NIU running back Garrett Wolfe hasn’t played a down of football in 2006, but that’s not to say he hasn’t accomplished anything.

The nation’s leading returning rusher has been named to several preseason All-America teams, including the 70th Maxwell Award watch list.

The Maxwell Award is given annually to the Collegiate Player of the Year, and Wolfe is among 59 other candidates on the list.

“[Wolfe] certainly had two great years of production,” said NIU coach Joe Novak. “No returning player in the country has rushed for as much yardage as Garrett has the last two years. Those are some pretty impressive credentials.”

Earlier this spring, Wolfe made the First-Team Playboy All-America and Second-Team NationalChamps.com All-America teams.

Moving on up

NIU assistant basketball coach Rick Ray continued his rise through the coaching ranks when he accepted an assistant position with the Purdue Boilermakers June 8.

Ray spent the last two seasons at NIU as an assistant and recruiting coordinator.

“This is a great opportunity for me,” Ray said. “I’ve always admired the Purdue basketball family and [coach Matt Painter]. I think this program is heading in the right direction, and I’m elated to be a part of it.”

Painter shared Ray’s enthusiasm for joining the Big Ten program.

“We are very excited to have Rick join our staff,” Painter said. “We think he has all the qualities we look for at Purdue.”

Signing the dotted line

Former NIU forward Todd Peterson has inked a deal to continue his basketball career on the professional level.

Peterson signed a contract with the Lake County Lakers of the International Basketball League.

“It’s a dream that everyone has growing up,” Peterson said. “To be able to play basketball for money, that’s something else. That’s doing what you love and getting paid for it.”

Peterson averaged a team-best 12.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game in his senior season. The 6-foot-8 225 pound swing man was named to the 2005-06 All-MAC Honorable Mention team.

Getting some exposure

Much like last season, the NIU football team will kick off its season against a prominent Big Ten opponent on national television.

The Huskies will face Ohio State Sept. 2 and the game will be televised live on ABC at 2:30 p.m. in a regional telecast.

The game will be played in Columbus, Ohio at the “Horseshoe,” which has a capacity of 101,568. The game is the only ABC telecast for a MAC team all season.