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The central hub for Washington athletics information has long been the department's Web site, GoHuskies.com. As one of the most trafficked sites on the CBS College Sports network, GoHuskies.com has been offering information to the Husky Nation for years. Over the years, the Web site has added live streaming video of various events to go along with stories, schedules and other information.

"GoHuskies.com will always be our primary news, information and multimedia platform, but social media is an intriguing new way to communicate," said Richard Kilwien, UW's associate athletic director for communications. "We have to recognize that the world is changing rapidly and the way people are receiving their information is much, much more selective. Instead of expecting Internet users to come and look for us, we are searching for new and innovative ways to go to them."

Now, the Web site has a new tool to help Husky fans follow their favorite teams: The Dawg Blawg. With various updates, videos and information, the blog is a primary source of information for Husky athletics. Perhaps just as important, the blog is a gateway to other social media networks that the department is using.

UW has been using Twitter (@UWSportsNews), a free micro-blogging service that allows members to share short updates with its followers, since the beginning of the year. One of the most popular Twitter accounts has been @CoachSark. With almost 3,500 registered followers and many more checking casually, Coach Sarkisian is able to give fans an insider's look of the program. Updates have included interview times, day-to-day tasks, and practice updates from spring football.

UW women's basketball coach Tia Jackson (@Coach_Jackson), women's soccer coach Lesle Gallimore (@LGSoccerdawg) have been using the site recently, while a few UW athletes, such as Jon Brockman (@jbrock40) and Quincy Pondexter (@QuincyPondexter) are also communicating to the Husky fanbase.

A number of teams now have Twitter accounts that update fans during or immediately after competitions, giving fans the information as fast as possible. The main general account, @UWSportsNews, has more than 2,200 followers and includes game updates, departmental news and information on following the Huskies in the media.

Facebook offers another opportunity for exposure. Like Twitter, Facebook gives fans the opportunity to follow Husky athletics through applications. Facebook offers a two-way experience for fans, who are able to discuss Husky-related topics with one another while following wall posts from the department. Every sport at Washington has a Facebook page for fans to add to their own profiles. Although they are new, many pages have hundreds of subscribers and the most popular pages have over 1,000.

The athletic department is taking YouTube to another level in its efforts to expand the exposure of its programs. With new licensing agreements through Collegiate Images that make UW more than just a normal user, it is able to insure that Husky-based content is distributed to fans as it is directed through its site at youtube.com/UWAthletics.

The site started in February of this year, and steady growth can be attributed to the great video coverage that includes interviews, highlights and more.

These new tools are taking UW into the next generation of media coverage. Updates that are as current as possible, forums for fan discussion and an overall increase in the amount of access that fans have to information about Husky athletics are ways the department hopes to improve fan involvement and its coverage of teams.

With this proactive and inclusive view on athletic communications, the department hopes to stay on the cutting edge of information diffusion. Although most of these networks are new to the public and the department, the effort to make new media part of the culture at the athletic department is important to moving Husky athletics forward.