Augsburg College Athletics

Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about Augsburg Auggie Athletics. If you have a question that you think should be answered in this space, feel free to e-mail Don Stoner, sports information director, at stoner@augsburg.edu.

What is an Auggie?
That's one of the most frequently asked questions we receive. Augsburg College history is not clear on the subject of when the term "Auggies" was first used to refer to college athletic team, or who first coined the term. The first usages of the term appear in the college's yearbook (the Augsburgian) and the student newspaper (the Echo) in the mid-1920s, shortly after intercollegiate athletics started at Augsburg. As is the case with many of our sister schools in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, the nickname "Auggies" appears to be an extension of the school name; much like the St. John's "Johnnies," St. Thomas "Tommies," St. Olaf "Oles," Gustavus Adolphus "Gusties" and the Carleton "Carls" (formerly the nickname of women's sports teams at Carleton). Augsburg does not have an official school mascot, though the eagle has often been associated with Auggie athletic teams -- since a baby eagle is often referred to as an "Auggie." Note that the team's nickname is AUGGIES, not AGGIES. Texas A&M and a handful of other schools use AGGIES as the nickname for their athletic teams.

Where is Augsburg College?
Augsburg College is located in the heart of the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minn. Augsburg is located a stone's throw from downtown Minneapolis, and is easily accessible from the two interstate highways that intersect in Minneapolis -- I-94 (which forms the southern border of campus) and I-35W (just west of campus). To reach Augsburg from I-94, take the Riverside Avenue/25th Avenue exit from I-94 and follow Riverside Avenue northeast (it is a diagonal street) to the Augsburg campus. From I-35W, take the Washington Avenue exit and follow Washington Avenue south to where it curves onto Cedar Avenue (the "Seven Corners" theatre/restaurant district). From Cedar, take a left onto Riverside Avenue (the diagonal street) and follow it to the Augsburg campus. A map of the Augsburg campus can be found by clicking here.

Where do Auggie sports teams play?
Augsburg sports teams play in three on-campus sites and one off-campus site. Our football, men's/women's soccer and softball teams play at Edor Nelson Field, the volleyball, men's/women's basketball and wrestling teams play at Si Melby Hall, and the men's/women's hockey teams play at Augsburg Ice Arena. All three facilities are on the east edge of campus (numbers 2, 7 and 21 on the campus map). Edor Nelson Field, the first artificial-turf playing field in the MIAC, also is domed during the winter months and used as an indoor fieldhouse facility. Augsburg's baseball team plays at Parade Stadium, located off-campus in the Kenwood neighborhood of Minneapolis, adjacent to the Walker Art Center and Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. 

My team/organization wants to use Augsburg athletic facilities for an event. How do we reserve the facilities?
All on-campus athletic facilities can be reserved for special events or for community athletic teams to practice or play games. For more information and rental fees, contact Augsburg's Athletic Facilities department: call or e-mail Kris Kraft (e-mail kraft@augsburg.edu) at (612) 330-1504. Please do not contact the Sports Information department with questions regarding athletic facility availability or schedules for non-Augsburg athletic events.

Where do we park?
As a small college (just 23 acres in size), parking is at a premium around the Augsburg campus, especially on athletic gamedays. Parking is generally available on the streets around the Augsburg campus. On-street parking on Riverside Avenue is metered 24 hours a day; street parking elsewhere around campus is posted for one- , two- or four-hour limits. Pay close attention to the signs where you park, as the streets around campus are frequently patrolled by the city traffic squads.

Lots on the Augsburg campus are reserved 24 hours a day for permit-holders only (check the signs at the lot entrance), though some general parking lots (like Lot L at the intersection of Butler Place and 25th Avenue South on the campus map) are open for game events. However, parking will be limited on Weekend College (Augsburg for Adults) weekends, especially events on Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons, as the lots, including Lot L, are reserved for permit-holders. Check with the Augsburg Public Safety department at 612-330-1717 for parking information and special parking permits. Also, check the athletic web site for special parking deals that are often instituted before major on-campus athletic events.

Pay parking is also available in the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview "Red" and/or "Yellow" ramps, located across Riverside Avenue from Si Melby Hall and the Augsburg Ice Arena. The ramps are often the best alternative to avoiding the parking crunch of on-street parking on gamedays. University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview Riverside map is also available online in PDF format.

How much does it cost to attend an Auggie athletic event?
Tickets to Augsburg athletic events are one of the best values in the Twin Cities. Admission to most athletic events is $7 for adults and $3 for students. Some sports even offer free admission! And if you're an Augsburg College student, faculty or staff member, admission is free to all regular-season home athletic events! (There are certain exclusions, like MIAC and NCAA playoff events held at Augsburg, where everyone must pay for admission).