By Ricky Thompson and Anne Baker

Despite a pending recommendation on the fate of the athletics program, Northeastern head football coach Rocky Hager announced yesterday that 10 students have signed on to join the Huskies next season. The team added three defensive backs, three linebacks, two offensive lineman, a wide receiver and a quarterback, according to the university.

Northeastern officials have been tight-lipped otherwise about the team since Decemeber when the second and final meeting of the Athletics Review Panel in December, which was convened to provide feedback on the current state of the department. During a forum with the Northeastern community, Vice President and University Council Vincent Lembo confirmed Tuesday that he was in the process of reviewing the recommendations from Athletics Director Peter Roby, which he said were submitted to him last week.

“Obviously a lot of concern has been raised about the history of various sports and the future of the various sports teams on campus, and that will all be addressed, and hopefully everyone will learn where the program is going in the next few days,” Lembo said.

Reflecting on the Beanpot the night before, President Joseph Aoun followed up and said, “I notice that hockey, for instance, is attracting students. I notice that when I go to other [sports] games, they’re not attracting as many students.

“If you really care for the sports programs, and I hope you do, be there. You shape the university. Your involvement shapes the university.”

The financial overhead associated with funding a football program made many Husky fans speculate the possibility of the sport being cut after Roby indicated to The News in October that he was considering eliminating an athletic program in an effort to realign his department’s financial resources.

Two months later, following the conclusion of the review panel, Roby told an alumni group that there was “no reason to believe” Northeastern would not be playing football four years from now, The News reported last month.

Northeastern, which went 3-8 overall during the 2007 season, is scheduled to begin spring practice March 11 and open the 2008 campaign at Ball State Aug. 28. Pick up The News next Thursday for the full scouting report on the new players.