14
Monday, April 27, 2015
815-753-9637 H @NSSports H NorthernStar.info/Sports
Sports
Sports’ end of year rankings Top 10 athletes: No. 5
Roddy garners several awards Senior nationally recognized for her accomplishments Frank Gogola Sports Editor T @FrankGogola
DeKalb
Alexandra Meyer | Northern Star File Photo
Volleyball senior Mackenzie Roddy jumps to spike a ball against Colorado State on Aug. 30. Roddy took her offensive prowess to another level in 2014.
| Mackenzie Roddy,
volleyball senior outside hitter, spikes her way to No. 5 in Sports’ countdown of the top 10 athletes. Roddy earned nods to the AllMAC First Team, the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s All-Midwest Region Team and the AVCA’s All-American honorable mentions list. While helping lead NIU to the MAC Tournament semifinals, Roddy led the MAC in kills (514) and kills per set (4.28). Her 4.28 kills per set and 4.82 points per set
ranked 26th in the country. Defensively, her 64 blocks ranked third on the Huskies and her 274 digs ranked fourth. “The biggest thing that I have improved is my defense and my passing,” Roddy said, according to a Sept. 4 Northern Star article. “I was recruited as a middle utility and I was more of just a hitter and a blocker, but as I progressed into my sophomore year I reMackenzie ally focused Roddy on my serve Outside hitter receive and my defense and getting to be more of an all-around player, and I think that has been very drastically improved since my freshman year.”
Top 5 stories: No. 3
Facilities Master Plan unveiled Frank Gogola Sports Editor T @FrankGogola
DeKalb | Athletic Director Sean
Frazier’s Facilities Master Plan sets up camp as the No. 3 spot on Sports’ countdown of the top five stories of 2014-15. The Facilities Master Plan, unveiled Oct. 30, calls for new athletic complexes and upgrades of current complexes. The plan, which is still in the “silent phase” of reaching out to donors for athletics, features a privately funded $138 million price tag. The most anticipated part of the plan among fans has been the proposed overhaul to Huskie Stadium. The addition of seating in the south end zone will give Huskie Stadium a horseshoe shape and increase seating from 24,000 to 30,000-35,000. Other amenities proposed for Huskie Stadium include luxury seating options, increased concessions and more easily accessible restrooms. The naming rights for Huskie Stadium may be made available. “We always want more seats, Sean Frazier but we also Athletic Director [want] people to fill those seats,” Frazier said, according to a Nov. 3 Northern Star article. “But we want something very intimate. We have a great, great facility right now. What we want to do is build off of that. When that thing is
Top 5 stories
No. 5: Gymnastics sets school scoring record No. 4: Track & field has historic finish at MAC Championships No. 3: Facilities Master Plan unveiled No. 2: April 30 No. 1: May 4 full nobody wants to play in Huskie Stadium. It is definitely a differencemaker when you’re out there.” New complexes proposed are a baseball stadium, a tennis facility and an Olympic sports facility. In addition to Huskie Stadium, the Convocation Center and Mary M. Bell Field will see updates. Football head coach Rod Carey said he expects the new complexes and upgrades to help with recruiting and aid in bringing the university and community together. “Recruiting is the lifeblood of any program,” Carey said, according to the Northern Star. “… It’s going to add to us just unbelievable recruiting ability. … I think it’s the right thing to Rod Carey do for our com- Football coach munity. … We have some fine student-athletes here, and now the community has just so embraced us that now it’s time to get the facilities, overall on campus, where they’re very communityfriendly and student-[friendly]… .”
Alexandra Meyer | Northern Star File Photo
Women’s basketball freshman forward Kelly Smith shoots during a Feb. 21 game against Ball State. Smith was named to the MAC’s All-Freshman Team.
Top 5 newcomers: No. 3
Smith fills key void for women’s hoops Frank Gogola Sports Editor T @FrankGogola
Top 5 newcomers
No. 5: Anthony Johnson No. 4: Lauren Gierman basketball freshman forward, takes the No. 3 spot in Sports’ top five No. 3: Kelly Smith newcomers after playing a key role No. 2: April 30 No. 1: May 4 on an injury-riddled NIU squad. DeKalb | Kelly Smith, women’s
Smith averaged nine points (third best among MAC freshman) and 4.1 rebounds per game as she was named to the MAC’s All-Freshman Team. She played in all 29 games and started 15 games in the post due to a rash of injuries which depleted the roster. Smith exploded onto the scene in the season opener, scoring a game-high 17 points to go along with five rebounds and one steal in 36 minutes. She became the first freshman to score at least 10 points and lead the Huskies
in scoring in the season opener since 2007-08. “She’s a natural scorer,” said head coach Kathi Bennett, according to a Nov. 17 Northern Star article. “She’s got a high release and [she] loves to compete, just plays fearlessly. That’s what I love the most.” Smith’s best game came on Jan. 28 against the Bowling Green Falcons as she recorded her first career double-double. She scored 15 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and dished out two assists.
Top 10 athletes: No. 6
Wrestler Scott goes to NCAAs for 1st time Frank Gogola Sports Editor T @FrankGogola
DeKalb | Redshirt sophomore Shawn Scott wrestles through the bracket to No. 6 in Sports’ list of top 10 athletes. Scott, wrestling in the 197-pound weight class, went 23-13 overall and 14-5 in dual matches en route to the NCAA National Championships. He went 0-2 in the national tournament March 19 in St. Louis, dropping an 11-4 decision to Michigan’s Max Huntley and a 12-1 major decision to Cornell’s Jace Bennett. “As a sophomore, getting down Shawn Scott to that tour- Redshirt nament and sophomore getting that wrestler experience was exactly what [Scott] needed this year so he can finish out his last two years here with having the experience of being down there before and understanding what it takes to get to the intensity level he needs to compete at, at the tournament,” said head coach Ryan Ludwig, according to a March 23 Northern Star article. “He’s more hungry now than ever.” Scott qualified for the NCAA national tournament by virtue of finishing fourth in a crowded field at the MAC Championships on March 7 and 8 in Columbia, Mo. Scott’s advancement to nationals extended the program’s streak of consecutive national championship appearances to 44 years. Scott will be looked to for even more of a leadership role next season as the Huskies will still be a young team with underclassmen wrestling in key positions. He’s 45-26 in his career with the Huskies.
Top 10 athletes No. 10: Isaac Kannah No. 9: Da’Ron Brown No. 8: Amanda Stepp No. 7: Drew Hare No. 6: Shawn Scott No. 5: Mackenzie Roddy No. 4: April 30 No. 3: April 30 No. 2: May 4 No. 1: May 4