Augustana University Athletics announced a new partnership with FanWord, a technology firm that provides an AI‑powered storytelling platform called FanWord Assist. The collaboration is intended to streamline the way the university creates and publishes content about its sports programs.
FanWord Assist is built specifically for college athletics. By tapping into a department’s own data and workflows, the system can generate polished drafts of game recaps, player bios and feature stories in a fraction of the time it would take to write them manually.
Andy Thurston, Augustana’s Assistant Athletics Director for Communications, said the tool “represents a major leap forward” for the department, allowing staff to cover more events and highlight more student‑athletes without sacrificing quality.
The platform’s impact extends beyond day‑to‑day coverage. It also supports long‑term storytelling goals, helping Augustana amplify the achievements of its programs as they grow in a competitive landscape.
Chris Aumueller, CEO of FanWord, noted that the partnership reflects a broader trend of athletic departments embracing AI to tell important stories. “Our goal is to give schools the ability to share their narratives consistently and at scale,” he said.
Augustana’s athletic profile has been expanding in recent years. In 2023 the university launched its first Division I sport, men’s hockey, and the team reached the CCHA Mason Cup semifinals in its third season, underscoring the program’s rapid development.
The university now joins more than 200 athletics programs across the country that rely on FanWord Assist, including several members of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. The partnership is positioned to further increase Augustana’s visibility as it continues to invest in both competition and communication.
A Strategic Leap for Augustana Athletics
As the sports landscape evolves, Augustana’s investment in AI‑driven storytelling signals a commitment to modernize its communications while preserving the personal touch that defines college athletics. The collaboration with FanWord is expected to scale as the department adds new sports and expands existing programs, ensuring that every student‑athlete’s story receives the attention it deserves.