Auburn softball has been trending upwards since the addition of Clint Meyers and his son Corey in 2013. The success has been unprecedented leading the Lady Tigers to two College World Series appearances in 2015 and 2016. That is why the departure of Clint Meyers seems at most unexpected. As athletic director Jay Jacobs already inked a 3-year extension for Meyers’. Meyers’ son Corey also left the program in March, pitching coach and heir apparent to Meyers. Since then the program has been in flux fans are left wondering about the current state of Auburn softball. Also, most recently a report filled with bombshell allegations against Corey Meyers and his conduct with players on the team.
Notable departures from team also raised questions, players such as Carlee Wallace and Whitney Jordan have left the program in recent months, combined with the graduation of All-American 3rd baseman Kasey Cooper. Who also apparently took a stand against Corey Meyers’ alleged misconduct by not taking a team bus ride to Athens along with several other teammates. Even with all the emerging turmoil the future remains bright for the program, emerging upperclassmen Alyssa Rivera and Casey McCrackin should be expected to play a big part next season regardless of who is head coach in the spring.
The recent allegations have no doubt casted a dark cloud on a program which has seen substantial improvement since 2013. As more information comes to light about the current situation it is hard to see how the focus of the program remains on winning games. An internal investigation by the university or athletic departments should shine some light on the major players involved in this scandal. If these allegations prove to be factual in nature, punitive recourse might be what is next for this program.
For all the success that this Auburn softball has had in the past few seasons for it all to unravel, might become a very harrowing tale on how turning a blind to matters other than winning, is simply not a winning formula for any athletics department, especially ones with a shaky past like Auburn’s.
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