Home sweet home takes on a new meaning for NIU athletes, coaches and fans, who will find their “homes” have been remodeled or newly constructed.

It’s all a part of NIU’s renovation and expansion of athletic facilities.

The first two of four phases in the plan were completed over the summer, according to Athletic Director Gerald O’Dell. Summer projects at Huskie Stadium and Huskie Soccer Field are now finished, while work on a new softball field and the renovation of the baseball diamond continues in various stages of progress. The entire project is part of a five-year master plan for NIU athletics, O’Dell said.

“Our aim is to make NIU’s west campus athletic complex a series of state-of-the-art facilities,” O’Dell explained. “We want to create facilities people in the community are proud of and feel a part of. The quality of the Northern Illinois athletic complex is a compliment to the quality of our programs.”

Improvements in Huskie Stadium include newly painted football and field hockey lines, and end zones which now sport red-lettered “Huskies”. Most beneficial is the replacement of the 10-year old Astroturf, which head football coach Jerry Pettibone feels will make a big difference in his players’ performance.

“The old turf repelled water and made traction difficult on humid or rainy days,” Pettibone explained. “The new turf soaks up water in the padding and drains it off on the sides, making it easier for players to run.”

Additional changes include the expanded weight room, which is now twice its former size, with 4500 square feet of lifting space. New weight equipment was also purchased for the facility. The strength and conditioning complex, which is located in the stadium’s North gymnasium, is used by all student athletes.

Huskie Soccer Field, the second summer work project, was enclosed by a brown, vinyl coated, chain-link fence. The fence is the middle project of a three year plan that began with last summer’s construction of the playing field. The soccer field will also get a facelift with plans for a permanent press box and television filming platforms, additional bleachers and landscaping.

“Intercollegiate soccer has undergone tremendous growth among participants and fans, and I feel our work in creating a quality facility for the Huskie program shows we have made a commitment to the sport’s success at Northern Illinois.” O’Dell said.

And with construction already underway, head softball coach Dee Abrahamson is anxious for the completion of the new softball field. The new field means she and her players will have access to a diamond that is strictly for softball. When baseball was originally cut in 1982, the softball team was forced to make do with the renovated baseball field.

“The new field will have bleachers closer to the players, which is the usual during softball games and a solid fence around the outfield,” Abrahamson said. “The addition of permanent batting cages will also allow the athletes a chance to max out at practice. It will be possible now to run a series of different drills at the same time so players are not waiting for their turn, but actually participating at all times.”

Last, but not least, conversion of the baseball field from a softball facility remains on the agenda. First priority will involve moving the outfield fences back to at least 390-feet. Along with sodding the infield, head baseball coach Spanky McFarland hopes to “dress-up” the field. Those plans include a new scoreboard and improved bleachers.