Huskie Stadium (NIU)
From NCAA Wiki
| |
| Facility Statistics | |
| Location | DeKalb, IL |
| Former Names | N/A |
| Broke Ground | |
| Opened | 1965 |
| Owner | Northern Illinois University |
| Operator | |
| Tenants | N/A |
| Surface | Field Turf |
| Seating Capacity | 28,000 |
| Seating Chart | {{{Seating Chart Link}}} |
| Cost (USD) | {{{cost (USD)}}} |
Huskie Stadium is home to Northern Illinois Football. Originally, the West campus football facility was known as "The House That George Bork Built" in honor of the former Little All-America quarterback who led the Northern Illinois grid program to national prominence in the early 1960s. Over the years, the players and coaches affectionately nicknamed their home "The Doghouse." In May, 1974, it was officially designated as Huskie Stadium during NIU's 75th anniversary observance.
On August 28, 2003, the facility had a new identity-one even more Cardinal and Black than the previous versions- Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium. Announced in July, it became a formality immediately prior to the home opener against the University of Maryland when the "Brigham Field" logo graphic was unveiled before a national television audience. Best of all, Northern Illinois prevailed over the No. 15-rated Terrapins in overtime, 20-13, for its third-ever success versus an Associated Press Top 25 club before a then stadium record 28,018 spectators.
All in all, a fitting tribute to Robert J. Brigham, an institutional icon who carried the school colors for 50 years as a student-athlete, assistant coach, head coach, director of athletics, and special assistant to the president before his retirement in June, 2001. Similar to its namesake, the 28,000-seat Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium carries a storied past. To its credit, the university has continued to maintain and upgrade the institution's top outdoor all-around athletics facility. In the last decade, NIU added the long-awaited East Grandstand in 1995, installed the state-of-the-art Field Turf playing surface in 2001, modernized the scoreboard and video display system in both 2000 and 2001, and created the attractive South end zone berm in 2002.
And physical changes notwithstanding, Huskie Stadium has certainly served as the stage for the fulfillment of numerous athletic dreams.
The Northern Illinois superstructure was dedicated November 6,1965, on Homecoming / "Legislator's Day" with a 48-6 triumph over Illinois State before 18,858 spectators. Little All-America QB Ron Christian completed 18-of-31 passes for 314 yards that afternoon.
Worth an estimated $22 million in 1998 dollars, the new field was originally constructed to accommodate 20,257 spectators-15,000 on the concrete West stands.
The West side superstructure now includes the Hall of Fame Speed and Strength Complex, one gym which serves as the training home for both gymnastics and wrestling plus a second gym featuring "safety-pit" facilities for the gymnastics program, classrooms, offices, locker rooms, athletics training facilities, storage areas, ticket windows, and elevator leading to the main press box, auxiliary television press box, plus the university sky box.
The stadium's AstroTurf playing surface, pioneered in 1969, was recarpeted in 1980 and 1990 before being replaced by a new Field Turf surface in 2001.
On September 20, 1969, the Northern Illinois-Idaho game marked the state's first major-college gridiron contest played on artificial turf. The Huskies won, 47-30. Hard-core trivia fanatics can also note that Huskie Stadium was the site for the state's first intercollegiate men's soccer match on AstroTurf as NIU blanked Marquette University by a 5-0 count on September 27, 1969.
Huskie Stadium has also been the site for numerous other memorable performances and performers. NIU's first "major" grid victim was Bowling Green State University on November 16, 1968. The Falcons-the winningest Mid-American Conference program in that decade-were beaten 7-6, thanks to a 97-yard opening kickoff return by split end John Spilis and a PAT kick by halfback Wayne Fiedler.
In keeping with the university's commitment to Division 1-A football, the capacity was expanded in 1982 to 30,998 seats, including several rows of field-level benches.
The next season saw thousands of NIU students ignore chilly conditions to celebrate the Huskies' first MAC crown and California Bowl berth after NIU downed Ohio University by a 41-17 tally in the regular season finale on November 19, 1983.
Northern Illinois' initial triumph over a Top 25 ballclub came at Huskie Stadium on October 6, 1990, as quarterback Stacey Robinson established two NCAA records-rushing for 287 yards in the first half and finishing with 308 overall-in leading NIU to an eye-opening 73-18 win over Fresno State rated 20th by UPI and 24th by AP. The "Wishbone Wizard" guided the Huskies to school team records with 733 rushing yards, 806 yards total offense, and 36 total first downs.
And 1993 saw LeShon Johnson become the second national rushing champion-joining Mark Kellar in 1973-to call Huskie Stadium home.
In 2002, Northern Illinois registered its second-ever victory against a Top 25 opponent with the classic 26-17 triumph over the AP's No. 16-ranked and previously unbeaten Bowling Green State in the "Duel in the Doghouse." The unforgettable afternoon on November 9, 2002, was witnessed by a crowd of 25,822 spectators, a regional Fox Sports Net television audience, and one of the largest print media contingents to cover a MAC regular-season football contest.
When the 79,000-square foot multi-use AstroTurf field was last recarpeted in 1990, it marked the beginning of a series of improvements for this decade.
The turf, padding, base repair, and eight-year maintenance contract cost approximately $655,000. The project was approved by NIU's Board of Regents and funded by bond revenue monies. In 1991, a handicapped-accessible seating area was added to the South end zone stands and the strength complex was completed.
In 1992, Northern Illinois selected the renowned sports architectural firm, Rosser Fabrap International of Atlanta, GA, to develop a multi-phase expansion plan.
Improvements for 1993 included new state-of-the-art, energy efficient metal hilite lights, a revamped public address system, and two meeting rooms.
The dual-level lighting system-installed by the famous Musco Lighting, Inc. of Oskaloosa, IA-generates 100 foot-candles for television games and gears down to only 50 foot-candles for practices. The light poles also featured new fixtures and wiring.
Additional Phase I upgrades included completely renovated locker rooms and the new Premier Club seating section with 1,200 chairback and 800 benchback seats. The 1994 campaign brought the 2,000,000th person through the stadium turnstiles. In 40 seasons, 2,987,711 fans have watched Northern Illinois football at Huskie Stadium. In the spring of 1995, Phase II construction began on the East Grandstand which was approved by the school's Board of Regents on April 13. The project drew praise for not utilizing state tax dollars or special student fee money. The funding came through a combination of private support and amortization, plus maintenance and repair funds within the current bond system.
Designed by the architectural firm of Hellmuth, Obata, and Kassabaum Sports Facilities Group, Inc., of Kansas City, MO, the East Grandstand features 10,400 aluminum bleacher seats, supported by a steel-beam superstructure. It includes 54 rows of seats and measures 67-feet high, 104-feet deep, and approximately 300-feet wide.
In addition to matching the West side in terms of raised seats approximately 6-to-8 feet above the FieldTurf surface, the architectural design also parallels the opposite side. The pre-cast concrete "lip" at the tops and sides of the East Grandstand, plus the brick walls on the East facade and along the North and South sides, match those of the West superstructure.
The East Grandstand also includes a handicapped seating deck which stretches between the 35-yard lines, and eight portals for access into that part of the stadium. Underneath, the East Grandstand concourse has six washroom facilities-four for women and two for men-along the exterior East wall, a main food commissary for concessions in the middle, and concrete paving.
Williams Brothers of Peoria, IL, served as the contractor for the project after having also handled the Premier Club seating and lockerroom renovations prior to 1994.
The 2000 football season brought the ultimate in fan amenities to Huskie Stadium. A new South end zone scoreboard that featured an 11-by-15-foot video display system-developed by Daktronics. The scoreboard also has an enhanced, directional Dodge Electronics sound system. Twenty television monitors were installed at various stadium locations-concession areas and concourses-so fans won't miss a play. In 2001, a larger video display board was installed on the south end of Huskie Stadium.
[edit] Future Plans
The $14-million NIU Jeffrey and Kimberly Yordon Center---planned for the North end zone---will soon no longer be an architect's rendering. At a press conference in conjunction with the annual Northern Illinois Spring Football Game, first-year Athletics Director Jim Phillips announced Saturday (April 23, 2005) that Huskie Intercollegiate Athletics will embark on the largest capital project in its history. Once the $7.0 million campaign goal was reached, NIU began breaking ground for the new all-purpose facility that will be finished by August 2007.
Inside the Jeffrey and Kimberly Yordon Center will be a new 3,150 sq. ft. football locker room with a 780 sq. ft. gathering area, a 12,505 sq. ft. strength and conditioning center (largest in the MAC), an academic support center, athletic training room with rehab pools, a 150-seat meeting room, video editing room, all 10 coach's offices, football equipment room, coaches' locker room, and a lot more.
[edit] Proposed Stadium Renovations
Other proposed upgrades include: a public concourse on the West side; expansion and renovation of existing skybox and press box space; the addition and / or renovation on the West side for increased support areas ranging from restrooms and concessions, expanded office space, sports medicine and equipment centers, plus additional locker facilities.
