Despite all the success NIU’s athletic program has had over the last few seasons, it is losing an important piece of the puzzle: Athletic Director Jeff Compher.

Over the last five seasons under Compher, NIU has won a number of MAC championships, including four in 2011-2012. Football has had the most success, winning the MAC Championship back to back and earning NIU’s first ever birth to the Discover Orange Bowl.

“To me it just confirmed how good of a program we are and that we can compete on a national stage,” Compher said, according to an April 11 Northern Star article. “To see us out there in that light, it was so gratifying for everybody because I knew how hard people worked, and when you know that and then you see the results of their hard work pay off with something of that magnitude, that’s where you feel proud.”

The Huskies have thrived in the classroom as well as on the field during Compher’s tenure. Since he took over there have been seven Academic All-Americans, two National Football Foundation Scholar-Athletes, an NCAA Woman of the Year finalist and football has ranked top 12 in the country in NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate in each of the last four seasons.

Compher also helped make a deal with the IHSA to allow NIU to host the high school football state championships five times over the next 10 years and was a big factor in the development of the Chessick Practice Center.

Compher announced his decision to leave NIU for Eastern Carolina University on March 6. He will begin his tenure at ECU effective today.