For almost any college football player, it doesn't get much better than playing in an NFL stadium.

Dan Keller will attest to that.

A life-long Chicago Bears fan, Keller played in Soldier Field - the home of the Bears - two weeks ago when he and his Northern Illinois Huskies teammates played the University of Iowa.

For Keller, a graduate of St. Catherine's High School, it was a moment he'll cherish forever.

"The day before the game, we had walk-throughs on the field and I'd find myself staring up in the stands," said Keller, a starting defensive tackle for the Huskies. "I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe I was there.

"Then, for our game, I was probably as jacked up as I could have been. It was pretty emotional. It was really a special moment for me."

While it's unlikely the 6-foot-4, 300-pound Keller will ever experience another moment as memorable as a football player, he certainly figures to have some more fond times ahead of him.

One of them figures to be Oct. 20. That's when Keller and Co. will travel to Madison to play ninth-ranked Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium. Keller readily acknowledges he's excited about his "homecoming" game of sorts.

"For me, and a couple of guys from Wisconsin, we're definitely looking forward to that game," Keller said.

Keller, a red-shirt junior, had been alternating with Jason Onyebuagu at right guard. But the Northern Illinois coaches opted Monday to switch him to the defensive line after Craig Rusch sustained a knee injury.

While Keller's has reached his goal of becoming a starter for the Huskies, who play in the highly-competitive Mid-American Conference, he harbors another goal: putting himself in position to be drafted by an NFL team - just like his former Huskies teammate Doug Free.

Free, an offensive tackle, was chosen in the fourth round of this year's NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys and is a role model for Keller.

"Seeing Doug and being around him and seeing how hard he works and what he did to get to the next level is something I appreciate," Keller said. "It's good to have a guy like that to model yourself after. To play in the NFL has been a life-long dream for me. You'd be crazy not to want to do that."

And get another chance to play at

Soldier Field.

Racine connection

Keller isn't the only person affiliated with the Northern Illinois football team with Racine ties.

The Huskies' new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach is Roy Wittke, a Racine native who graduated from Horlick High School in 1978. Wittke has been a college assistant coach for 27 years and has tutored some outstanding players, including current Dallas Cowboys and former Burlington High School quarterback Tony Romo when he was at Eastern Illinois and Matt Jones, a former quarterback at Arkansas who is a wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

"I respect him greatly," Keller said of Wittke. "He's got one of the best football minds of anyone I've ever been around. He's very wise as far as football knowledge and I know the rest of our offensive players feel that way also. We're really lucky to have him."

Earhart recognized

The American Swimming Coaches Association has chosen Greg Earhart of Carthage College as a "Coach of Excellence for 2007."

The annual award recognizes coaches whose swimmers have reached the final of either a collegiate championship or a USA Swimming national-level meet.

Earhart is in his sixth season with the Red Men after being a Big Ten Conference assistant coach at Minnesota and Indiana. In his five years at Carthage, the Red Men have a sterling 45-8 record.

Carthage Hall of Fame grows

Kevin Burris will be one of six individuals inducted into the Carthage Hall of Fame Oct. 5.

Burris had a decorated football career at Carthage, being chosen an All-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin first-team selection all four years from 1996-1999. Burris set Carthage records in scoring with 246 points and touchdowns with 40.

The other inductees will be Mike Domin, who was the CCIW Co-Player of the Year in soccer in 1997; Nancee Bucheger, nee Mayer, a three-time all-CCIW first-team selection in softball and Carthage's career home run leader with 19; Dean Muthig, a four-time letterwinner as a third baseman from 1996-'99 who earned American Baseball Coaches Association All-American first-team honors; Robyn (Schenk) Schoeneman, who earned four letters each in track and volleyball from 1992-'95, and Jason Wiertel, who was a National Association of Basketball Coaches second-team All-American in basketball in 2000 and one of only five players to be named to the All-CCIW first team four straight years.

Hall of Fame ceremonies will be held in the Todd Wehr Center on the Carthage College campus. The dinner begins at 7 p.m. Reservations are required. For more information, call (262) 551-5700.

Casebolt makes a difference

The St. Norbert women's volleyball team has gotten off to a terrific start, posting a 12-2 overall record. One of the major reasons for the Green Knight's success is Katie Casebolt of Racine.

Casebolt, a 5-foot-3 outside hitter who graduated from Horlick, ranks second in digs with 168 and second in kills with 95.

Casebolt, a junior who is majoring in education, is also the Green Knights' best jumper with a vertical leap of 32½ inches. Casebolt exhibited her athleticism and skills in last Saturday's Ripon College tournament, where she was chosen to the all-tournament team.

"Katie is one of our best passers and one of our most tenacious defenders," St. Norbert coach Lori Sadewater said.

"She doesn't like to see the ball hit the floor."

Earl dominates

Randy Earl played like he was Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor.

Earl, the former Case High standout, recorded a career-high 10 tackles in helping Minnesota State-Mankato to a 23-16 victory over Augustana last Saturday.

For his outstanding game, the 6-foot-5, 280-pound defensive end was chosen the North Central Conference Defensive Player of the Week.

One of Earl's teammates is Anton Graham, a 6-foot-3, 240-pound tight end who attended Park High School last year. Graham is being red-shirted this season - just like Earl was two years ago.