Viking Bold athletics focuses on establishing 'hometown' team

This is the fourth part of a continuing series on Viking Bold. 

The athletic pillar of the Viking Bold strategic plan has accomplished several milestones during the first phase of its 10-year timeline.

In part 1 of the athletic goals, Augustana increased liaison support through the Student Success Center to further support student-athletes in their academic careers and expanded student-athlete health and performance training models. 

Part 2 of the athletic pillar focuses on transitioning Augustana sports programs from NCAA Division II to Division I and branding Augustana as the “hometown team” for Sioux Falls. 

In Part 2a, the university assessed its preparedness to transition all sports to the Division I level; however, in 2020-21, a “strategic pivot” shifted the focus of this goal. 

“The pivot was to start with a program, rather than all sports, and to not actively pursue an invitation to an all-sports conference, so we’re not actively seeking an invitation,” President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin said.  

Instead, Augustana created a men’s ice hockey program that competes at the Division I level. According to Herseth Sandlin, growing this program to maturity will be the main focus in the next three to four years. This growth will include increases in scheduling, recruitment and fan development. 

Furthermore, as the hockey programs grow, Herseth Sandlin and Josh Morton, vice president of athletics, said the focus of the Division II programs will be to compete at the highest level. 

“[Going Division I] is still part of the strategic plan, but right now our complete focus is on, number one, the Division I hockey program and, number two, being the best Division II athletics department,” Morton said. 

The Vikings won the NSIC All-Sports Award in the previous academic year, their seventh time doing so since they joined the conference in 2008. As of March, Augustana athletics has clinched three conference championships in the 2023-2024 school year: football, men’s cross country and women’s swimming and diving.  

Part 2b focuses on engaging alumni and incorporating the Augustana brand in the Sioux Falls community through signature events. 

Some of these signature events include hockey games at the Midco Arena, the Augustana Twilight Run and the NSIC softball championships, which will be hosted at Bowden Field later this year. 

“When you have facilities that you’re prioritizing, it allows you to host those conferences, sometimes regional events, that brings in more economic activity to Sioux Falls,” Herseth Sandlin said. 

Emily Punt, assistant athletic director of strategic partnerships, said such engagement allows the Sioux Falls community to come to Augustana’s campus and experience what the university has to offer. 

“[We’re] being really intentional about the partnerships that we pursue and how we’re reaching out to current and new fans, families and businesses to come be a part of Augustana,” Punt said. 

According to Punt, partnerships enhance fan experience and create lasting impressions on participants. Events such as the SCHEELS’ Row of the Game featured at hockey games, Scooters’ Scooter Race seen at volleyball games and the CorTrust Cash Cube during basketball games keep fans excited to attend events. 

Each of these events allows fans the opportunity to get involved during intermissions and a chance to win prizes. At some events, the winners are chosen at random, such as the SCHEELS’ Row of the Game, whereas fans are allowed to compete at others. 

During the Scooters’ Scooter Race, two fans are chosen to race the length of the volleyball court on sitting scooters. The winner receives a gift card to Scooter's Coffee. At the CorTrust Cash Cube, one competitor gets a minute to complete a cash grab and gets to keep all the money collected during that time. 

“[It] allows us to create a really great game day experience and give away a lot of things,” Punt said. 

Students, like junior Madalyn Reifsteck and sophomore Lily Holtman, said they enjoy going to athletic events both to support their peers and experience the sponsored entertainment during the breaks. 

“Having giveaways most definitely pushes for more students to attend games, and the mini games are just fun ways to either play in or watch, as there are longer breaks between the sporting events,” Reifsteck said. 

As a member of Augustana’s dance team, Holtman said she enjoys seeing fans of all ages get involved in games. 

“The environment of a game day is like no other,” Holtman said. “There is a presence and vibe full of excitement and Viking pride.” 

The Augustana A-club is another tool the athletics department is using to engage community members. The club is an annual fund and membership in which individuals, families and businesses can make cash investments in exchange for varying membership benefits based on a tier-system.  

“They’re our group of diehard fans, and they’re the ones that are really showing up to everything,” Punt said. 

Some membership benefits include a members-only preseason reception with coaches and the athletics director, a chance to purchase basketball and football season tickets at 50% off the public price and name/reserved parking at the Kirkeby-Over Stadium, Sanford Pentagon and Midco Arena. 

According to Morton, the biggest successes of the Viking Bold athletic pillar have been the creation of new athletic programs, as well as the championships of already existing programs and recognition given to student athletes and coaching staff. 

“The launch of hockey as a totally new endeavor, the launch of acrobatics and tumbling and to bring on men's swimming along with our women's swimming program, I would say those are some of the highlights,” Morton said. 

Additionally, student athletes like fifth-year football player Haden Wallace have expressed their excitement for the future of the athletic programs in the coming years. 

“I think [Augustana] investing in the student athletes that are here is helping them get to that goal that they’ve set for this Viking Bold Plan,” Wallace said. “As long as they keep doing that, it will definitely be successful in the future.”