NIU Sports Information Director Mike Korcek won three national awards earlier this week in the 1987-88 writing and publications contests sponsored by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Korcek received “Best in the District” honors in the “Individual Event Preview” category and placed third nationally in the same CoSIDA writing contest. In the “Special Publications” competition, his NIU Hall of Fame program finished fourth in the country.

The first prize-winner—”Scouting Report: Wisconsin-Parkside”—depicted an imaginary television pregame broadcast done by John Madden and Pat Summerall of CBS Sports in the Jan. 28, 1988 issue of the “Huskie Illustrated” men’s basketball game program.

“We try to compete by doing something a little extra or a little goofy,” Korcek said.

Following is an excerpt from that award-winning report.

Summerall: “What about this freshman Donnell Thomas? At 6-foot-4, he leads this team in rebounding at 7.8 rpg.”

Madden: “That wimpy Billy Packer would probably compare Thomas to Charles Barkley. This kid reminds me more of Wilber Marshall of the Bears. Watch him. Bam! He bounces off that guy. Pow! He gets an elbow from the other guy. Bam! He still gets the ball. Whap! Watch him move his feet. Just like a lineman. You gotta like a guy nicknamed ‘D-Train.'”

Korcek’s 12-page commemorative NIU Hall of Fame program celebrated the induction of the school’s storied 1971-72 men’s basketball squad that reached the Top 20.

A native of Mount Prospect, Ill., the 40-year-old Korcek graduated from NIU in 1970 and returned to his alma mater as assistant sports information director under Bud Nangle in 1973. The 1966 Prospect High School grad succeeded Nangle in 1984.

Korcek said it was especially gratifying to beat out Notre Dame SID John Heisler, who works with a much larger budget than the NIU staff.

“Notre Dame’s football guide is this thick,” Korcek said, holding his fingers more than an inch apart. “It’s a mythical book of lore.”

Korcek said his department is able to beat out those of bigger schools due to his staff’s ability to get the most from the limited resources made available to them. Steve Nemeth, a graduate of Iowa, and Janelle Martin, a Kansas alumna, make up the rest of the NIU sports information office.

“I have obvious ties and loyalties (to NIU), but Nemo (Nemeth) and Janelle have the same loyalty,” Korcek said. “They should get an honorary NIU diploma.”