Mike Korcek’s passion for, knowledge of and dedication to Huskie athletics has reached an unparalleled level.

Thus, the retirement of the Sports Information and Assistant Athletics Director will be a heart-felt loss throughout Huskie Country.

“Mike’s been here forever,” said NIU football coach Joe Novak. “He has more knowledge in his head than in his file cabinets. His feelings, memories and commitment are invaluable. You can’t put a price on his head.”

After 35 years of molding himself into a walking NIU sports almanac, Korcek, who sees himself as a humble man, said there are very few people who know more about NIU than he does.

Oddly enough, his journey to becoming the spirit of Huskie athletics began as a young boy in Mount Prospect who idolized Superman.

“I was a geeky kid,” Korcek said. “I loved to read comic books and draw. I loved baseball and football as well. Though I never played.”

Korcek admitted he didn’t become a fan of basketball until he became involved with intramural hoops, and quickly he “fell in love with the game.”

A growing interest in athletics led Korcek to write about sports for his high school newspaper, “The Prospecter.” He also drew comics.

“My first story was on the boys’ golf team,” Korcek said. “I had to walk three miles to Mt. Prospect Country Club, and I still don’t know what club to use.”

From the day Korcek stepped onto NIU’s campus, he lost himself in the realm of Huskie sports.

“The first day of school I walked into the Northern Star and said I wanted to write,” Korcek said.

Entrenching himself in the Huskie sporting world, Korcek became sports editor his junior year before falling under the wing of Bud Nagle to become an editorial research editor.

“Back then the College All-Stars played the NFL Champions in a game at Soldier Field,” Korcek said. “I went to the practice for the paper because NIU’s highest draft pick ever, wide receiver John Spillus, was playing. Their coach was Otto Graham, and I could only shake my head when I found out that Nagle had played with Graham.”

Korcek’s era was one of great growth for NIU, highlighted by the building of Huskie Stadium in 1969.

From his freshman to his senior year, NIU grew from 14,000 to 20,000 while Korcek also saw the building of the Holmes Student Center tower.

“This place just exploded,” Korcek said. “What people don’t understand is that this school is the largest in the region, and it grew from very humble beginnings. In the old days, basketball players used to play in the basement of Altgeld.”