DeKALB — Sean T. Frazier, associate vice president and athletic director, unveiled the five former Huskie student-athletes and one coach and administrator who were inducted into the 2017 NIU Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday at the Victor E. Ball at the Kenneth and Ellen Chessick Practice Center.

The Huskie Hall of Fame was created in 1978 with nine student-athlete and coaches and administrator inductions. NIU has inducted 212 student-athletes, 18 teams and one family.

The inductees for this year include Dee Abrahamson, who has the most wins as softball head coach in school history from 1980 to 1994 and athletics administrator from 1995 to 2011.

Other inductees include Steve Azar, who played football from 2000 to 2003, men’s gymnast Mark Goodson, 1976 to 1980, Ed Kositzki, men’s soccer player from 1969 to 1971, Angela Lockett, women’s basketball player from 1990 to 1992 and 1993 to 1995 and Garrett Wolfe, former running back from 2004 to 2006.

Dee Abrahamson, former softball head coach from 1980 to 1994 and athletic administrator from 1995 to 2011

Abrahamson said she was surprised by the nomination because her 1988 softball team, which was ranked as high as No. 10 in the nation and went to the Women’s College World Series, was inducted in 2002, and said she did not expect to be inducted as an individual.

Abrahamson led the Huskies to a school-record, 40-win season in 1993.

After she left as softball head coach, she moved into NIU athletic administration from 1994 to 2011 and became NCAA Softball Secretary Rules editor in 1996.

Abrahamson said she found out about the induction Thursday while driving to dinner with a few colleagues and the son of one of the 1988 softball players at Remington’s, 102 S. Third Street in Malta, and looks forward to being in attendance at the 2017 induction Oct. 6.

Steve Azar, former football kicker 2000 to 2003

Azar is NIU’s all-time leading scorer with 370 points and is the only player in NIU history to earn all-conference honors four times.

Azar said it was a dream come true for him when he learned Thursday that he would be inducted.

“I never thought I would be listed with the caliber of people and be in this classification before,” Azar said. “I don’t really have the words to describe it right now since it just hit me. It’s a major accomplishment that I was able to be on such great teams, do everything I did and be recognized.”

Azar is NIU’s all-time leading scorer with 370 points and is the only player in NIU history to earn all-conference honors four times.

Azar said it was a dream come true for him when he learned Thursday that he would be inducted.

“I never thought I would be listed with the caliber of people and be in this classification before,” Azar said. “I don’t really have the words to describe it right now since it just hit me. It’s a major accomplishment that I was able to be on such great teams, do everything I did and be recognized.”

Men’s gymnast Mark Goodson, 1976 to 1980

Goodson said he found out Friday evening he was going to be inducted into this year’s Hall of Fame.

He was a four-time NCAA qualifier in floor exercise as his 1978 team was ranked No. 1 in the country and said he was ranked No. 1 in the NCAA on floor routine.

Goodson was a two-time All-American and said it’s quite an honor to be nominated to the Huskie Hall of Fame after his 1978 team was inducted in 2010.

“It’s nice to be recognized for the success of our [1978] team,” Goodson said. “We went undefeated, [and] we were ranked No. 1 in the country.”

Goodson said during his time at NIU the team would sell out their meets and bring in around 10,000 fans.

“We always had a successful team,” Goodson said. “We always had a team that was the best in our conference and one of the best in the region.”

Ed Kositzki, men’s soccer player from 1969 to 1971

Kositzki holds the NIU record for goals in a career with 45 goals as well as in a season with 27 and a game with seven, which he did twice. Kositzki said he originally came to NIU as a football player, specifically a tight end and kicker.

Kositzki said he lost his football scholarship after his freshman year but gained another opportunity because of word-of-mouth by other soccer players who vouched for him and eventually switched over to soccer.

Kositzki said it’s a tremendous honor to receive the nomination but that it was not an individual effort.

“You can never win the game by yourself,” Kositzki said. “You certainly can’t score goals by yourself. [You need] somebody to assist you or get you the ball. It is for all of those people that this award means so much to me.”

Angela Lockett, women’s basketball player from 1990 to 1992 and 1993 to 1995

Lockett is eighth on NIU’s all-time scoring list, third in rebounding with 1,014 career rebounds and was named league tournamnent MVP twice in her four seasons.

Lockett found out about the induction on Thursday, which happened to be her birthday, so she said it was a great honor to receive the call on that day.

“The call couldn’t have came on a better day,” Lockett said. “It was a very nice birthday gift.”

Lockett said she was thankful to the NIU community for being so great to her in her time here, which included a trip April 4 when she came back for the women’s basketball Alumni Day.

“I saw so many old faces,” Lockett said. “Everyone seemed like the love was still there.”

Wolfe has not been reached by NIU Athletics about his nomination and was therefore unavailable for comment.

The 2017 class will be introduced Oct. 6 at the 33rd induction in the past 40 years at the 111th Homecoming in the Holmes Student Center.