NIU pitcher Joe Piekarz wasn’t even alive the last time a Huskie won First Team All-MAC honors.

Piekarz became the first NIU player since 1980 to win the award in late May.

Fellow Huskie pitcher Zach Minor and shortstop Greg Larsen joined Piekarz with all-conference honors. Both were named to the Second Team.

“At the beginning, I never thought this would happen, but as the season went on, I had more outings and was more confident,” Piekarz said. “It’s a great honor just to be the first in 20 years. Maybe now more people will get [First Team All-MAC] in the future.”

Piekarz and Minor led the team’s starters in ERA, giving up an average of 2.55 and 3.61 runs per game, respectively.

“Joe pitched great all year, and Minor did great also,” Larsen said. “Those two really did a good job getting us out of jams all year.”

Pitching coach Luke Sabers said Piekarz and Minor’s achievements helped to establish for NIU a solid pitching reputation.

“It’s a real credit to those two guys and the work they put in,” Sabers said. “It’d be hard for two guys to work harder than they did.”

Piekarz and Minor were both seniors, but that didn’t have Sabers worried about the quality of his pitching staff for next season.

“These guys set the tone for some of the younger guys,” Sabers said.

Minor was among four NIU players to be drafted by major league teams. Minor and Rob Marconi were picked up by the Baltimore Orioles, and NIU closer Trevor Wohlgemuth and Mike Santoro will head to the San Francisco Giants.

“I’m extremely pleased that they have that opportunity to go out and play,” NIU coach Ed Mathey said. “It also speaks well for the program at Northern Illinois. It tells you some good things are going on baseball-wise.”

Mathey was pleased with the Huskies’ three All-MAC selections, but said he argued that even more of his players were deserving of the award.

Mathey said several of his players broke school records, including Scott Simon, who had a record amount of hits (89), RBIs (71) and doubles (24) on top of batting a team-leading .374. Marconi’s team-leading 13 home runs also helped him break NIU’s career home run record.