Huskie Stadium: A Legacy of Football at Northern Illinois University
Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium stands as a testament to the rich football tradition at Northern Illinois University (NIU). Located on the west end of the NIU campus in DeKalb, Illinois, the stadium has been the home of the NIU Huskies since 1965. Bordered by Stadium Drive to the south, the Yordon Athletic Center to the north, Mary Bell Field to the east, and Ralph McKinzie Field to the west, Huskie Stadium has evolved significantly over the decades, reflecting the growth and aspirations of the university and its athletic programs.
Early Days and the Rise of Huskie Stadium
Prior to 1965, the Huskies played at Glidden Field, a more modest 5,500-seat facility located on the east end of campus, near Lucinda Avenue and Gilbert Way, where Jack Arrends Hall and the Music Building stand today. As the Baby Boomer generation swelled the university's ranks in the 1960s, the football program, led by head coach Howard Fletcher and quarterback George Bork, experienced unprecedented success. The team's achievements, including conference championships in 1963, 1964, and 1965, Mineral Water Bowl appearances, and the 10-0-0 season in 1963 that earned them a College Division National Championship, fueled the desire for upgraded facilities.
The limited capacity of Glidden Field struggled to accommodate the growing crowds, prompting NIU athletics director George "Chick" Evans to advocate for a new stadium on the west campus. This new facility would not only house student-athletes but also provide space for future physical education teachers, justifying the inclusion of three teaching gyms beneath the West Grandstand. Students voted to increase their bond revenue fee by $17 per year in 1963 so that the stadium could be constructed, according to a Nov. 3, 1965 Northern Star article. The Illinois General Assembly passed a bill in spring of 1963 appropriating $450,000 for physical education facilities to be located underneath the stadium, and the final plans were approved by the Board of Governors of State Colleges and Universities in October of 1963, according to the Northern Star.
Designed by architects Holabird and Root of Chicago and built by Peterson-Roberts Construction of Rock Island, Illinois, Huskie Stadium was completed at a cost of $2,265,172 in 1965 bond revenue dollars. Building began in January of 1964, and the stadium was set to be completed by Sept. Due to construction delays, NIU played the first three home games of its 1965 schedule at Glidden Field. The stadium was dedicated Nov. 6, 1965, on Homecoming with a 48-6 triumph over Illinois State before 18,858 spectators. The dedication included a show by the Marching Huskies Band, a turf-planting ceremony by Alphi Phi Omega and the symbolic planting of sod from Glidden Field, according to a Nov.
Key Moments and Transformations
Huskie Stadium has witnessed numerous significant events and undergone several transformations since its opening.
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- Official Naming: As part of the university’s 75th-anniversary observance in May 1974, it was officially named “Huskie Stadium” by NIU President Richard Nelson and a local blue-ribbon committee.
- Surface Changes: The stadium's natural grass surface was replaced with AstroTurf in 1969, marking the beginning of a series of surface upgrades. The AstroTurf was recarpeted in 1980 and 1990 before being replaced by FieldTurf in 2001 and again in 2009. On Sept. 20, 1969, the Northern Illinois-Idaho game, a 47-30 NIU victory, marked the state's first major-college gridiron contest played on artificial turf. Trivia fanatics also note that Huskie Stadium was the site of the state's first intercollegiate men's soccer match on AstroTurf as NIU blanked Marquette University by a 5-0 count on Sept.
- Expansion and Enhancements: In 1982, the stadium's capacity was temporarily expanded to 30,998 seats, including several rows of field-level benches. A handicapped-accessible seating area was added in 1991. The East Grandstand was added in 1995 at a cost of $4,000,000. The East Grandstand construction of 1995 featured 10,500 aluminum bleacher seats supported by a steel-beam superstructure and includes 54 rows of seats. The scoreboard has an enhanced, directional Dodge Electronics sound system. In addition, television monitors were installed at various stadium locations so fans won't miss a play.
- Rededication: On August 28, 2003, the facility was rededicated as Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium as a fitting tribute to Robert J. Brigham, an institutional icon who carried the school's colors for more than 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. Originally, Northern Illinois University’s football facility was known as “The House That George Bork Built” in honor of the former Little All-America quarterback who led the program to national prominence in the 1960s. Named in honor of Robert J. Brigham, a Northern Illinois Hall of Fame icon who carried the Cardinal and Black 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. “It is a natural and an overdue tribute to Dr. Bob,” Groth said. “I cannot think of a more loyal and devoted Northern Illinois alum. He served has alma mater with distinction, dignity, integrity, and perseverance. You really cannot say enough about his many contributions to NIU intercollegiate athletics and this institution. Like its namesake, the 30,076-seat Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium carries a storied past. “It’s a dream of many people-including Bob Brigham-that has been finally fulfilled,” Groth added. “Enhancing the stadium not only helps our football program, but our other sports teams as well. And physical changes notwithstanding, Huskie Stadium has certainly served as the stage to 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. 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, lockerrooms, athletics training facilities, storage areas, ticket windows, and elevator leading to the main press box, auxiliary television press box, plus the university sky box.
- Record-Breaking Performances: The stadium was also the site of a few NCAA records. Against Fresno State in 1990, quarterback Stacey Robinson rushed for 287 yards in the first half and finished with 308 overall, as NIU upset the 24th-ranked Bulldogs 73-18. In that game on October 6, the Huskies established school records for rushing yards (733), total offense (806), and first downs (36). It was also the first victory over a ranked opponent at the stadium.
- Facility Upgrades: Significant 21st-century additions include the Yordon (2007) and Chessick (2013) centers. The university has maintained and enhanced the institution's all-around athletics facility, updating the scoreboard and video display system in both 2000 and 2001, and creating the South End Zone berm in 2002.
Planned Renovations and Future Vision
NIU had announced plans in 2014 to renovate Huskie Stadium. Following its renovation, the stadium will have a horseshoe shape, with end zone seating added to the south side of the stadium. The capacity will be raised to between 30,000 and 35,000, with the potential to expand it further to 42,000 in the future. The gymnastics and wrestling practice areas housed within the stadium will be moved to make room on the west side for a full concourse, more concessions, and more easily accessible restrooms. The east side will hold new luxury seating sections, including suites, double suites, loge box seating, a club lounge, as well as both indoor and outdoor club seats. With a capacity somewhere between 30,000 and 35,000, the renovation will make Huskie Stadium amongst the MAC's largest in capacity. Both InfoCision Stadium (Akron) and Waldo Stadium (Western Michigan) hold 30,000; Rynearson Stadium (Eastern Michigan) holds 30,200; Kelly/Shorts Stadium (Central Michigan) holds 30,255.
The renovations will be part of a $138 million overhaul to NIU's athletic facilities. As part of this overhaul, Ralph McKinzie Field, located just west of Huskie Stadium, will be replaced by a new artificial-turf baseball stadium to be built northeast of the Convocation Center and south of the Outdoor Recreation Sports Complex. A tennis facility featuring four indoor courts and locker rooms will be built to the west of the Chessick Practice Center and house NIU's tennis teams. An 'Olympic sports facility' containing practice areas for golf, gymnastics, and wrestling, as well as locker rooms for multiple sports, will be built to the west of the tennis facility. The wrestling and gymnastics practice areas will replace those currently housed within Huskie Stadium. The Convocation Center will have a ring built behind the seating area to connect the lobbies on the north and south sides, allowing fans to walk from one side of the venue to the other using the concourse. Mary M. In 2005, it was announced that the NIU Academic and Athletic Performance Center, a new field house and athletic training facility, would be built in the north end zone. At a press conference in conjunction with the annual NIU Spring Football Game, first-year Athletics Director Jim Phillips announced on April 23, 2005, that Huskie Intercollegiate Athletics would embark on the largest capital project in its history. The practice center features a full-size 120-yard practice field with two end zones and overrun buffer space around the field for safety.
A Hub for Athletics and Community
Abuzz with activity on any home football game day, Huskie Stadium is also a multi-use, everyday building that serves the Northern Illinois community. The three-millionth fan passed through the stadium turnstiles in 2005. Huskie Stadium’s sports medicine and locker areas are utilized by 11 of those programs-football, baseball, soccer, tennis, and wrestling on the men’s side; gymnastics, softball, soccer, tennis, plus indoor and outdoor track and field on the women’s side. Among those sports, three other adjacent athletics facilities-the Huskie SoccerSphere, Ralph McKinzie Baseball Field, and Mary M. Bell Softball Field-are among the collegiate world’s best. Bell Field hosted the Illinois High School Association Class AA (large school) Championships for three years (1998-2000).
Recent Successes and National Recognition
Several facility upgrades coincided with the ascension of the Huskie football program. The Huskies have experienced large amounts of success in the national spotlight, defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Iowa State Cyclones, Purdue, Northwestern, Nebraska, and the Maryland Terrapins. In recent years, the football program has generated national headlines for the institution. With seven consecutive winning seasons (best in the MAC), NIU has the 25th best record in the nation since 2000 (53-30)---including triumphs over Bowl Championship Series programs such as Wake Forest, Minnesota, University of Alabama, Kansas, University of Maryland, Purdue University (2009, 2013), Iowa, and Iowa State University among others. The Huskies finished ranked in the Top 30 during the 2003 and 2004 seasons and defeated Troy University, 34-21, in the 2004 Silicon Valley Football Classic. In 2006, NIU faced off against TCU in the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego, California making it the second time in three years NIU had gone to a postseason bowl game. The Huskies made it four bowls in six years with a trip to the International Bowl in 2010 against the University of South Florida.
NIU’s football team competed on the Glidden Field before the Huskie Stadium was even an idea. Students voted to increase their bond revenue fee by $17 per year in 1963 so that the stadium could be constructed, according to a Nov. 3, 1965 Northern Star article. The Illinois General Assembly passed a bill in spring of 1963 appropriating $450,000 for physical education facilities to be located underneath the stadium, and the final plans were approved by the Board of Governors of State Colleges and Universities in October of 1963, according to the Northern Star.
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NIU will celebrate 50 years of the Huskie Stadium at its 109th annual Homecoming game Saturday. Cheer on Huskie Football or take in an event at NIU Huskie Stadium. This on-campus facility that has been the site of 163 wins by the NIU football team over the last 50 seasons, four MAC Championship teams and many of the greatest players in school history. Dedicated on November 6, 1965, with a 48-6 NIU win over Illinois State on Homecoming, the stadium was named Huskie Stadium in 1974 as part of NIU's 75th Anniversary celebration.
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