One goal will be on the mind of Auburn's softball team as they walk on to Jane B. Moore Field for the first time this season Thursday, Feb. 5: A trip to Oklahoma City and a berth in the College World Series.
"Everybody understands," said head coach Clint Meyers. "We're on the same page with the same goal, and that's to get to Oklahoma City and play for a national championship."
In year two under two-time national champion Meyers, the Tigers enter the season with all the confidence in the world.
"We believe this year," said returning All-American sophomore Kasey Cooper. "This year, everybody knew, 'Hey, we're going to Oklahoma City, so work your tail off in the beginning cause it's going to happen this year.' I believe our outlook on the game and way we approach the game has changed."
Even though the World Series is the ultimate goal, the team understands it has to take things as they come and work through the season one game at a time.
"Right now, we feel confident," said fellow All-American senior Branndi Melero. "We're ready to go. (Meyers) has prepared us mentally and physically to the best of his ability, and all it turns out to be is 'Are we ready for that first game?' I believe we are."
That first game will be Thursday, Feb. 5, against Troy.
Meyers pointed out before the first pitch of the 2015 campaign is thrown, the Tigers have already accomplished something no other Auburn softball team ever has, coming in at No. 19 in the preseason rankings.
Motivation for the Tigers will likely come from some of the disappointments the team was faced with last year.
"Getting deeper into SEC play really showed us how good we were and how good we could be," Cooper said. "I remember we faced some of the top teams that went to Oklahoma City and won the World Series. Just seeing that we competed with them, and if we would have done the little things right we would have won the games, taking that into consideration in practice, we focused more on the minute details and the little things so that won't happen this year."
Melero said while last year may provide some motivation, the team also needs to realize the past is over.
"It'll always be in the back of my head, but as a player you've just got to flush it," Melero said, speaking about the team's final game last season, a loss in NCAA regionals. "You've got to let it go. It's in the past, and when we get there this year, than it can come back and you can say, 'This how we're going to do it. This is how we're going to win."
The first 13 games of the season will be at home for the Tigers, as the play host to the Plainsman and Tiger Invitational. After that, they'll head to Tampa, Florida, to take part in the USF Tournament.
SEC play will begin with a series against Ole Miss in Oxford, Mississippi, on March 15.
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