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P.J. FLECK WIDE RECEIVERS P.J. Fleck begins his first season on the Rutgers staff after joining the program in the winter as the wide receivers coach. Fleck comes to Rutgers after three seasons as the wide receivers coach at his alma mater, Northern Illinois. Fleck also served as the Huskies’ recruiting coordinator last year. A native of Sugar Grove, Ill., Fleck spent the last three seasons tutoring the Huskie wide receivers. Two of his 2008 receivers - Britt Davis and Matt Simon - signed free agent contracts with the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints, following their collegiate careers. A leader on Northern Illinois' 2003 10-win team, Fleck began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Ohio State in 2006. He worked with the Buckeye tight ends and wide receivers and assisted with the special teams in his one season in Columbus, which culminated in a trip to the BCS National Championship Game in Glendale, Ariz. Fleck began his coaching career after two seasons as a member of the San Francisco 49ers. After signing with the 49ers as a free agent in 2004, he spent most of that season on the practice squad before making an appearance versus New England late in the year. He was placed on the injured reserve roster in 2005 before retiring from professional football in June 2006. Fleck earned first-team All Mid-American Conference honors at Northern Illinois in 2003 while helping NIU to a 7-0 start that included upset victories over Maryland and Alabama. As a senior, he led the Huskies with 77 catches for 1,028 yards and six touchdowns, a reception total that still ranks second on the school's single-season list. Fleck still owns the school record for career punt returns (87), is second in punt return yards (716), ranks third in career catches (179) and is fourth in receiving yards (2,162). He was a second-team Academic All-American as a senior and was twice voted team captain by his teammates. A 2004 graduate of Northern Illinois in elementary education, Fleck is married to the former Tracie Striebel. The couple has one son, Carter Joseph (C.J.). Fleck and his wife annually host the P.J. Fleck "Live Your Dream" Football Camp that benefits the Juvenile Arthritis Foundation (Friends of Carra), Alapecia Foundation (Locks of Love), Coach Kill's Cancer Fund and the P.J. Fleck Scholarship Fund.
THE FLECK FILE
HOMETOWN: Sugar Grove, Ill. ALMA MATER: Northern Illinois, 2004 BIRTHDATE: 11/29/80 COACHING CAREER: 2010 Wide Receivers, Rutgers 2009 Recruiting Coordinator/Wide Receivers, Northern Illinois 2007-09 Wide Receivers, Northern Illinois 2006 Graduate Assistant, Ohio State PLAYING CAREER: Four-year player at Northern Illinois. Still owns the school record for career punt returns, second in punt return yards, third in career catches and fourth in receiving yards. Signed with the San Francisco 49ers as a free agent in 2004. Played two seasons before retiring from professional football in June 2006.