August is a month of new beginnings on college campuses, and on Aug. 9, the NSU Athletic Department clicked over a new page and unveiled its Web site, www.nsusharks.com.
University Relations, the coaching staff, and the athletic communications staff collaborated to launch the site.
Keith Smith, assistant director of athletic communications and external operations, said it was time for a change.
“It [the old Web site] was sufficient, but we needed something that really kind of screamed what we were and what NSU athletics was all about, and right now, it’s about the Sharks,” he said.
The Web site includes features that the old Web site didn’t. The homepage has a photo reel from recent games and links to the latest sports news, all laced in flashy graphics and the classic Nova blue. Upcoming games are highlighted at the top of the page, next to buttons that connect users to the NSU athletics’ YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter pages, as well as an RSS feed.
Zuri Bowman, junior double major in legal studies and English, said, “It’s very visual. I like the scoreboard at the top, and I like the background.”
The department designed the Web site with student athletes, the student body, parents, and fans in mind. Smith said the site equips users with a more interactive and attractive experience and gives “finatics” a reason to return.
NSU women’s softball pitcher and senior communication studies major, Devin Higginbotham, said, “Upon seeing it, I loved it. The new Web site makes it easier to navigate….and I love the individual calendars [sports schedules] on each sports page.”
Live stats are available. Users can check out game summaries, team or individual stats, and get play-by-plays of the games. Users can also subscribe to the SMS messaging service that sends athletic updates directly to their phones.
And there’s more to come. Fans who can’t travel to a game will soon be able to view the live video feed, but that feature does not have a launch date yet. The video feed will be free initially, but later there will be a subscription fee.
Women’s basketball Head Coach Marilyn Rule, said, “The ability to broadcast games online is a huge advantage for recruiting and for out of town family and friends.”
Users are pleased with what they see. Some have suggestions to make the site even better.
John O’Brien, a freshman early childhood education major, suggested that an after-game video interview component be added, spotlighting key players commenting on the game and some highlight shots.
“I think it’s great. People can get more involved with the teams,” he said.
Smith said that 71 percent voted “amazing” and 17 percent voted “like it” on the homepage poll.
“The only thing it’s missing is a football team,” said Iraelle Edwards, sophomore finance and marketing major.”
If you want to weigh in on the site, visit www.nsusharks.com, scroll down the main page, and take the poll on the right hand side.
