CHAMPAIGN, Illinois -- As the 2005 Big Ten baseball season headed into its last weekend, Howard Milton and the rest of the athletics staff weren't sure if the event would be in Champaign at all. The Illini baseball team was ahead in the standings, but by the last day of competition -- May 22 -- still needed either a win over the University of Iowa or a Purdue University loss to Indiana University, Bloomington, to clinch the regular-season title.

The Illinois team was unable to overcome a strong Iowa pitching staff in its last game, losing a 7-1 decision. But Indiana blanked Purdue, 6-0, and Illinois won the Big Ten regular-season title -- and the right to host the conference tournament.

As soon as Milton heard the news late on May 22, he headed into his office on the second floor of the Bielfeldt Athletic Building -- a recent addition to the university's campus, tucked between the basketball arena, Assembly Hall; the baseball field, Illini Field; and the basketball practice building. Also nearby are Memorial Stadium and Atkins Tennis Center. By the time he arrived, Milton already had received an e-mail from one of the coaches who would be bringing his team to Champaign for the tournament.

Milton answered other e-mails, made some phone calls and immediately began compiling information about hotels, tournament format, contact numbers, meeting times and practice times.

"My goal is to try to make (the other Big Ten teams') trip as smooth as possible," he said.

Before the official word came that the tournament would be played at Illinois, Milton already had conducted several meetings with Big Ten Conference officials, put together the participation manual, spoken with medical personnel and the usher staff, arranged a possible practice schedule, reserved rooms on campus for meetings and made preliminary calls to local hotels. But with the Purdue loss, a flurry of activity began on the south side of campus to arrange for catering, rent equipment and a myriad of other small details.

On the morning of May 23, Milton and graduate assistant Andrew Koch began workdays that started before 7 a.m. and would finish after 10 p.m., preparing for the first pitch at 12:05 p.m. on May 25 through the last pitch of the tournament, which, because of the double-elimination format, could end either May 28 or May 29.

Milton said his job has taught him a lot of skills that transfer to his home life, like how to be handy or how to organize family outings.

"Everything is an event, even a family vacation. I plan it out, first we do this, then this," he said. "My wife is the same way."

Arranging such a large event and its many surrounding events such as press conferences and cookouts takes skills Milton said he learned from his boss, Associate Director of Athletics Dana Brenner. The two-day whirlwind taught him that experience, even if it's not your own, is invaluable.

"I learn from watching (Brenner). It's second nature to him. I've done these things, but it's not second nature yet," he said. "The only way to do any of this is hard work. You've just got to grit your teeth and get after it."

And in ironing out all the little details, Milton said it was important that he always keep the student-athlete in mind and make sure to build relationships between the University of Illinois and everyone he meets through his job.

"It's not just that you get the job done," he said. "It's how you get the job done."

-- Michelle Brutlag Hosick