DeKalb Times

The Northern Illinois University Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2022 has been announced. The 2022 class includes seven student-athletes: Amy Foulke (Volleyball, 1990-93), Thomas Hammock (Football, 1999-2002), Chandler Harnish (Football, 2008-11), Kristin Hoffman (Volleyball, 2008-11), Sandra Lutz (Field Hockey, Softball and Volleyball, 1966-70), Scott Simon (Baseball, 2003-07) and Chad Spann (Football, 2007-10), coach and administrator Robert Collins (1986-89, 1992-2010), four families who have been instrumental to the growth of Huskie Athletics: the Barsema Family, the Chessick Family, the Rich Family and the Yordon Family, and one special contributor, Rick Cerrone.

A larger than usual class was selected as the result of the postponement of the 2021 induction due to uncertainty from the COVID-19 pandemic.

"With this bigger class due to COVID, we feel that we have selected an elite class that represents the best of Huskie Athletics," said Hall of Fame committee chairman Rodney Davis. "We are very excited to induct this group into the Hall of Fame and we hope that the entire NIU community will join us for the celebration."

The 2022 Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on Friday, October 7, as part of NIU's 115th Homecoming weekend celebration. More information on the ceremony will be made available later this summer.

The Barsema Family

Dennis and Stacey made the largest gift in NIU history to build a new College of Business building - Barsema Hall. They were also the primary donors to the Barsema Alumni and Visitors Center, and have contributed to numerous causes at NIU, including Huskie Athletics. Within athletics, their significant contribution to the Kenneth and Ellen Chessick Practice Center made the Barsema Hall of Champions possible.

A 1977 graduate of NIU, as a student Dennis was in the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He is a member and former chair of the NIU Board of Trustees; a former chairman of the NIU Foundation Board of Directors, has served on the College of Business Executive Advisory Board and received the College of Business Distinguished Alumni Award in 2003. He is also a former instructor with the NIU College of Business and has taught leadership classes to several football leadership groups over the years.

Stacey has served on the NIU Foundation Board of Directors for many years and is the president of the Barsema Foundation. Her devotion to education and other worthy causes is evident by her commitment to NIU as well as numerous other organizations. Stacey received the NIU College of Business Honorary Alumna Award in 2018. Dennis and Stacey have three sons: Matthew, Eric and Jason. Eric ('03) and Jason ('07) are also NIU graduates.

Rick Cerrone

A NIU alum with deep ties in Major League Baseball, Rick Cerrone has forged a successful career in America's pastime.

After graduating from NIU in 1976, Cerrone worked with the magazine Baseball Quarterly, eventually purchasing the publication and renaming it Baseball Magazine. Cerrone went on to work as assistant director of public relations for MLB before joining the Pittsburgh Pirates as Vice President of Public Relations.

In 1996, Cerrone became the Senior Director of Media Relations for the New York Yankees, working for the organization until 2006 as the team won four World Series titles. Cerrone started his own company in 2009 and became the Editor in Chief of Baseball Digest in 2018. He has continued to give back to and support his alma mater in a variety of ways, including during a stint as a brand and marketing advisor.  

The Chessick Family

With a generous gift to develop the Kenneth and Ellen Chessick Practice Center, the couple have made a profound impact on NIU Athletics. Their gift was the largest ever made to NIU Athletics.

In addition to their athletic giving, the Kenneth C. Chessick Legal Training Skills Center was established at the NIU College of Law in 2004 and they also established the Restaurant.com Professorship of Interactive Marketing in the NIU College of Business.

A 1984 graduate of the NIU College of Law, Ken has served on the NIU Foundation Board of Directors. In 2012 he was named the NIU Law Distinguished Alumni Award and was honored in 2001 with the NIU Alumnus of the Year Award. Ken is also a member and past Chairman of the NIU College of Law Board of Visitors. In 2013, Ellen was honored with the NIU Law Honorary Alumna Award.

Robert Collins, Coach/Administrator, 1986-89, 1992-2010

A cornerstone figure in the NIU Athletics Department for over 20 years, Robert Collins worked as both a coach and an administrator with the Huskies.  

Collins originally came to DeKalb in 1986 as a men's basketball assistant coach under Jim Rosborough, joining the Huskies following eight highly successful years as a head coach in Chicago at Calumet High School (1978-80) and Robeson High School (1980-86). Collins was named the 1984 Illinois Basketball Coaches Association District 2 Coach of the Year and won go on to be inducted into the Chicago Public School Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003.

During his three seasons on the Huskie men's basketball staff, Collins recruited Hall of Famers Donnell Thomas and Donald Whiteside, who would help lead NIU to the NCAA Tournament in 1991. Collins moved on from NIU to join the basketball staff at DePaul in 1989 before returning to DeKalb in 1992 as an administrator.

Collins oversaw numerous departments during his tenure as an administrator, was instrumental in the hiring of Hall of Fame football coach Joe Novak and also oversaw the expansion and renovation of numerous NIU athletic facilities. Collins was the second African American at NIU to hold the position of Associate Athletic Director and was named the Senior Associate Athletic Director of the Year by the All-American Football Foundation in 2006. Collins became NIU's Deputy Athletic Director and served as Interim Athletic Director in 2008.

Amy Foulke, Volleyball, 1990-93

The NIU career leader in both total blocks and matches played, Amy Foulke was a central figure in the success of the Huskie volleyball program in the early 1990s. During her four seasons at NIU, Foulke and the Huskies made three postseason appearances, including the 1993 NCAA Tournament, while winning 115 matches.

Foulke led the Huskies in blocks for four consecutive seasons, finishing her outstanding career with 550 total blocks, tops in school history, along with 145 solo blocks, which also ranks number one in program history. More than just a blocker, Foulke also ranks 15th in Huskie history in career kills with 1,262 and ninth with 138 service aces.

A two-time first team all-conference honoree, Foulke was recognized by the North Star Conference in 1991 and the Mid-Continent Conference in 1993. She was also named the Mid-Continent Conference's Tournament MVP in 1992 and to the all-tournament team in 1993. In addition to her conference accolades, Foulke was invited to the United State Olympic Festival in both 1993 and 1994.

Foulke helped the Huskies win a school record 33 matches as a junior in 1992, reaching the semifinals of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship. During her senior season, Foulke and the Huskies won 29 matches and reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history, defeating Illinois State, 3-0, in the first round.

Thomas Hammock, Football, 1999-2002

The only two-time First Team Academic All-American in NIU football history, Thomas Hammock also recorded a pair of 1,000-yard rushing seasons during his career as a Huskie.

During his sophomore season in 2000, Hammock burst onto the scene as he rushed for 1,083 yards, 12th-most in the country, and scored 16 touchdowns, sixth best in the nation. In just nine games played, Hammock eclipsed the 100-yard mark seven times, including a stretch of five consecutive games, on his way to earning First Team All-MAC honors, along with CoSIDA First Team All-America recognition.

As a junior, Hammock gained 1,096 yards, fourth best in the MAC, and scored seven more touchdowns, while leading the Huskies with 1,166 all-purpose yards. He ran for a career-best 195 yards in a victory over Central Michigan and for the second consecutive year garnered First Team All-MAC honors as well as CoSIDA First Team All-America status. In the season opener of his senior season, Hammock ran for 172 yards and two touchdowns in an overtime victory against Wake Forest, but he missed the final 11 games of his senior campaign due to a heart condition.

Hammock finished his career as the seventh all-time leading rusher in program history with 2,432 career yards and he currently sits 13th on NIU's all-time rushing list. His 25 career touchdowns rank 10th in school history

Following his playing career, Hammock joined the coaching ranks, beginning as a graduate assistant at Wisconsin. He returned to NIU as running backs coach for two seasons (2005-06) before spending time with Minnesota and returning to Wisconsin. Hammock spent five years in the NFL as the running backs coach of the Baltimore Ravens (2014-18) before returning to DeKalb as head coach of the Huskies in 2019.

Chandler Harnish, Football, 2008-11

A championship winning quarterback, Chandler Harnish is NIU's career leader in passing yards and ranks in the top-10 in career rushing, while helping to guide the Huskies to their first conference title in nearly 30 years.

During his junior season in 2010, Harnish and the Huskies won 11 games and won the MAC West Division title, reaching the conference championship game for just the second time in program history. The NIU signal caller threw for 2,530 yards and added another 836 rushing, to break the then school record with 3,366 yards of total offense. He led the MAC, and ranked 11th nationally, with a 157.8 passer rating while earning All-MAC First Team honors.

As a senior in 2011, Harnish was awarded the Vern Smith Leadership Award as the MAC's Most Valuable Player after guiding the Huskies to another 11-win season and its first conference title since 1983. Harnish garnered honorable mention All-America honors from Sports Illustrated, was a finalist for the Wuerffel Trophy and a semifinalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year award. He posted 4,595 yards of total offense (3,216 passing and 1,379 rushing), fourth-most in the country.

Harnish concluded his outstanding NIU career with 11,927 yards of total offense, most in school history, which includes a school record 8,944 passing yards and 2,983 rushing yards, ninth-most in NIU history. He also ranks fifth in career touchdown passes (68), first in career pass completions (687), third in completion percentage (61.9 percent) and fifth in yards per attempt (5.54). Harnish was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of the 2012 NFL Draft and also spent time with the Minnesota Vikings during his pro career.

Kristin Hoffman, Volleyball, 2008-11

A standout on the volleyball court and in the classroom, Kristin Hoffman is one of just four players in Huskie volleyball history to earn All-America honors, and one of just two to claim Academic All-America recognition, a distinction she earned twice.

During her senior season in 2011, Hoffman helped guide the Huskies to a 28-7 campaign, including MAC regular season and tournament titles, as the program reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 10 years. Hoffman was named an honorable mention All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and a First Team Academic All-American by CoSIDA.

Along with her All-America honors, as a senior Hoffman was also a AVCA All-Midwest Region First Team honoree, a CoSIDA First Team All-District selection, MAC Setter of the Year and an All-MAC First Team recipient. She was also a top-10 finalist for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award and earned the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.

Hoffman ranks third in NIU school history with 4,392 career assists and twice posted single-season marks that rank in the top-10, recording 1,522 assists in 2011, fifth-most in program history, and 1,496 assists as a junior in 2010, sixth-best all-time. During that junior season, Hoffman earned CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team honors and was named to the All-MAC First Team.

Sandra Lutz, Field Hockey, Softball and Volleyball, 1966-70

An outstanding three-sport athlete during the early years of women's athletics at NIU, Sandra (Lucas) Lutz made her biggest impact on the field hockey field, where she was a three-time Midwest College Field Hockey Association All-College First Team honoree.

A goalkeeper, Lutz earned that distinction in 1966, '68 and '69. During the 1968 season, Lutz and the Huskies posted an unbeaten 10-0-3 record. Lutz also had the opportunity to play against international competition in the summer of 1967 as she represented NIU at a camp in Michigan, playing against the national teams of South Africa, Ireland and England as they toured the United States.

In addition to field hockey, Lutz played volleyball at NIU under head coach Dr. Lou Kean Moyer in 1966 and '67, playing as both a hitter and a setter, and she played softball for Dr. Mary Bell from 1966-70.

Outside of varsity athletics, Lutz was also an intramural table tennis and badminton champion, as well as a school bowling champion during her time at NIU. She was also a board member of the Women's Recreation Association from 1968-70. Lutz remained active in many sports following her time at NIU as she would become the Midwest Collegiate Field Hockey Association President and also worked as a basketball, field hockey, softball and volleyball official.

The Rich Family

Strong supporters of NIU Golf and Huskie Athletics, the Rich Family, led by Jerry Rich, also support NIU through the Rich Fund for Excellence and NIU student scholarships.

Rich Harvest Farms, owned by Jerry Rich and consistently ranked on Golf Digest's list of "America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses" is "The Home of the Huskies," providing NIU men's and women's golf with one of the finest facilities of any collegiate program in the country.

Jerry, a 1961 NIU graduate, was a member of the Math Club, and Newman Community as a student. He is a former NIU Foundation Board Member and received the Foundation President's Award for Service in 1994 and the Alumni Association Geigle Award in 1996. Jerry was the LAS Golden Anniversary Alumni Award Recipient in 2009.  

Scott Simon, Baseball, 2003-07

NIU baseball's hit king, Scott Simon is the Huskie baseball career leader in numerous categories, including hits (318), runs batted in (193) and doubles (69).

Simon made an immediate impact during his first season in DeKalb as he led the Huskies, and MAC freshmen, with a .376 batting average during his rookie season in 2003. Simon, who was second among MAC rookies with 40 RBI, was named to the All-MAC Second Team and earned First Team Freshman All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball.

The following season, Simon continued to rank among the conference's elite hitting, batting .374 while hitting safely in 52-of-59 games. He led the MAC in both RBI (71) and doubles (24), setting single-season school records in both categories. Following his sophomore season, Simon was named a Baseball America Summer League All-American after leading the Mat-Su Miners of the Alaska League to the National Baseball Congress World Series, where he was named MVP.

After missing the 2005 season, Simon was named to the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List prior to his junior year in 2006. Playing in all 55 games, Simon hit .329 with 70 hits, seven home runs and 38 RBI. Simon collected the 245th hit of his Huskie career in the final game of his junior year against Toledo.

As a senior, Simon was again named to the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List for National Player of the Year, and he led the Huskies with 73 hits while starting 57 of NIU's 58 games, as he hit .329.

Chad Spann, Football, 2007-10

An outstanding running back with a nose for the end zone, Chad Spann ranks second in school history with 49 career rushing touchdowns and 10th with 2,916 rushing yards. His 5.44 yards per carry ranks sixth best in school history and he posted 10 100-yard rushing games during his Huskie career.

Spann earned the first of his two First Team All-MAC honors as a junior in 2009 as he rushed for 1,038 yards and scored 19 touchdowns, tying the school record. Along with his one touchdown catch, Spann scored 120 points, second in the MAC and tied for 12th nationally, while leading the Huskies with 1,160 all-purpose yards.  

During his senior season in 2010, Spann helped the Huskies win 11 games, including the MAC West Division title and the Humanitarian Bowl. NIU reached the MAC Championship Game for just the second time in school history as Spann started all 14 games and ran for 1,388 yards, tops in the MAC and 20th-best in the nation, while recording a then school-record 22 rushing touchdowns. The Huskie running back won the Vern Smith Leadership Award while also collecting First Team All-MAC recognition.

Following his time as a Huskie, Spann played in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Houston Texans, including playing in the 2011 playoffs with the Steelers. He also spent time with the Indianapolis Colts, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets.

The Yordon Family

Made the lead, and largest, gift to develop the Yordon Center, which has been a game-changing facility for the NIU football program, and Huskie Athletics as a whole. Jeff and Jennifer Yordon have also supported the Kenneth and Ellen Chessick Practice Center, among other projects in athletics and NIU.

Jeff is the President/COO of Athenex Pharma and was previously Chairman, CEO, and Founder of Sagent Pharmaceuticals. He is also a former chairman of the NIU Foundation Board of Directors and has been a regular visiting professor in the NIU College of Business and Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Jeff Yordon graduated from NIU in 1970 with a degree in political science. During his time as a student he was a member of the Sigma Pi fraternity as well as the Huskie football and track teams. 

Original source can be found here.