FRAZIER'S CORNER: Summer is here but 2024-25 is near

Happy Summer Huskies fans!

The NIU track and field meets for 2023-24 are officially over, and it will be a fast and furious 11 weeks until it all starts again when the NIU women's soccer team competes in the first meet of 2024-25 on August 15 .

While the competitive seasons are over, the work is certainly not done – from facilities, to recruiting, to planning, to camps and next week, the opportunity to see our Huskies fans and friends at the annual events of the summer circuit. The head coaches and I, along with members of our athletic staff, will be in Rockford, Oakbrook Terrace and St. Charles next week, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, and we would love to see you there. Register here, come with your questions and your Huskie spirit!


The spring semester ended on a high academic note with another record-breaking performance from NIU student-athletes who posted a combined GPA of 3.408. Women's basketball (3.873) and men's golf (3.518) led the way, and I'm proud to say that all 16 teams achieved a cumulative GPA of 2.93 or higher. We also saw one of the largest numbers of graduates in recent history, with 112 student-athletes graduating this spring/summer. Congratulations to our graduates and all of our student-athletes, as well as the coaches and staff at SAASS (Student-Athlete Academic Support Services), for continuing to make education and graduation a priority.

On the field, the Huskie baseball team and first-year head coach Ryan Copeland finished strong with a home sweep to finish seventh in the MAC, just one spot out of qualifying for the league tournament with a record of 14-16. NIU's 21 wins were 11 more than a season ago! NIU golf teams continue to rank among the best in the MAC, with both the men and women placing third this year. Kim Kester has guided the women's team to a top-three finish in each of the last six MAC Championships, while John Carlson placed his team in the top three for the fourth straight season.

Congratulations are also in order to all staff who played a role in successfully hosting the 2024 MAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the NIU Athletics/Soccer Complex earlier this month. The three-day event involved 12 women's teams and six men's teams, hundreds of student-athletes from across the MAC and hours of planning and preparation. After the MAC championships, senior high jumper Arianna Calloway closed out NIU Track & Field's season — and the Huskies' athletic year — at the NCAA first-round meet with her best outdoor mark.

Although the action on the field is quiet at the moment, there is no shortage of news regarding college athletics and its future and, as a member of the NACDA (National Association of Collegiate Athletic Directors) Board of Directors ), I follow the latest developments and especially how they affect NIU is part of my daily routine. Recently, you may have heard about a settlement in the House v. NCAA antitrust lawsuit agreed to by the NCAA and the ACC, SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and PAC 12 conferences. With this settlement, the NCAA and its member conferences will pay current and former student-athletes starting in 2016, for the next 10 years, as reimbursement for lost potential zero revenue.

As we continue to evaluate and review all information regarding the settlement of House v. NCAA, we will be sure to communicate the specific impact this will have on our department. This situation and other changes in the college sports landscape continue to pose a significant challenge that we will address directly. Please know that we deeply appreciate your continued support of NIU and NIU Athletics. Facing significant financial adversity is nothing new to us, as we have faced financial challenges in the past and we will rise to the occasion and do what is necessary to protect the quality of experience for all of our students, staff, alumni and supporters.


Recently, I had the chance to sit down with longtime WTVO Sports Director Scott Leber in Rockford to discuss many issues surrounding college athletics, including the House affair, NIL, the transfer portal, the College Football Playoff and much more. This three-part conversation with Scott is available on the NIU Athletics YouTube channel. Click here.

Excitement continues to build for the 2024 NIU football season with six home games, including five on Saturday, plus road games at Notre Dame and NC State. The process for Huskie Athletic Fund members and football season ticket members to purchase tickets to the Notre Dame game can be found here with detailed information on specific priority dates also emailed to donors Eligible HAFs. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Huskie Athletic Fund at 815-753-1923 or by email at [email protected].


At Huskie Stadium, installation of the new “wall-to-wall” turf on Brigham Field is complete, just in time for veterans to report to DeKalb for summer workouts. The Huskies are deep, experienced and hungry with 33 seniors and 18 returning starters on offense and defense. Don't wait to get your 2024 subscriptions to see this group in action this fall.

The team isn't the only group preparing for fall, as staff continue to work on several projects and initiatives. Stay tuned for information on events and promotions surrounding NIU Athletics' 125th anniversary, volleyball tickets, community engagement and much more as the summer progresses. Look for a basketball update edition of NIU Weekly on our YouTube channel. We also hope to share some exciting news on the fundraising and facilities front soon!

Thank you for your support of the Huskies. I hope you and your family have a wonderful summer.

GO HUSKIES!

Sean T. Frazier
Vice President/Director of Sports and Recreation