Amongst the many faces at NIU, a new look can be found within the athletic department this fall.

While Athletic Director Gerald O’Dell has almost completed his first year at NIU, he is beginning to make some adjustments in the crowd.

One new face is that of Leo Hensley. Hensley is filling a new associate athletic director’s position. Hensley’s job includes developing communications and fundraising for Huskie athletics.

Hensley comes to DeKalb after spending three years at Emporia State University in Kansas, where his development of Emporia’s program caught the eye of O’Dell. For example, in 1987 Hensley was an important factor in getting $450,000 in donations for ESU.

“He is a thorough professional that understands annual and deferred giving and major gift solicitation,” O’Dell said. “He is a ‘people person’ that our constituents will quickly adopt.”

The differences between NIU and ESU are what gives Hensley his challenge. One major change is the school size. Moving from a school of 5,000 to a Division I program will give him a broader base to work from. NIU’s location, with “untapped resources” Chicago and Rockford close by, appealed to Hensley.

While Hensley will work on the development of Huskie athletics, Clarence Husdon fills in the void left by Associate AD Jerry Ippoliti. Hudson, a former college football teammate of O’Dell’s, comes to NIU after four years as a divisional rental manager with Ruan Transportation.

Hudson’s past includes an eight-year stint as a Division I assistant coach. Hudson began his coaching career in 1976 as a receivers coach at Witchita State, which was followed by four years at Iowa State as a running back coach. All this led to his 1983 position as offensive coordinator for Minnesota.

“My main function will be to aid the coaches in administering their sports to a point where they can concentrate on their jobs, which is to win games,” he said. “My job is to take the pressure off the coaches.”

The fresh look does not end with the administration. Pete Waite was recently hired as NIU head volleyball coach. Although Waite is new to the Huskie helm, he is not new to Illinois volleyball. The head coach served as assistant coach at Illinois State during the past two seasons and assisted Julie Morgan and her Redbirds to a 14-18 finish in 1986 and a 15-12 record last season.

Waite said he took the lead position at NIU, because it met his expectations.

“There’s definitely a good base to work from,” Waite said of the Huskie squad. “One thing I’m excited about, in meeting with the team, I found it’s a group that’s extremely interested in working hard and becoming better.”