A fight that sent two NIU students to the hospital and brought charges against three football players have NIU officials scrambling for details.

Formal complaints against the players were lodged with NIU’s Judicial Office on Tuesday. DeKalb Police charged the trio with aggravated battery last week. None of the participants would comment, on advice from their attorneys.

Judicial Office Director Larry Bolles said he is trying to find eye witnesses to sort things out. Both sides claim the other provoked the fight.

Early last Wednesday, halfback Brent Schroeder, cornerback Rich Favor and defensive tackle Tom Osteen sent NIU students Joseph Marconi and Shawn Doyle to Kishwaukee Community Hospital. Marconi suffered a broken nose, concussion and two black eyes. Doyle received 14 stitches to his head.

The fight reportedly happened next to the Amnesia night club, 1000 W. Lincoln Hwy. It is unclear if alcohol was involved.

Marconi, 5’11”, 170 pounds, was admitted and discharged the next day. Doyle, 5’11”, 175, was treated and released.

Osteen is a 6’2″, 265, sophomore. Favor is a 5’11”, 193, sophomore and Schroeder is a 6‘, 191, junior. Pre-season stats showed that Osteen bench presses 375 pounds, the third most on the team. Schroeder holds the third longest run from scrimmage in NIU’s history and was named a Huskie Scholar for his 3.2 grade point average last spring.

The DeKalb Police charged Osteen with two counts of aggravated battery and Favor and Schroeder with one count.

Head Football Coach Jerry Pettibone said the three players were suspended from the team pending the investigations’ findings. The team is doing conditioning work because the season ended last week.

“If it were during the season, they would not be able to play,” Pettibone said, emphasizing the athletic department doesn’t condone any actions that would put the players or university in a bad light.

Pettibone declined to comment on whether the players’ scholarships are in jeopardy. However, he did say the athletic department would wait until after the investigation before considering revoking the scholarships.

Pettibone said the trio receives enough money to cover room, board and books, but declined to give a dollar amount.