DeKALB – For Brian Sisler, committing to play baseball next year at Northern Illinois just felt right.

MAC to discuss NCAA board's approvals

INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA is giving college sports a whole new look.

Northern Illinois athletics ranks among the top universities in the Mid-American Conference, and has once again topped the national average in the Graduation Success Rate of its student-athletes, according to data released Wednesday by the NCAA.

WASHINGTON – NCAA President Mark Emmert backed a proposal to allow conferences to increase grants to student athletes by $2,000, "to more closely approach" the full cost of attending college, beyond the athletic scholarships athletes receive for tuition, fees, room, board and books.

Northern Illinois athletics announced the latest additions to its Hall of Fame on Friday. Four individuals, one team and one family make up the 2011 Hall of Fame class, set to be inducted Oct. 7.

Top two seeds get byes to semifinals

INDIANAPOLIS – NCAA President Mark Emmert wants to cash in on the appetite for change that has been sweeping through major college athletics.

The Mid-American Conference announced Thursday that All Pro Freight Stadium, the home of the Frontier League Lake Erie Crushers, will serve as the host site for the 2012-14 MAC Baseball tournaments.

Northern Illinois designated hitter Jeff Zimmerman was chosen to the 2011 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Freshman All-American Second Team, the organization announced Monday.

The Northern Illinois baseball coach stops by to talk about this past season and recruiting the 2012 class

Baseball team bounced from MAC tournament

With a comfortable two-run lead, Northern Illinois baseball coach Ed Mathey sent closer Kyle Glancy to the mound three outs from avoiding elimination in the Mid-American Conference tournament.

DeKALB – With his father in the stands, Tony Manville Jr. struggled through less than three innings of a loss against UC Irvine in his first start this spring.

Daily Chronicle sports editor John Sahly and sports reporter Ryan Wood spend their days covering the area’s sports scene. Occasionally, they give their viewpoints on those local sports. Today, in this installment of their 2011 Take 2 column, they discuss a few things related to Northern Illinois athletics.

Northern Illinois designated hitter Jeff Zimmerman was named Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year as he was one of four Huskies recognized for the first time by the conference’s coaches, the league announced Tuesday evening.

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - With plenty of offensive support, Northern Illinois starter Tony Manville earned his ninth win of the season to tie the NIU single season wins record as the Huskies took the rubber match, 9-4, of a three-game Mid-American Conference regular season-ending series against Western Michigan at Robert J. Bobb Stadium Saturday afternoon.

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Northern Illinois was unable to solve Western Michigan starter Brian Stroud as the Huskies dropped a 5-3 decision at Robert J. Bobb Stadium in the first of a three-game, regular season-ending Mid-American Conference series on Thursday.

DeKALB – Mired in a 0-15 slump to start his collegiate baseball career, Alex Jones did what many struggling freshmen do their first year living on campus.

MILWAUKEE, Wis. - The Northern Illinois baseball team split its seven-inning doubleheader against UW-Milwaukee Tuesday, winning 11-7 in Game 1 before dropping a 13-6 decision in Game 2.

DeKALB – Ed Mathey stood outside his locker room under the Huskie Stadium bleachers Saturday after a tough loss to Ball State, a defeat that seemingly came at the worst possible time.

Troy White had just received a pitch near his head, but his anger wasn’t directed at Ball State pitcher Jacob Brewer.

DeKALB – Even after beginning the seventh inning with a walk, Northern Illinois starter Tom Barry had good reason to feel confident as he exited Saturday’s game against Ball State.

DeKALB – It was the opportunity Ben Etcheverry waited for, the chance to close an important game, and Northern Illinois’ sophomore pitcher was in danger of letting his nerves beat him.

Huskies within two games of first with six to play

DeKALB – One of Kyle Glancy’s most important competitions this spring has nothing to do with the sport that gives him a scholarship.

YPSILANTI, Mich. - Northern Illinois ace Zach Oates outdueled his counterpart Rob Wendzicki as the Huskies received the go-ahead run from Alex Jones in the ninth to claim a 4-3 win in Game One of a three-game Mid-American Conference West Division series on Friday evening at Oestrike Stadium.

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - For the first time in 2011 Mid-American Conference competition, Northern Illinois was swept in a series as the Huskies fell 13-1 to Central Michigan in the finale on Sunday afternoon at Theunissen Stadium.  The series loss marks the first in five weeks for NIU, who hadn’t lost a league series since dropping the first of the year to Bowling Green.

Trampoline-like effect gone from aluminum bats

NIU baseball rockets to top of MAC

DeKALB – Northern Illinois junior closer Kyle Glancy was named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) midseason Stopper of the Year watch list, the organization announced last Thursday.

PEORIA – Behind a strong mound performance from junior Jake Hermsen, Northern Illinois defeated Bradley 14-1 in a shortened seven-inning contest on Tuesday evening at O’Brien Field.

DeKALB – With help from a Ball State win over Central Michigan, Northern Illinois took over first place in the Mid-American Conference West Division after hanging on late for an 8-7 win over Toledo on Easter Sunday afternoon at Ralph McKinzie Field.

For just over three hours, Northern Illinois wrested first place in the Mid-American Conference West Division away from Toledo.  But after a 4-3 walk-off win in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Ralph McKinzie Field, the Rockets bounced back for an 8-1 win, leaving the two teams right back where they started the day -- tied atop the division.

Staying comfortable away from home, Northern Illinois has started its six-game road trip on the right foot, as the Huskies climbed to 2-0 with a 4-2 win over Chicago State on Wednesday afternoon at Brooks Field, extending their winning streak to four games.

A day after Jeremy Gonzales was named Mid-American Conference West Division Co-Pitcher of the Week, the senior hurler’s outstanding complete game shutout of Miami (Ohio) was hoisted even higher on Tuesday as he was named the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association’s (NCBWA) Pro-Line Athletic National Pitcher of the Week.

DeKALB – Almost everything the Miami (Ohio) baseball team tried Friday against Northern Illinois – a hit-and-run, stealing bases, defensive shifts – worked.

DeKALB – Northern Illinois already had scored its first run in the bottom of the sixth inning when first baseman Joe Etcheverry stepped in the batter’s box with two runners on base.

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - Last time Jeremy Gonzales took the bump for Northern Illinois he was hoping to salvage the last game of the Bowling Green series, and he did just that with seven scoreless innings.  Seven days later the tables turned, as Gonzales was looking to give the Huskies (10-14, 4-2 Mid-American Conference) their first series sweep, and he did just that with eight shutout innings in a 7-0 win against Buffalo on Sunday afternoon at St. Bonaventure’s McGraw-Jennings Field.

Northern Illinois entered the eighth inning leading 6-2, but a four-run frame by Aurora knotted the game, changed momentum and led to an eventual 7-6 win for the Spartans in the 11th inning Wednesday evening at Ralph McKinzie Field.

A seven-run second inning sparked Northern Illinois to a 20-5 win over Chicago State on Tuesday afternoon at Ralph McKinzie Field.

DeKALB – In the finale of a Mid-American Conference and home opening series for Northern Illinois, the Huskies shutout Bowling Green 3-0 behind a gutsy performance from starter Jeremy Gonzales Sunday afternoon at Ralph McKinzie Field.

DeKALB – Bowling Green cooled off a streaking Northern Illinois team, winning, 7-2, Friday evening at Ralph McKinzie Field in the first Mid-American Conference game for both teams

The Northern Illinois baseball team secured its fifth consecutive win on Saturday, defeating the Southern Illinois Salukis 7-5.   Early scoring and an effective day for the bullpen gave NIU their longest winning streak since 2007.

The Northern Illinois baseball team outslugged Illinois, 15-14, on Friday to capture its fourth straight win. 

After an unscheduled 10-day layoff from competition, Northern Illinois used the break to find its groove as the Huskies returned to action Wednesday to win a pair of games over North Dakota and St. Louis at Billiken Sports Center. The triumphs marked the first two of the season for NIU in the midst of a tough season opening 16-game stretch away from home.  

The Northern Illinois baseball team has rescheduled its game with Aurora University to 3:05 p.m. on Wednesday, March 30.

SURPRISE, Ariz. – Despite getting double digit hits for the fourth game in a row, Northern Illinois was outhit 17-11 as UC Riverside took down the Huskies 14-6 Saturday evening at Surprise Stadium Complex.

SURPRISE, Ariz. – Northern Illinois was four outs away from taking down the nation’s seventh-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils Friday night at Surprise Stadium.