The new Huskie Athletics app launched on Jan. 2 and is available for download on both Apple and Android devices. The app was developed by Hopscotch, a Californian developer that specializes in creating apps for colleges, sports teams and live venues.

The Huskie Athletics app is a visually sleek, functionally intuitive offering with an ambitious rewards program, and if you’re familiar with any other score-tracking app, then you’ll be right at home with this one.

The first screen you see after downloading and opening the app asks you to highlight which sports you are interested in. This will determine what content is displayed and which notifications are pushed to your phone. The app provides schedules, scores and news, as well as links to video and audio coverage.

In addition to statistics, the app also features a comprehensive news feed. The news section combines official news and press releases from the Huskies along with relevant tweets. This feature is particularly useful for those who do not wish to have a Twitter account but would still like to follow Huskies-related news.

The news section also serves as the best way to read Huskies news on mobile, as the official site is better suited to desktops. The targeted content-customization features allow you to narrow the focus to preferred sports, which also makes this app a clear choice over the website for mobile users.

The addition of a sidebar also makes it easier for mobile users to navigate between news, scores and the other sections of the app. These features may seem small, but they make navigation seamless and enjoyable on mobile devices.

The Huskie Athletics app includes a handful of interactive features in the Fanzone, such as a 50/50 tracker, phone wallpapers and a Dakota Dunes Player of the Game poll. The player-of-the-game feature is the most developed of the bunch, with voting and results announced by push notifications.

Also included as part of the application is a Facilities section that contains information about Griffiths Stadium, the PAC and other venues where campus sporting events are held. The facilities section lists information about parking and seating, as well as directions to each of the venues.

The app launched alongside a new rewards program that allows users to collect points, which they can exchange for merchandise and special offers. Users can sign up for the program by downloading the app and registering with a one-click Facebook login or an email address.

According to information pages provided on the app, reward points are earned with loyalty codes that can be acquired by attending games, buying merchandise and food at Huskies events, following Huskies’ social media accounts, purchasing season tickets and more.

Rewards include everything from merchandise to free concession items and gift cards. Items worth less points include pins and apparel, while higher-priced items consist of opportunities to meet and interact with Huskies staff and players, including free VIP tickets and training from Huskies coaches.

As part of a launch promotion, users who download the app in the month of January are automatically entered into a draw to win a prize package for an all-inclusive trip for two people to see the Stanley Cup finals, the NBA finals, the World Series and the Super Bowl. Users who check in to games using the app will earn additional entries into the draw.

Overall, the Huskie Athletics app provides fans with new and interesting ways to engage in campus sports.

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Cole Chretien

Graphic: Lesia Karalash / Graphics Editor