SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Augustana University Athletics has signed a new agreement with FanWord, the leading AI and storytelling company in college sports, to bring FanWord Assist into its communications operation — giving the Vikings the tools to publish more content, faster, across every sport.

Designed specifically for college athletics, FanWord Assist helps communications staff create high-quality editorial content in a fraction of the time. Rather than relying on generic AI tools that require extensive prompting and editing, the platform is built around an athletic department's own data and workflows, allowing staff to generate polished first drafts that are ready for review within minutes.

"Intercollegiate athletics is evolving rapidly, and we're excited to embrace technologies that help move Viking Athletics forward," said Andy Thurston, Assistant Athletics Director for Communications. "From championship performances to inspiring student-athlete stories, there's so much to celebrate. FanWord gives us an outstanding platform to highlight those achievements and expand our reach in a more efficient and impactful way."

With FanWord Assist, Augustana's communications team will have access to tools that support both the daily demands of athletic coverage and the long-term goal of telling more meaningful student-athlete stories.

Gameday Coverage
From final box scores to postgame notes, FanWord Assist quickly transforms raw information into complete game recaps, player bios, award nominations, and other editorial content. By combining AI built specifically for college athletics with human oversight, the platform helps communications staff publish more efficiently while maintaining the authentic voice of Viking Athletics.

Storytelling Features
Beyond game-day responsibilities, FanWord Assist also streamlines the creation of feature stories, news articles, online interviews, and transcriptions. By reducing the time spent on repetitive writing tasks, the platform allows communicators to devote more energy to highlighting the people, journeys, and moments that define the Augustana experience.

Joining a Growing Network
Augustana is now one of several members of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference to sign-on with FanWord, including fellow NSIC members Bemidji State, Minnesota Duluth and Minnesota State, who are already running FanWord Assist. The Vikings join a roster of more than 200 athletics organizations on the platform, a group that includes athletic departments and conferences across all divisions of college sports.

"When a department is moving as fast as Augustana's, the hard part is finding the time to tell all the stories that matter," said Chris Aumueller, CEO of FanWord. "That's one of the reasons we built FanWord Assist. We give communications teams of all sizes the horsepower to cover every team at the level the Vikings' fans and broader community expect."

That ambition is hard to miss. In 2023, Augustana launched the program's first Division I sport — men's hockey, which recently made the CCHA Mason Cup semifinals in just their third season — a clear signal of a department rising in the new age of college athletics. FanWord Assist is built to scale as departments do, giving the Vikings the means to tell more of their story, more consistently, as the spotlight on Augustana athletics gets brighter.

About FanWord
FanWord is the leading AI-powered storytelling company in college sports and works with more than 200 athletics organizations across all levels. To learn more about FanWord's software, FanWord Assist, click here.