At halftime of Saturday’s football game, six individuals were honored for being inducted into the NIU Athletics Hall of Fame.

The 22nd overall induction class honorees were former women’s basketball coach Jane Albright; former baseball and basketball player Sam Bedrosian; former football player LeShon Johnson; current Sports Information Director Mike Korcek; and former basketball players Donnell Thomas and Donald Whiteside.

“It’s a great, great honor to just go into the hall of fame with such great company,” said Whiteside, who now is an assistant for the NIU basketball team. “If I had a choice to do it anyway, this is the way I’d do it. This is a great time to be a Huskie.”

Whiteside and Thomas both played at NIU from 1987 to 1991 and led the Huskies to a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Thomas was unable to attend the festivities because he was with his father, who is experiencing health problems.

Johnson, a unanimous All-American, returned for his first NIU football game since he left the campus.

“It was awesome coming in today and seeing all the Red and Black fans walking around here,” Johnson said.

Johnson was drafted No. 84 by the Green Bay Packers in the 1994 NFL Draft. He finished his pro career with the XFL’s Chicago Enforcers in 2000.

Korcek, 55, is in his 20th year as the Sports Information Director at his alma mater.

“This is really awesome,” Korcek said. “I’m usually up in the press box, but to be down here in this environment with the other hall of famers, and to be next to LeShon Johnson, it’s just awesome. I’m speechless for the first time in my life. It’s been a great weekend.”

The formal induction ceremonies took place Friday night at the Holmes Student Center as part of NIU’s 97th Homecoming weekend.

“It’s great to see all these ex-players come back and have such pride in their program,” NIU football coach Joe Novak said, “because that’s what it is: their program.”