Sportsmanship, or a lack thereof, has become a growing problem here at NIU.

The Huskies may be undefeated, but according to university administrators, fans at the games have not been winners.

Associate Athletics Director Robert Collins said the Huskie faithful need to treat people who come to DeKalb with some respect.

“We need to look at being a great place to bring families and friends,” Collins said, “even if you aren’t from here.”

Collins went on to say NIU has received complaints about its fans dating back to the Toledo and Bowling Green football games last year, and more recently this year with the Maryland and Iowa State games.

“They are just getting verbally abused,” Collins said about the opposing fans.

According to an NCAA report on sportsmanship and fan behavior, all student athletes agree to a sportsmanship contract. And the fans are expected to act appropriately, something that hasn’t been happening in recent months.

Judicial director Larry Bolles said he was told of several instances of students being profane in front of children, and that they were directing the profanity at senior citizens during Saturday’s game against Iowa State. Bolles said he wants to get the message across that this will stop.

“These students who are going out there and verbally abusing senior citizens and children with profanity don’t want to wind up in my office,” Bolles said. “You don’t want to be in the judicial office for that. That’s totally unacceptable.”

Bolles went on to say that NIU fans could learn a lesson from those in Alabama, where, he said, even after a tough loss, the Tide fans were very gracious.

Football coach Joe Novak echoed Bolles, saying he received several positive comments about how NIU fans were treated in Alabama and hopes NIU fans are treating the opposing fans the same way.

“We want to beat them,” Novak said. “But I hope that we are doing it with class.”

Lt. Matt Kiederlen of the University Police said there hasn’t been much criminal activity at the games, but there are still plenty of incidents.

“There hasn’t been a lot of stuff we’ve been involved with,” Kiederlen said. “It’s mostly language issues and obscene gestures.”

The Huskies have their next home game Saturday night against Ohio.

“Cheer as loud as you want, but you don’t have to abuse,” Collins said.