Since NIU football coach Joe Novak is a little busy on game days, he will have to get his tailgaiting in earlier than most football fans.

Novak and some of his Huskie staff members will attend the Fourth Annual Smokin’ Joe’s Preseason Tailage Party hosted by Tom McClain Ford-Mercury (Highway 251 South) Thursday in Rochelle.

The party will run from 2 to 7 p.m. with Novak being in attendance from 4 to 6:30. Huskie cheerleaders and mascot Victor E. Huskie will also attend the event.

The Preseason Tailgate also features door prizes and raffles in addition to free food.

On the national stage

NIU women’s soccer coach Marci Miller did her part in helping the United States Women’s National Team remain unbeaten at 8-0-3 in exhibition play following a 5-0 shutout victory Sunday over Ireland.

Miller, who is noted in the U.S. Women’s National Team media guide as being the oldest player to earn her first national camp, registered her sixth “cap,” the term used for playing appearances with the national team.

Miller has continued her recruiting efforts despite her role with the national team with help from assistant coach and husband Paul Jobson.

Wolfe, Free honored… again

In the broken record world of preseason accolades, NIU football players Garrett Wolfe and Doug Free have once again been honored.

Inside College Football Preview magazine lists Free as a first-team All American and Wolfe as a second teamer. The duo is also featured on the publications all-MAC team along with NIU safety Dustin Utschig, with Wolfe as the league MVP.

CollegeFootballNews.com also recognized Wolfe and Free listing each as the sixth best in the country at their respective positions.

NIU opens its 2006 campaign Sept. 2 at Ohio State in a 2:30 CT ABC Regional telecast.

Not sub-par in class

NIU golfers Ethan Roush and Nick Schenk were named Cleveland golf All-Americans with respective GPAs of 3.21.

Only juniors and seniors with at least a 3.20 cumulative grade-point-average are eligible to be a Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar. In addition, golfers must have a stroke average under 76.0 for Division I, under 78.0 for Division II and under 79.0 for Division III.

Prior to the 2006 spring semester, both Roush and Schenk each held a cumulative GPA of 3.21.

This is a great honor for Nick and Ethan,” NIU coach John Cleary said. “Only juniors and seniors are eligible for the award and for them to get this award both years is a tremendous accomplishment.

Schenk, a First Team All-Mid American Conference selection in 2006, finished the season with a team-best stroke average of 72.7. The Batavia native became the first Huskie since Tim Countryman in 1997 to earn first-team all-league honors. In ten tournaments in 2005-06, Schenk, who graduated with a degree in Accountancy, finished in the top-10 seven times.