in history to claim the fourth seed in this week's conference tournament at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, Ohio. The Huskies begin their quest for the conference title Wednesday afternoon vs. No. 5 seed Ball State and will play either top-seeded Kent State or No. 8 seeded Central Michigan on Thursday.

-NIU-