April 4, 2008

DeKALB, Ill. - Northern Illinois Football will celebrate its past - namely former head coach Joe Novak and his wife, Carole - and look toward its future on April 25-26 with a full slate of activities for fans, friends and alumni of the football program.

Centered around the final spring football practice session of 2008 which takes place at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 26 at Huskie Stadium, the weekend activities include the Second Annual HASF Tailgate Showdown (Saturday, 10 a.m., West Side of Huskie Stadium), the Mid-American Conference Men's Tennis Championship at the Huskie Tennis Courts (Saturday, 1 p.m.) and a Saturday baseball match-up between Northern Illinois and Eastern Michigan at Ralph McKinzie Field (1 p.m.).

All of the football, tennis and baseball action is free, while admission to the Tailgate Showdown is just $10 and includes the opportunity to sample a full complement of delicious tailgate food offered by competing Huskie cooking teams. Anyone interested in entering the competition and fielding a cooking team should contact the Huskie Athletic Scholarship Fund at 815-753-1923. All proceeds from the HASF Tailgate Showdown will directly benefit Northern Illinois student-athletes.

Beginning at 11:30 a.m., the ticket windows at Huskie Stadium will be open and fans can pick up some great deals on 2008 Northern Illinois Football Tickets. Single-game tickets for the 2008 home season opener versus Indiana State on Sept. 20 will be on sale for just $8 each. In addition, fans will be able to "Select-A-Seat" for the 2008 football season with 100 of the best available season ticket seats available for purchase. You choose the location among the marked seats. These special offers on 2008 Huskie Football tickets will only be available on Saturday, April 26 at Huskie Stadium.

Season ticket holders from 2007 can also renew their season tickets during the Spring Preview Weekend, although Saturday, April 26 is the LAST DAY for 2007 season ticket holders to take advantage of the opportunity to renew at last year's prices. To renew prior to April 26, contact the NIU Athletics Ticket Office at 815-752-6800 or go on-line to www.niuhuskies.com.

Finally, there are two opportunities during the weekend for fans to join Northern Illinois University and Huskie Athletics in saying "Thank You" to former head coach Joe Novak and his wife, Carole, for their many years of dedication and service to NIU. On Friday, April 25, Northern Illinois will host an Open House in honor of the Novaks at the Jeffrey and Kimberly Yordon Center from 4-6 p.m. The open house is free and open to the public.

Finally, cap the weekend off with a very special event as a star-studded cast gathers in the Duke Ellington Ballroom at the Holmes Student Center as part of "A Night with Champions." Featuring several current NFL and many former Huskie players, this event will honor Joe and Carole Novak. In true Novak fashion, he has asked that all proceeds directly benefit the Northern Illinois Football team which he built into a Mid-American Conference power during 12 years at the helm of the program.

This will be a chance to formally thank Coach Novak as he officially retires later this spring. Admission to "A Night with Champions," is $60 per person or $600 for a table of eight. The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will feature dinner, drinks and both silent and live auctions, as well as a special program honoring Novak and his NIU football legacy. More information on the event is available on-line (click here) or by calling 815-753-1923 and reservations are requested by April 11, 2008. A more detailed list of Huskie alums expected to be in attendance will be released at a later date but don't wait, tables are filling quickly for this one-of-a-kind celebration.

A complete list of all of these events, as well as season and single game ticket information for the 2008 Huskie Football season, is available on-line at www.niuhuskies.com.

-- NIU --