Before the start of the fall semester, the NIU men’s soccer team will have already been hard at work on the playing field.

The Huskies will play an intrasquad scrimmage Aug. 9 before heading out to play an exhibition game at DePaul Aug. 15.

The annual alumni game is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Aug. 19 before the Huskies take on Marquette at 4:30 in their final exhibition game of the fall.

Finally, NIU will play in the Northwestern Lakeside Classic in Evanston Aug. 25 and 27 against Dayton and Hofstra, respectively.

“I believe the strength of schedule should rate among the top 30,” said NIU coach Steve Simmons. “When you add in the fact the MAC was ranked as the No. 8 league in the nation last year, I’m certain our RPI should be favorable.”

Simmons’ team will bring in nine new recruits next fall to help improve NIU’s 11-6-2 overall record and 4-1 MAC mark. Eric Luzzi, who was the head coach at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota last season, has become Simmons’ new right-hand man. Luzzi is replacing Ian Clerihhew, who accepted the spot of assistant head coach at St. John’s University.

“I was looking for someone to complement what Ian did with our goalkeepers,” Simmons said. “I’m certain Eric is up for the challenge, having coached some of the best keepers in the Midwest over the past several years.”

Another victory for Miller

NIU women’s soccer coach Marci Miller played all 90 minutes in the United States Women’s National Team’s 2-0 win over Canada Sunday.

The win moved the women to 9-0-3 in their preparation for the upcoming qualifier for the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The 30-year-old NIU boss is the oldest player to earn her first national team cap, the term used for playing experiences with the national team, and is hoping to earn her seventh “cap” when head coach Greg Ryan chooses from his 42-player pool for its next game.

NIU fans wishing to see Miller in action in person may have a chance Aug. 27 at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, where the Chicago Fire play, as Miller’s team will take on China.

Coaches rake in more honors

NIU baseball coach Ed Mathey threw out the ceremonial first pitch Sunday for the nine, 11 and 15-year old Continental Amateur Baseball Association World Series in Crystal Lake.

This comes 11 days after NIU football coach Joe Novak and men’s basketball coach Rob Judson were chosen to sing the seventh-inning stretch at Wrigley Field.

The CABA World Series includes 83 teams and over 1,600 players and coaches from across the United States, Puerto Rico and Japan.

Seniors Scott Simon and Mark Badgley, and former NIU pitcher Nick Hall all were former participants in the CABA World Series.