NIU announces plans for new $4M athletics nutrition facility

DeKALB – Northern Illinois University recently announced plans to build a new $4 million athletics nutrition facility on campus, which is meant to expand its existing sports center, cater to student-athletes and serve as a recruitment tool for future Huskies.

The project, dubbed the 1899 Club, is expected to be a multi-use facility that will expand on the university’s Northwestern Medicine Sports Performance Center and the Phi Sigma Kappa Alumni Association of NIU Nutrition Center, which opened in June 2019, according to a news release from NIU.

“The time is now,” Sean Frazier, NIU vice president and director of athletics and recreation, said in a news release. “Internally, we have talked about this project for a while. We are thrilled to unveil a plan to provide training table space for many of our student-athletes while also allowing for expansion to our student-athlete academic support services area.”

The facility is named after the first year NIU competed in intercollegiate athletics, according to the university.

Plans to pay for the facility include crowdfunding efforts by the NIU Foundation.

I firmly believe putting our complete wellness first will ultimately put our players in the best position to succeed on and off the court, and having a training table will be a great resource for them. It will also be a recruiting tool for us to continue to bring in the right student-athletes who understand the importance of complete wellness.”

—  Sondra Parys, NIU first-year volleyball head coach

NIU this week launched its seventh annual Week of Giving, a campaign meant to solicit donations for projects such as the 1899 Club. Huskies Invest: A Week of Giving runs through Friday with a goal of raising $1 million, according to the release.

It’s not the only significant NIU development in the works.

First announced in October 2018, development of a $23 million NIU Northern Illinois Center for Community Sustainability still is ongoing. Gov JB Pritzker’s administration announced last December plans to earmark $15 million through the state’s Rebuild Illinois funds for the DeKalb facility.

University officials have said the remaining $8 million for the center is expected to come through in-kind contributions, along with private investments and donations, according to NIU.

The 30,000-square-foot sustainability facility, once built, will promote research on water resources, environmental change and food systems while championing science-based policies and practices for communities.

A city-university plan was approved earlier this fall for an NIU Greek Life Center, which will be built on a formerly vacant city-owned lot at West Hillcrest Drive and Blackhawk Road. NIU officials have said the Greek Life center will be the “largest privately funded project” in university history behind only Barsema Hall.

The NIU Foundation has asked the city of DeKalb for an extension on the redevelopment agreement until March 31 to allow more time to formulate a purchase and sale agreement and prepare a concept plan with architects, according to city documents.

The DeKalb City Council was expected to vote on the proposed extension Monday.

One highlight of the planned 1899 Club is that NIU volleyball, football and basketball players will be provided training table meals. The training tables are outlined meal plans for student-athletes designed to help them reach peak fitness and learn more about nutrition and the importance of using food as fuel, according to the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

“The addition of a training table space for our athletes to really extend access for their nutritional needs is a game-changer,” Huskies basketball coach Lisa Carlsen said in the release. “We have made so many great enhancements over the past few years when it comes to nutrition. This is another huge step. Thanks to Sean [Frazier] and the administration for continuing to give our student-athletes the resources needed to compete for championships.”

The 1899 Club also will be used for team meals; include gathering places for former letterwinners, recruits and other groups on football game days; and act as a catalyst to encourage athletic engagement, according to the release.

First-year volleyball head coach Sondra Parys said she believes the facility will help recruit future Huskie athletes.

“I firmly believe putting our complete wellness first will ultimately put our players in the best position to succeed on and off the court, and having a training table will be a great resource for them,” Parys said in the release. “It will also be a recruiting tool for us to continue to bring in the right student-athletes who understand the importance of complete wellness.”