SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Augustana athletics department announced fall sports schedules for football, soccer and volleyball Wednesday, with the three programs slated to play a combined 22 home games in front of Viking fans on the Augustana campus.
 
"It's exciting to think about getting back to competition and building on another championship year for Viking athletics," Director of Athletics Josh Morton said. "We are planning to host our great fans as we normally would while also preparing for all scenarios in the fall. I think we're all getting used to being flexible with this fluid situation with COVID-19 and we feel Augustana athletics can play a great part in generating the energy that sports brings to the Sioux Falls community."

Season tickets are available now for football and basketball, while A-Club membership provides fans the opportunity to attend five other sports including volleyball and soccer, for free. Determinations regarding spectator attendance and changes to the fan experience will be made in the coming months, with a focus on how to best keep all members of the Augustana community safe.
 
All three schedules feature competition only with other NSIC schools after NCAA Division II passed legislation lowering the maximum number of games allowed for the 2020-21 academic year.

Football

The Viking football team, fresh off a trip to the 2019 NCAA Division II Playoffs, opens its season Sept. 12 at UMary. Augustana, holding the nation's seventh-longest home winning streak at six games, makes its home debut inside Kirkeby-Over Stadium Sept. 19 against MSU Moorhead.
 
After traveling to Bemidji State on Sept. 26, the Vikings look to defend the 'Key to the City' with a clash at Sioux Falls on Oct. 3. The annual Viking Days contest is Oct. 10 when Augustana hosts Upper Iowa, a repeat of a game from 2019 that saw AU put on both an offensive and defensive clinic in a 52-0 season-opening win.
 
After a road contest at Wayne State on Oct. 17, the Vikings play three of their final four contests inside Kirkeby-Over Stadium including an Oct. 24 battle with 2019 National Runner-Up Minnesota State. The season concludes with Winona State in a Halloween contest on Oct. 31, a trip to Minnesota Duluth Nov. 7 before Senior Day on Nov. 14 against Minot State.
 
All home contests for Augustana kickoff at 1 p.m. inside Kirkeby-Over Stadium, a home venue that has seen the Vikings run a pair of undefeated seasons including last year's 6-0 mark.
 

Soccer

Augustana Soccer looks to make its fourth-straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament and seventh in eight years with a 14-game regular-season schedule. Augustana will look to get off to a quick start with four-straight home contests on the turf of Morstad Field.
 
The season opens against the defending NSIC Champion, Concordia-St. Paul, on Sept 18 and concludes the weekend against 2019 NCAA Tournament participant Minnesota State on the 20^th. The following Friday, the Vikings host MSU Moorhead (Sept. 25) with the Wolves of Northern State visiting on Sept. 27.
 
Augustana makes its first road trip of the season to Bemidji State (Oct. 2) and Minnesota Crookston (Oct. 4), before making a brief stop back in Sioux Falls to play at USF on Oct. 9. The four-game road trip concludes at Southwest Minnesota State on Oct. 11.
 
The final six games of the season see the Vikings split evenly with three home contests and three road games. The Marauders of UMary visit Morstad Field on Oct. 16 with Minot State and the Vikings facing off on Oct. 18.
 
After a trip to Minnesota Duluth on Oct. 23, the Vikings close out their home season on Oct. 30 hosting Upper Iowa. The regular season concludes with trips to Winona State (Nov. 1) and Wayne State (Nov. 6).
 
The NSIC Tournament is slated for Nov. 11-15, with the top-four teams advancing to postseason play.
 

Volleyball

Augustana volleyball will host 10 games inside the Elmen Center in 2020 while also playing 10 contests on the road. For the first time in program history, the season will open with NSIC action as the Vikings face two-straight 2019 NCAA Tournament participants. The season begins Sept. 18 at St. Cloud State while the Vikings are at Minnesota Duluth on Sept. 19. A three-match road trip concludes with a mid-week tilt at Southwest Minnesota State on Sept. 22.
 
The Vikings make their home debut on Sept. 25 with a match against Bemidji State, followed by Minnesota Crookston on the 26^th.
 
Another road trip north takes the Vikings to Minot State on Oct. 2 and UMary on Oct. 3 before the Vikings host MSU Moorhead on Oct. 9. The Vikings then host Northern State, an NCAA Tournament qualifier, on Oct. 10.
 
Augustana travels to Minnesota State and 2019 region finalist Concordia-St. Paul on Oct. 16 and 17, respectively. Winona State and Upper Iowa visit the Elmen Center on Oct. 23 and 24, respectively.
 
The Vikings travel to Wayne State (Oct. 29) before hosting Sioux Falls in a Halloween night tilt. Augustana swept USF inside the Elmen Center last year.
 
The final five matches of the season are a reverse of the first five contests, with a home mid-week contest against SMSU on Nov. 3. Augustana then makes its final road trip of the season to Minnesota Crookston (Nov. 6) and Bemidji State (Nov. 7).
 
The final regular-season matches are inside the Elmen Center with a contest against Minnesota Duluth on Nov. 13 and St. Cloud State on Nov. 14.
 
The top-four teams in the NSIC standings advance to the NSIC Tournament taking place Nov. 20-22 inside the Sanford Pentagon.
 
Season Tickets and A-Club Membership
Augustana Athletics would like to remind A-Club members that the renewal deadline for the upcoming season is June 30. The renewal deadline is critical to ensure members have first right at their season ticket seat locations from 2019-20.

Memberships can be renewed online HERE. Fans who are not an Augustana A-Club member and are interested in joining this year can find information HERE. General ticket information, including season tickets, can be found HERE. 

A-Club members will see few changes to their membership this year, and Augustana Athletics is excited to continue to offer great benefits:

• 50% off season tickets for football & basketball – A-Club members will still have access to the best seat locations; the price of the ticket is in addition to the membership. A-Club members will pay half of what the general public will pay. 
• In 2019, the athletics department announced a new three-year pledge to not raise the membership level dollar amount and will continue to honor that pledge.
• Viking Pass - FREE admission to not only volleyball and wrestling but baseball, softball and soccer as well. The Viking Pass will also serve as the admission into pre-game football tailgates.
• Increased member communications by email – throughout the year, members will hear directly from Director of Athletics Josh Morton and receive athletic department and program updates. (update your contact information here)

Other benefits offered to members at varying levels include a VIP Sideline Experience at Augustana football, where members can experience the excitement of the game up close and personal on the sidelines. Named and reserved parking at both Kirkeby-Over Stadium and at the Sanford Pentagon will provide the closest parking at the venues and all members regardless of level will continue to have their name listed in the game programs and online.

To learn more about the Augustana A-Club, including renewing your membership or joining for 2020-21, visit GoAugie.com/AClub or contact Director of Athletics Annual Giving, Emily Punt, at emily.punt@augie.edu or 605.274.5236.

--GoAugie.com--