Augustana University introduces Ace, the Augie Doggie, to campus and community
Augustana University officially introduced its newest mascot, Ace the Augie Doggie, to the campus and community Thursday morning.
Ace is a 6-month-old golden retriever who came to Augie through B-Squad Dog Rescue, a foster-based rescue organization. Ace will attend university events and serve as a goodwill ambassador for AU for the rest of his doggie days.
His rescue fosters Sam Kremer and Chrisanne Ebertz rescued Ace from a commercial breeder in Missouri and helped him transition to life at AU and away from a breeder.
Ace, the newest real Augie Doggie, is sponsored by Nyberg’s Ace. Owner and President Kevin Nyberg, an AU alumnus, brought Ace some toys Thursday and said the campus community is “going to fall in love with this little guy.”
He will receive his training at Paws Pet Resort and care in-kind at Best Care Pet Hospital. Head trainer Sami Menning said she looks forward to working with Ace during day training programs and teaching him basic commands and good manners.
Ace’s main owner and handler is AU chief of staff Pamela Miller. Taking care of Ace is now part of her job description, including managing his calendar and various appointments. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, Miller has Ace on campus all day for various appointments, like stress relief time in the international office on Wednesdays. On Tuesdays and Fridays, Ace will be training at Paws Pet Resort.
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Miller said she lost one of her dogs in January, but now Ace has introduced new life and love into her family and has co-existed well with her farm dog, 6-year-old Shadow, who’s “obsessed” with Ace.
“He has a great story, because he’s a rescue,” Miller said. “I was in love with (Ace) from the moment I met him.”
“He’s the perfect dog for Augie,” she added.
History of the Augie Doggie
The university will still cheer on the Augustana Vikings, but the “hiring” of Ace marks the reintroduction of the “Augie Doggie” mascot back to campus.
A suggestion to bring back the Augie Doggie came from AU alumnus Wayne Petersen, a member of the Augustana Hockey Promotional Development and Fan Engagement Subcommittee. Petersen is senior director of community relations and hockey partnerships for the Minnesota Wild, and oversees the team’s Adopt-A-Dog program, which sparked the idea.
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Before AU officially changed from Augustana College to Augustana University in 2015, the Augie Doggie was a person in a dog costume who would pump up the crowd at Augustana basketball and football games, AU communications director Jill Wilson said, but it was retired in the academic year 2002-2003.
The Augie Doggie dates back to a late 1980 addition to the men’s basketball team and was created by then-coaches John Thomas and Bill Gross, and then-junior Tim Line. Diana Borgum, spouse of then-sports information director Larry Borgum, made the costume, according to AU’s website.
AU has its own Pinterest board of Augie Doggies. The Augie Doggie is also a playing piece for the “Augieopoly” game, a spin-off of the popular board game Monopoly, made by an alumna.
Ace’s fans can follow his adventure on social media by using #AugieDoggie, #AceAtAU or @doggieofaugie on Facebook and Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Augustana University introduces Ace as new Augie Doggie mascot
