As you arrive on campus this fall you will soon notice the impact that sports
Your first semester will be a whirlwind trying to keep up with the different sports in the fall. Here is a sports guide to what is coming up in the fall to bring you up to speed before you arrive for the first day of classes.
Football
The Tigers are coming off a bittersweet season in which they defeated rivals Georgia and Alabama but were left sitting at home while their rivals battled it out in the national championship.
Even with the season ending in the strange way it did, Auburn’s 2018 season is looking bright. Auburn is returning its starting quarterback, Jarrett Stidham, who is also the first Auburn quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards in a season since Dameyune Craig in 1997. Not only is Stidham returning, but Auburn is returning every receiver from last year’s team except for dismissed Kyle Davis.
Auburn’s offense is not the only thing fans should focus on, as the defense is returning a big part of its top-15 defense. The defensive line was one of the best units in the country last year. Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele prides himself on stellar defensive line play whether it be getting to the opposing team’s quarterback or stopping the run.
With Jeff Holland taking his talents to the NFL, there will be a void the Tigers will have to fill. They should not have any problem as every other impact player on the line is returning and the implementation of Big Kat Bryant into Holland’s old position should make the transition easier than most expect.
Overall, the Tigers are expecting another productive year with a good bit of last year’s team returning but with a good foundation of young talent to back up the veterans. Auburn is set to kick off on Sept. 1 in Atlanta against the highly touted Washington Huskies.
Soccer
Auburn’s soccer team is coming off of a program-record fourth straight NCAA tournament appearance in 2017.
The Tigers are losing a big chunk of their offensive and defensive talent from last year’s squad with leading scorer Kristen Dodson and defensive MVP Caroline Bado both graduating.
Dodson earned SEC first-team honors in back-to-back seasons and was named a United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region honoree. Bado joined Dodson as a SEC First Team All-Conference and United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region selection. Bado played in every minute of every game and was a constant backbone of the Auburn defense that forced eight shutouts and tied for a program high with five shutouts in SEC play.
Auburn is returning star players Sarah Le Beau, Bri Folds and up-and-coming star Alyssa Malonson. Even with those players returning, Auburn will still have huge holes to fill to keep their tournament streak alive.
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