Auburn head women's soccer coach Karen Hoppa is retiring after 26-year run as the program’s leader. Hoppa led the program to seven SEC Western Division championships, one SEC regular season title, one conference tournament crown and 18 NCAA Tournament appearances.
Her 293 wins at Auburn are a program record and her 357 overall wins rank 32nd in Division I history.
“It is with a mix of emotions that I’m announcing my retirement from college soccer today,” Hoppa said. “While I will miss all the excitement of college athletics, I am looking forward to spending more time with my family and moving into a new phase of life. It has been the greatest professional honor to be the head coach at Auburn University.”
In 26 seasons on The Plains, Hoppa compiled a 293-192-60 record with a 357-236-69 in 33 years as a head coach, ranking her in the top 30 among active head coaches. She became the 31st coach in the history of the sport and the ninth female head coach to amass 350 wins at the Division I level with 5-0 win at Samford on Sept. 5, 2024.
Hoppa also became one of 20 active head coaches with 300 or more career wins, including 250 or more wins at their current program, with a 1-0 win against Georgia on Mar. 31, 2021.
“I want to thank all of my coaches, all of the support staff and especially all of my players throughout the years,” Hoppa said. “I also want to thank John Cohen, Rich McGlynn, Courtney Gage and Daniel Watkins for providing such tremendous leadership for our soccer program. I look forward to the next head coach building on the foundation we have established for this program.”
Hoppa coached 15 All-Americans at Auburn including 55 All-Region honorees, 77 All-SEC selections, four SEC Players of the Year and four SEC Scholar-Athletes of the Year.
“Karen Hoppa’s incredible success over three-plus decades, including 26 at Auburn, is a testament to the type of coach and leader she is,” Auburn Athletics Director John Cohen said. “Auburn soccer would not be where it is without Karen’s unwavering work ethic and determination. She not only achieved success on the field, but her program was also a model for success in the classroom and community. On behalf of the entire Auburn Family, we want to wish Karen and her family all the best in her retirement.”
Auburn clinched its 28th overall SEC Tournament appearance in 2024, jumping ahead of Florida to become the new league leader in total appearances. This season, she guided the program to a 13-4-4 record and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Earlier in the season, the program peaked at No. 6 in the national polls, the highest ranking in program history.
Hoppa has guided the Tigers to 18 NCAA Tournament appearances. By defeating Hofstra, 1-0, in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament, the senior class became the first in program history to win a NCAA Tournament match in four straight seasons.
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Patrick is a junior from Auburn, Alabama, double majoring in journalism and marketing. He started with The Plainsman in the fall of 2022.
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