Turning Air Force Athletics into a Nationally Ranked Digital Brand
Role
As Director of Digital Media, I was responsible for strategy, content planning, and publishing oversight. I led the development and execution of the department-wide digital strategy, directing a team of designers, videographers, and social media publishers to bring it to life.
Challenge
When I stepped into this role, Air Force Athletics lacked a unified digital strategy. Our brand accounts had no dedicated oversight, leaving them stagnant and inconsistent. Nationally, Air Force ranked near the bottom of Division I athletic departments in social media performance. Competing against schools with much larger budgets and significantly larger audiences, we faced a steep uphill climb. The challenge was clear: how could we make Air Force Athletics relevant on a national stage with fewer resources, less visibility, and limited brand awareness?
Actions
I took ownership of the athletics accounts and redefined our digital approach. Rather than focusing solely on wins and losses, I leaned into what made the Air Force Academy truly unique: the cadet experience, campus traditions, military culture, and the awe-inspiring presence of jets and aviation. This gave us a storytelling advantage our competitors couldn’t replicate. To scale the strategy across the department, I authored a comprehensive social media playbook and rolled it out to all 27 athletic programs. I then led a team of designers, videographers, and publishers to execute consistently across channels.
Results
#1 nationally among college athletic departments for largest year-over-year increase in interactions on main accounts
#2 nationally in overall engagement growth across Division I programs
Top 12 nationally in total interactions (1.5M) — despite having ~500K fewer followers than other schools in the top tier
Impact
Air Force Athletics went from being an afterthought in the college sports digital landscape to being recognized as one of the most engaging programs in the nation. The transformation proved that compelling strategy and storytelling could outperform follower count and budget. Beyond the metrics, we elevated the perception of the Air Force Academy brand, fostered stronger fan engagement, and gave cadet-athletes a platform that reflected the pride and uniqueness of their experience. This turnaround set a new standard for how service academy athletics could compete — and win — in the digital arena.
