146 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(02/24/15 12:13am)
A solid Tiger bullpen kept Binghamton off the scoreboard Friday, Feb. 13, but it was a short leash for Auburn's pitchers Saturday, Feb. 14, at Plainsman Park.
Auburn went through six pitchers in its 11-5 loss to Binghamton in the second game of the weekend series.
Trey Wingenter allowed five hits and two runs; Kevin Davis, two runs; Jacob Milliman, three hits and two runs; Will Thompson, one hit and one run; Dalton Rentz, three hits and three runs; Issac Yarborough, two hits and two runs.
Auburn's offense had 11 hits, but 10 strikeouts with four strikeouts in the six hole.
Binghamton pitching kept Auburn in check for the most part and showed what they can do at the plate.
"I think we loss some focus on the mound," said head coach Sunny Golloway. "When you're behind, I think it is easy to lose focus. We've got to develop some maturity on the mound and not lose focus. It's going to take games to do that."
Trey Wingenter pitched four innings, the most for the Tigers Feb. 14, but
allowed two runs to open things up for the Bearcats in the first inning.
"I still think our guys are really special," Golloway said. "I think (Trey) Wingenter starting it out was just a little nervous, but settled in really well."
Auburn was able to keep the scoreboard tied at 2-2 until the Bearcats pulled away in the fifth.
"That's what we tell the guys," Golloway said. "Don't let that scoreboard keep you from being able to focus both on the mound, at the pate or defensively."
Auburn's right-hander Kevin Davis only stayed in the game for five pitches after throwing four straight balls to his first batter and hit the second one with a pitch in the fifth inning.
Jacob Milliman took the mound with runners on first and second and no outs after Davis was pulled.
The senior gave up a three-run homerun over the left field fence on his second pitch to give his opponents the 5-2 lead, but settled down and struck out his second and third batters to close out the inning.
Auburn had a good start in the fifth inning offensively, but the offense missed some big opportunities to score.
With the bases loaded and only one out, JUCO transfer Bo Decker and redshirt sophomore Ben Craft could not deliver, and left three runners stranded on the base path, but the Tigers did came away with a point.
"I thought we had some good at bats," Golloway said. "We struck out too many times clearly. We just can't do that. We've got to cut down and make two strike adjustments and put the ball in play. You can't have that many strikeouts and find success."
Tigers chipped away at the Bearcats with right-hander Kevin Davis, who kept the Bearcats scoreless in the sixth inning.
Auburn's offense got going in the bottom of the sixth after a sophomore Damon Haecker ripped a pitch down the first base line and junior Sam Gillikin hit a hot shot off the pitchers glove for a close call single.
Gillikin hit a sac fly to drive in Haecker, but Auburn was still behind.
The Tigers went to the bullpen once again in the top of the seventh inning and put in left-handed pitcher Will Thompson, who had a short leash like the other five pitchers and wasn't productive.
With one out, and Bearcats at the corners, Auburn put in right-hander Dalton Rentz in the sixth.
Binghamton started to close the book as sophomore Brenden Skidmore smashed one of Rentz's pitches into center field to drive in two runs and extend their lead to 7-4.
The damage was done, but the Bearcats weren't.
Rentz gave up a single and walked one hitter to start a tough eighth inning, which ended in another Bearcat scoring off a bad throw to home plate from Decker.
With men on second and third, left-hander Issac Yarbrough took the mound for the Tigers.
The first Binghamton batter that the junior faced smoked a triple to right field, bringing in two more runs.
"Yarborough pitched well for one inning and when he fell apart, he had trouble getting his focus back," Golloway said.
Auburn didn't get out of the inning before giving up four more runs to the Bearcats.
The Tigers managed to make it a six-run affair in the bottom of the eighth.
After a sliding triple from Haecker, Gillikin drove in the sophomore to make it 11-5.
It was a 1,2,3 inning for Yarborough in the top of the ninth, but the Tigers' offense could not make anything out of their last chance to score.
Auburn will have a rubber match with the Bearcats Sunday, Feb. 15, in the final game of the weekend series at Plainsman Park.
(02/24/15 12:15am)
Auburn's pitching staff dominated Binghamton Friday afternoon, Feb. 13, as the Tigers shutout the Bearcats 2-0 at Plainsman Park.
The Tigers stranded a few key runners who were in position to score, but the bullpen took control after an early homerun from a returning star.
Sophomore ace Keegan Thompson settled in early and retired the first 11 batters after junior right fielder Jordan Ebert hit a deep shot over Plainsman Park's green monster in the first inning to give the Tigers momentum on opening day in front of 2,705 fans.
"We pitched the ball really well," said head coach Sunny Galloway. "I thought all three of them were really efficient. We didn't want to over evaluate. We wanted to come out and find victory, and we did."
Thompson had a no-hitter through the first three innings, but allowed his first hit in the top of the fourth inning to senior outfielder Jake Thomas.
"I felt good," Thompson said. "I kind of struggled at first on my fastball command. It's the first game so not everyone is on their game every time."
Junior college transfer Bo Decker started out dangerous at the plate in his first appearance for the Tigers, finishing 2-4.
The newcomer was Auburn's designated hitter, but Galloway said he has a chance to start at left field.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Decker ripped a slow-hanging curveball to left field for a double and was eventually drove in to score by sophomore catcher Blake Logan to extend the Tigers' lead to 2-0.
"We had some quality left-handed hitters that we could of hit," Galloway said. "We knew there guy was a slider guy. Bo did a good job. He stayed on some balls and swung it pretty good."
Decker wasn't the only Tiger hitting attacking the ball at the plate.
Besides Ebert's bomb over the green monster in the first inning, sophomore center fielder Anfernee Grier hit a hot shot off left field wall and slid in safely for a double in the third inning, although the Tigers couldn't score from the play.
"I thought we hit some balls hard early," Galloway said. "The first two batters hit the ball hard. Jordan (Ebert) got it out of the yard."
It was the most strikeouts for Auburn's pitching staff since they had 16 against Florida Atlantic in 2010.
While Thompson recorded the win after finishing with five strikeouts and no walks, other pitchers stepped up to maintain the victory.
The Tigers decided to save Thompson's arm in the fifth inning and replaced him with Cole Lipscomb, who finished with eight strikeouts. The four-inning relief appearance was the redshirt sophomore's longest outing of his career.
Lipscomb was tested in the top of the sixth inning when the Bearcats had their first runners in scoring position with two outs.
After a brief settle-down from new pitching coach Tom Holliday, the right-handed pitcher struck out junior Reed Gamache to end the inning.
Junior right-hander Justin Camp closed things out for the Tigers as he struck out two Bearcats in the ninth to get the save and give Auburn their first win of the season.
"Keegan was very efficient with his pitch count," Galloway said. "Cole Lipscomb had to get out of jam. Camp just came in on the back end. He's a max effort guy. He fits that role really well."
(02/23/15 10:31pm)
A strong bullpen led by sophomore Keegan Thompson and new pitching coach Tom Holliday could provide some cushion for the offense, but a cohesive outfield is what the Tigers might find themselves leaning on in 2015.
Junior right fielder Jordan Ebert, junior left fielder Sam Gillikin and sophomore center fielder Anfernee Grier could be as valuable for keeping runners from crossing home plate as they will be for driving runners in this season.
Head coach Sunny Golloway calls the Foley, Hoover and Phenix City natives the "Alabama Trio."
"I've said going in that the Alabama Trio will be the starting outfield," Golloway said. "It's a pretty neat thing, pretty special."
The Trio has shifted positions this year to upgrade Auburn's defense.
Ebert moved from left to right field to take advantage of his strong throwing arm. Gillikin moved from right to left field and Grier, who played on both sides last year, will learn the walls at center field.
"We feel like they settled in to where they are at now," Golloway said. "They feel more comfortable in those positions."
The team is looking for another great year from Ebert, who led the team with a .351 batting average last season.
The SEC's top returning hitter could have tried his hand in professional baseball, being draft eligible, but decided to take another swing at Auburn after going 28-28 last season and missing the SEC Tournament.
"(Ebert) had a really good year last year," Gillikin said. "He's going to have to be a guy that steps up and wins games for us, and he knows he is that guy."
Gillikin, who hit .214 with five doubles, four RBIs and was perfect in 30 outfield chances through 24 games as a sophomore, may have as much potential as anyone on the team, according to Golloway.
"(Gillikin) is someone that professional baseball has talked a lot about," Golloway said. "He's got no ceiling. The sky is the limit for him."
Grier missed 16 games last season after injuring his hand in the Missouri series. Sitting on the bench with his hand wrapped dealt a huge blow to Auburn's offense, but he returned strong and hit .255 with one home run and 11 RBIs to finish the season.
Golloway has preached "Omaha" since he was named Auburn's 17th head baseball coach June 14, 2013.
The Tigers did not even reach the doorstep of a championship last year, but the "Alabama Trio" has the potential on offense and defense for a turnaround season.
"Our expectations are try to get to 40 wins and get to postseason," Golloway said. "That is what it is going to take to get to Omaha. We got an Alabama trio out there and they all need to step up and play well, and potentially they can."
(02/24/15 3:47am)
Malcolm Canada looked down the barrel of a shotgun as police raided his house in Austin, Texas, for illegal drugs when he was 12 years old.
Before he played college basketball, Canada grew up in a crack house, where his parents were involved in the use and distribution of illegal drugs.
Canada said he remembers the day the drug activity ended like it was yesterday.
Before he realized what was happening, the senior point guard said police officers kicked down his front door while another team rushed though the back door to the laundry room, where crack cocaine was usually dealt.
His father and another man not related to Canada were arrested that day for the drugs, according to Canada.
"Home wasn't a home," Canada said. "It was rough at home. I would try and stay away from home."
Canada said he couldn't help but remember the toxic smell of crack cocaine being cooked and smoked by strangers in his house while his parents roamed the streets.
Canada saw drug deals so often as a child, he said he could have sold drugs himself.
Before Canada's childhood home was revealed to be a crack house, he said he saw something unusual that could have led to the police raiding his home that day.
The man who was later arrested in the raid with Canada's father sold some crack to a regular customer.
Canada said he saw something different this time about the drug deal.
The "crack head" who bought the drugs usually stayed at his house and smoked there, but that day, he got the drugs and left immediately.
Less than three minutes after the "crack head" left with the drugs, police raided the house, Canada said.
But growing up in a rough environment didn't keep Canada from finding happiness as a child.
Canada said his friends were there for him when life at home wasn't good.
Playing basketball at the recreation center with his friends or simply hanging out and laughing helped Canada forget about the rancid life cooking in his home.
The youngest of his group of friends was Anthony Doyle, who Canada said they called "Pudgy."
Canada would stay the night at his house nearly every weekend. Doyle would even pay for Canada's lunch when he didn't have money to eat.
Doyle said Canada always comes to mind when he thinks about overcoming the adversity they faced as children in the projects.
Doyle said he remembers going with his mother to pick up Canada at his house to keep Child Protective Services from taking him.
While his parents were nowhere to be found, Doyle said Canada walked out of the house with everything he had, a grocery bag full of clothes and the shoes on his feet.
After the raid, Canada was left homeless for two weeks.
The house was evicted, his father was in jail, he couldn't find his mother and his aunt could only afford to take in his 2-year-old brother.
Canada went where he always did to escape his home life, the neighborhood recreation center.
But instead of playing basketball and running around as usual, he sat on a bench thinking about where he could go when the center closed.
That day sucked the life out of Canada. He ended up sleeping on a backseat that was stripped from a car and placed under a stairwell in an apartment complex.
Canada slept on the faded blue seat every night, ate food out of Dumpsters when he couldn't find money to eat and wore the same clothes every day for two weeks until Doyle realized his friend had lost everything and took him in once again.
After living with Doyle for a few months, people who knew Canada from playing basketball at the recreation center realized the situation with his parents wasn't getting better and wanted to help.
Canada made quite the impression on Amateur Athletic Union basketball coach Kevin Robertson when he played in the youth league.
Robertson and his friend Ray Jackson, who was part of the famed University of Michigan Wolverines Fab Five, would go to Canada's games because they liked to watch his unselfish style on the court.
Robertson became a mentor for Canada over the years, and when the situation with his parents didn't seem to be improving, he told the young AAU star he could stay with him temporarily.
Days turned into months before Robertson became Canada's guardian.
"I told him he could stay with me as long as he needed to stay with me," Robertson said.
Canada said Robertson brought out a different element in him.
"He brought out integrity in me," Canada said. "He taught me how men are supposed to be. Without Kevin, and without God putting Kevin in my life, I would be nothing."
The day after the raid, Canada went back to his old house.
He said the memories of living there made his heart pound faster as approached.
"It was just scary," Canada said. "I thought somebody was going to jump out at me or something."
Staring down at his basketball medals and clothes scattered acoss the yard reminded him of a life that was behind him, but made him who he is today.
"We all had dreams, he's just one of the ones that made it," Doyle said.
(01/31/15 4:45am)
No. 12 Auburn gymnastics defeated Air Force Academy 196.625 to190.900 in the Tigers' final non-conference dual meet before SEC competitions on Friday, Jan. 30, in Auburn Arena.
Coming off a record meet against Arkansas, Auburn (3-1, 2-1 SEC) continued its strong performances in front of 5,881 fans on Military Appreciation Night.
"We went 24-for-24, which was important to us," said head coach Jeff Graba. "We tried to build in every event and I felt like we did a good job with that."
Caitlin Atkinson won her third straight all-around title with a total score of 39.400 in the Tigers' victory. The junior scored 9.825 on vault, 9.850 on bars, 9.825 on beam and 9.900 on floor.
Auburn went into Friday's meet focused on building on each event, according to Graba.
"Each event is an entity in itself," Graba said. "We are trying to start out strong and then build on that. It was nice to see that everyone settled down and got into a flow tonight."
Redshirt junior Lexus Demers opened up the meet with a career-high 9.925 on vault and Auburn stayed consistent from there.
"I actually worked really hard this week in vault and I overdid my numbers every day in practice." Demers said. "My goal was to that exact vault so I'm really pleased."
Megan Walker claimed her third event title of the year in bars to stick the Tigers with their second highest score (49.175) on the event this season.
The Tigers handled their nerves on the beam as they recorded another second-highest score (49.075) of the season and went 6-for-6 in the event for the first time this season.
Auburn will turn their attention to No.6 Alabama this week to get ready for the road match in Tuscaloosa next Friday, Feb. 6.
"It won't be hard to motivate the girls this week," Graba said. "They are really dialed in. The danger was that we would look past this week at Alabama. I think we proved we weren't doing that and we got to get a lot sharper in order to go against them and to compete in their arena with their crowd."
(02/24/15 2:16am)
Auburn honored eight seniors in the Tigers' final home dual meet of the regular season Saturday, Jan. 24, at James E. Martin Aquatics Center.
It was emotional for the seniors after the meet, but not because the women dropped, 152-148, or the men fell short, 158-142, in a tough loss to conference rivals Florida.
Hanging with one of the nation's best swimming and diving programs gave the Tigers confidence they can compete against any other program, said head coach Brett Hawke.
The emotions sparked from four years of hard work and building close relationships, a journey that will come to an end for eight seniors.
Four from the men's side: Allen Browning, Alex Hancock, Fraser McKean and Tommy McKee; and four from the women's side: Cinzia Calabretta, Megan Fonteno, Sarah Peterson and Shanna Schuelein; were recognized before the start of the competition.
Fonteno, who swam in the final relay where Auburn was just short of touching before the Gators, said her teammates will have everlasting impressions on her.
"When you come to college, you don't realize the impact these people are going to have on you, and these girls will never know the impact they have had on me and my life," Fonteno said. "I can't thank them enough. They haven't just helped me become a better swimmer, but a person too."
McKean, who closed out his last home meet with a pair of wins in diving and set a season-best in the men's 1-meter springboard, said he is going to miss the team atmosphere.
"We've been together, especially the senior group, four years now," McKean said. "We're always there for each other, yelling for each other, cheering for each other. It's just a lot of fun."
The senior said his last regular-season dual meet had to be up there with one of his best memories inside James E. Martin Aquatics Center because his father was able to make the trip to Auburn all the way from Victoria, British Columbia.
"He doesn't really come down that often," McKean said. "It's a long way from home. It's really special to have him here with me tonight."
For Fonteno, the end of the meet was sad, but more exciting.
"I couldn't have asked for a better way to finish," Fonteno said. "Winning would have been nice, but you could really tell that everyone gave 110 percent today. There is no one I would rather share it with than these girls."
Hawke said he was proud of his seniors and their years of dedication to the team.
"They really give their heart and souls, so it's always nice when you can finish off the season really strong," Hawke said.
McKean said it was a day of "good energy" and "good events" where everything came together.
The regular-season dual meets are finished, but Auburn's seniors look to race alongside their teammates one more time at home when the Tigers host the SEC Championships starting Feb. 14.
(01/30/15 2:00pm)
A weekly highlight of stories in The Auburn Plainsman.
(02/24/15 1:15am)
Auburn's swimming and diving and diving team ended its regular season with a victory Thursday at the Missouri Aquatic Center in Columbia, Missouri.
The No. 6 Men defeated Missouri, 162-138, and the No. 8 women won, 162-137.
On the men's side, the Tigers (4-4, 4-1 SEC) took seven out of the last eight events.
Sophomore Joe Patching and junior Arthur Mendes each had two wins.
Patching won the 200 backstroke, touching in at 1:44.19, and ended the meet with a 1:48 in the 200 individual medley.
Mendes posted a time of 43.90 in the 100 freestyle for his first victory of the year, and led the Tigers once more in the 100 butterfly, coming in at 47.28.
With sweeps in both of the men's relays, the men's squad also picked up key wins from freshman Logan Samuelson in the 500 free, freshman Hugo Morris in the 200 fly and a victory in the 50 free from Kyle Darmody.
On the women's side, Auburn's (7-2-1, 5-1-1 SEC) Ashley Neidigh, Allyx Purcell and Jillian Vitarius each had a pair of wins.
Neidigh touched in at 9:59.41 in the 1,000 free and 4:50.51 in the 500 free. Purcell clocked in at 22.64 in the 50 free and 49.60 in the 100 free. Vitarius came in a 55.41 in the 100 back and posted a 1:57.86 in the 200 back.
Auburn's women also earned victories in the 200 IM from McKenna DeBever, 200 free from Valerie Hull and the 200 free relay.
Carly Scheper earned a first-place finish in diving for the Tigers.
The junior recorded a six-dive list of 311.33 in the women's 3-meter competition, while senior Fraser McKean came in first place for the men in the 1-meter with a score of 367.13.
With the 2014-15 dual meets behind them, the Tigers will host the SEC Championships on Feb. 17-21 at the James E. Martin Aquatics Center.
(01/27/15 7:00pm)
At just about any Auburn equestrian event this year, there is a brunette running back and forth between the rings or crouching under a fence trying to capture a good angle of the competitors with her camera.
She is wearing the same tall boots and uniform of the Western riders.
Her name is Danielle Long, and she wears the boots and attire because she is an Auburn equestrian rider, as well as the team's photographer.
Long took on the extra role of taking her teammates' pictures her sophomore year, and the only time she puts the camera down is when it is her turn to compete for the Western team.
Long found her passion in art and photography approximately the same time she got her first quarter horse at the age of 8 years old.
Growing up around the horse-riding industry in Alaska, Long said she knows what to look for in her photos, which will eventually make their way to the teams' Facebook page or the Auburn athletics website.
"Her photos are great," said head coach Greg Williams. "My wife says she could take a hundred photos of the same thing Danny takes one of, and Danny's is always better. Not just the quality, but Danny has a way of always seeing an angle, a light, something different. It's just the eye of a photographer."
Long's passion for photography stems from a condition she has called autism spectrum disorder. ASD is classified as a neurodevelopment disorder, which is impairment of the growth and development of the brain or central nervous system.
People are usually diagnosed with ASD in their early childhood.
People with ASD can have a wide range of symptoms, which can include deficits in social communication and repetitive patterns of behavior.
The senior majoring in fine arts was diagnosed with ASD her freshman year after extensive tests were performed through Auburn's psychology department.
Many people who have ASD use their creative abilities as a means of communication and find it to be therapeutic, according to Long.
"It is a very meditative and stress relieving thing for me," Long said. "I look for certain things. I love just being able to capture these random moments."
Jennifer Delman of the hunt seat team said all her teammates try to get in Long's photos.
"It just kind of brings us all together," Delman said. "That's kind of a role that no one before her had and she kind of created it on her own and took initiative. It's something we really enjoy."
Delman said she fills in as the photographer when it is Long's turn to ride in the events.
"We always have a joke about how when she puts pictures up on Facebook you can always tell which ones I took and which ones she took because hers are always so much better," Delman said. "I know after meets I'll keep checking Facebook to see when Danny is going to put the pictures up because they are so nice to look at."
Long said her favorite equestrian moment was taking photographs when Auburn equestrian won the National Championship in 2013.
Long was taking photographs at the other end of the arena in Waco, Texas, when former teammate Cheyenne Cracraft sealed the championship against Georgia in a ride-off competition.
Long said candid is her favorite type of photography now. She enjoys it because people have no idea she is shooting them.
"One of my favorite things is to see people be happy about something I took and noticed about them," Long said.
Whether this season ends in another national championship or doesn't go the way the Tigers want it to, the Auburn equestrian team will have Long's photographs to look forward to at the end of the meets.
(02/23/15 10:04pm)
Auburn showed improvement on almost every level Saturday, Jan. 24, as the Tigers closed out the Vanderbilt Invitational in Nashville, Tennessee.
Thirteen Tigers recorded personal bests in the two-day meet at the Vanderbilt Student Recreation Center.
The improved performances started on the first day of the competition.
Griffin Jaworski led the way as the senior won the men's 5000 meters with a time of 14:18.90, while three juniors and two sophomores set personal records in their events.
Auburn finished strong on the last day of the meet.
Sophomore Emily Stevens became the fourth-fastest mile performer in program history after setting a new personal best of 4:47.24 in the mile.
Kenzley Defler and Akilah Haynes kept the personal records coming for Auburn as the freshman Defler came in at 10:10.58 in the 3000m and the sophomore Haynes crossed the finish line at 59.44 in the 400m.
In the women's triple jump, freshmen Jakayla Hand and Deja Hillman set new personal records of 40-6/12.34m and 39-7.75/12.08m.
Sophomore Kahlil Henderson broke his record set last year in Nashville coming in at 21.54 in the 200m. Freshman Mitchell Gomez set a new personal record in the 3000m with a time of 8:42.32.
Two facility records were claimed by Auburn in the final day of the Vanderbilt Invitational also.
Senior Ty McCormack posted a Top-10 nationally ranked time of 8:02 in the 3000m and sophomore SheKara Martin claimed the 200m title with a personal-best time of 23.97 while setting a new personal record in the 60m at 7.49.
The Tigers will get almost two weeks of training to continue to improve before their next competition Feb. 6-7 at the Husker Invitational in Lincoln, Nebraska.
(02/24/15 1:13am)
The Auburn swimming and diving team dropped a close one in its last home dual meet of the regular season Saturday at James E. Martin Aquatic Center.
Strong swimming came from both top-ranked teams, but the Florida Gators defeated Auburn's men (3-4) 158-142. The women's team (6-2-1) fell 152-148.
"I think both teams are pretty balanced and they got their strengths and weaknesses just like we do," said head coach Brett Hawke. "It was a great battle today between two Top-10 teams."
The Tigers were focused on improving from their last meet against Texas, according to Hawke.
The women's side won six events in a heartbreaker.
"It's just another dual meet," said senior Megan Fonteno. "It's important, but at the same time, win or lose, we still have SEC's which is more important. Dual meets are fun, don't get me wrong, but losing does not define who we are as a team."
A disappointing loss in the 400 freestyle relay made the difference between winning and losing for women.
The Gators finished less than a second faster than Auburn's Fonteno, junior Alex Merritt, sophomore Allyx Purcell and freshman Valerie Hull.
"Obviously Florida is a great team and its good to compare yourself to your competitors, but then again it is only a dual meet, and a lot can change between here and SEC's," Fonteno said.
Sara Peterson put her blinders on and swam to first-place in the 200 fly. The senior recorded a season best 1:58.70, Auburn's fastest time of the year in the event.
The women's team also picked up individual wins from Purcell in the 50 free (22.54), sophomore Natasha Lloyd in the 100 breast (1:01.76), junior Annie Lazor in the 200 breast (2:13.93) and sophomore Maddie Martin in the 100 fly (54.18).
Fraser McKean and Joe Patching put the men's team on their backs as the Tigers relay team swept Florida in both races.
McKean led the way with two wins in diving as Auburn took a big lead to start the day.
The senior had a clean performance as McKean set a season best in the men's 1-meter springboard event. Leaving little splash, he recorded a 383.35.
It was a momentum shift for Auburn as Joe Patching found enough speed to get to the wall first in the 100 back. The crowd erupted as the sophomore touched in at 47.84.
Patching came up big for the Tigers once again in the 200 back later in the meet, touching in at 1:43.77.
"He is just a tough racer," Hawke said. "He loves to compete and loves representing Auburn. You know you are always going to get 110 percent from him every time he swims."
Michael Duderstadt stood out on the men's side as well. The senior earned his second-straight win in the 100 breast, clocking a 53.64.
"We were right up against Florida and we are as good as they are," Hawke said. "I think the kids are going to be really encouraged by this."
Auburn closes out its regular season slate Thursday against Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. It will be the first ever dual between Auburn and Missouri on the women's side while the men are 1-0 all-time against their SEC opponent.
(02/24/15 12:35am)
After setting Auburn's single-game passing and total offense records against Alabama this past season in the Iron Bowl, Nick Marshall made the switch Tuesday.
Auburn's quarterback for the last two seasons went through drills as a cornerback in Tuesday's Senior Bowl practice and plans on staying at the position throughout the week, according to Charles Goldberg.
Marshall hasn't played in the secondary since his freshman season at Georgia, but will look to impress pro scouts as a defensive back heading into the NFL Draft and improve his chances of making a roster.
The transition will require knocking some of the dust off, but Marshall is up for the challenge having already played cornerback before, according to Goldberg.
Marshall contemplated still playing quarterback in the Senior Bowl after he passed for almost 4,500 yards and rushed for more than 2,000 in two seasons as the Tigers signal-caller, but decided those days were over.
He was invited Tuesday to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis and will prepare for it as a defensive back.
Marshall will try to match his collegiate success as a quarterback, which includes an SEC Championship and a trip to the BCS National Championship game, in a new role on his quest to playing professionally.
(02/24/15 12:37am)
Auburn has hired Lance Thompson to coach the Tigers' linebackers next season, according to Charles Goldberg.
As the Crimson Tide's outside linebackers coach for the past three seasons, Thompson will join Will Muschamp's staff in 2015 alongside Travaris Robinson and Rodney Garner.
Thompson worked with Muschamp before at LSU in 2002 and 2003 and is considered one of the game's top recruiters.
Auburn's coaching staff is complete with the hiring of Thompson, who will try and help improve a defense that had many weak spots in 2014.
(02/24/15 12:47am)
Auburn finished its season ranked No. 22 in the Associated Press Poll Tuesday Jan. 13, despite a 34-31 loss in overtime to Wisconsin in the Outback Bowl and losing four of its last five games.
The Tigers' (8-5) grueling schedule was most likely recognized, as they were the only team with five losses ranked in the Top 25.
Ranked as high as No. 2 in Week 7, Auburn will finish 2014 last of six ranked SEC teams.
After Texas A&M upset the Tigers in early November, the Tigers could not pull together a victory for the rest of the season, except for a 31-7 win against Samford.
Ohio State finished No. 1 after defeating Oregon 42-20 in the College Football Playoff Championship Game on Monday Jan. 12.
Associated Press Top 25:
1. Ohio State (+4)
2. Oregon (+1)
3. TCU (+3)
4. Alabama (-3)
5. Florida State (-3)
6. Michigan State (+2)
7. Baylor (-3)
8. Georgia Tech (+2)
9. Georgia (+4)
10. UCLA (+4)
11. Mississippi State (-3)
12. Arizona State (+3)
13. Wisconsin (+4)
14. Missouri (+2)
15. Clemson (+3)
16. Boise State (+5)
17. Ole Miss (-8)
18. Kansas State (-7)
19. Arizona (-7)
20. Southern California (+4)
21. Utah (+2)
22. Auburn (-3)
23. Marshall (+5)
24. Louisville (-4)
25. Memphis (+4)
(02/24/15 12:54am)
Tenth-ranked Auburn men fell, 156-135, in a dual meet to No. 1 Texas while the No. 12 Auburn women dropped 174-126 to the No. 6 Longhorns in swimming and diving Thursday at the James E. Martin Aquatics Center.
It was the first loss of the season for the women, but they did take first place in several events.
Junior Jillian Vitarius, sophomore Beatriz Travalon, senior Megan Fonteno and Allyx Purcell opened the meet for the women's side with a victory in the 200 medley relay coming in at 1:39.27.
Purcell and Fonteno saw victory again as they earned another team win in the 400 freestyle relay, this time alongside teammates junior Alex Merritt and freshman Valerie Hull.
Purcell also took first place in two individual events as the sophomore clocked in at 22.64 in the 50 free and 49.39 in 100 free.
The Tiger women had several second-place finishes from sophomore Natasha Lloyd in two breaststroke events, Merritt in the 100 fly, sophomore Ashley Neidigh in the 1,000 free and Hull in the 200 free.
Joe Patching, sophomore Michael Duderstadt, junior Arthur Mendes and freshman Jacob Molacek opened up the men's side of the meet with a second-place finish as they clocked in at 1:28.03 in the 200 medley relay, but finished with a win towards the end of the meet in the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 2:57.38.
Patching earned an individual win in the men's 200 back touching in at 1:44.83 as well as a second-place finish in the 100 back.
The sophomore also posted a win in the 200IM with a time of 1:47.78 and was followed by teammates junior Jordan Jones and senior Alex Hancock who finished second and third.
Dudertstadt picked up a win in the 100 breast touching in at 54.10.
In diving, senior Fraser McKean picked up his 11th individual win of the season on the men's side in the 3-meter competition with a score of 401.63 while senior Cinzia Calabretta took second on the 3-meter board with a score of 304.95 for the women's side.
Auburn's last home meet of the regular season will be against Florida Saturday, Jan. 24.
(02/24/15 12:47am)
Several players have already decided to return to Auburn for the 2015 season instead of entering the NFL Draft.
After much contemplation, linebacker Kris Frost joined those teammates and announced his return to Auburn for his senior season on Twitter Thursday, Jan. 8.
Frost will work under the guidance of new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp in his final season with the Tigers and alongside fellow junior linebacker Cassanova McKinzy, who confirmed Tuesday, Jan. 6, he would return for another season.
Frost finished the 2014 season third on the team in tackles with 87 and second in tackles for loss with 10. He also led the team with 3.5 sacks, forced three fumbles and had an interception.
McKinzy will be a senior in Muschamp's defense and has played both middle and outside linebacker for Auburn in the past. McKinzy led the Tigers in tackles in 2013 with 75 and was second on the team in 2014 with 91 tackles.
Lineman Avery Young and wideout Duke Williams are the other two returners.
Avery Young confirmed Tuesday, Jan. 6, that he would return for another season.
Young started 24 of 25 games in his career and will be a redshirt junior next fall.
Williams announced Monday, Dec. 29, in Tampa, before the Outback Bowl that he will return for his senior season in 2015 instead of entering the NFL Draft with likes of receiver Sammie Coates, who has already graduated.
Williams is the Tigers' leading receiver with 45 receptions for 730 yards and five touchdowns.
Frost, McKinzy, Williams and Young all considered early entry to the NFL before deciding they had unfinished business on the Plains.
(01/05/15 10:00pm)
Auburn's diving squad concluded the Tennessee Diving Invitational Monday with a first-place finish from senior Fraser McKean at the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center in Knoxville, Tennessee.
McKean took first on the platform final with a score of 374.30. It was the senior's third straight victory on the tower.
McKean improved each day of the three-day meet, finishing second in the 3-meter final Sunday and fourth overall in the 1-meter on Saturday.
Freshman Pete Turnham set a personal-best with a score of 276.00 to take eighth place in the one-list platform final.
On the women's side, Cinzia Calabretta just missed taking third place by .35 points.
The senior took fourth in the women's platform final with a score of 238.05, while junior Carly Scheper placed ninth with a score of 218.50 in her first platform final this season.
Auburn's swimmers and divers will continue their 2015 action on Thursday, Jan. 8, at 2 p.m. against No. 1/6 Texas at the James E. Martin Aquatics Center.
(01/05/15 12:30am)
Auburn's divers wrapped up the second day of competition at the Tennessee Diving Invitational at the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center in Knoxville, Tennessee Sunday with a second place finish from senior Fraser McKean.
McKean qualified for the 3-meter final with a score of 377.55 in prelims earlier in the day and finished with a score of 364.05 in the finals.
The senior improved from day one where he finished fourth overall on the 1-meter with a score of 344.25.
Pete Turnham also advanced to finals in the men's 3-meter competition Sunday. The freshman scored a 331.05 and finished eighth for the Tigers in both competitions in the first two days of the three-day meet.
On the women's side, junior Carly Scheper and senior Cinzia Calabretta finished in ninth and 10th place in the 1-meter final Sunday with scores of 257.55 and 253.35 after coming up short of qualifying for the 3-meter final Saturday.
The Auburn men and women divers will wrap up the Tennessee Diving Invitational tomorrow with the platform final. Finals for the men will begin at 9:30 a.m. with the women starting at noon.
(02/24/15 12:48am)
The Auburn Tigers (8-5, 4-5 SEC) suffered a 34-31 loss to Wisconsin (11-3, 8-1 Big Ten) in an Outback Bowl that came down to the wire Thursday at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.
With the opportunity for Auburn to end the season on a positive note, the Tigers couldn't pull together a win in overtime. Kicker Daniel Carlson's field goal attempt in overtime danced off the upright and diminished any chances at victory for the Tigers.
"We just didn't make the plays at the end of the game and they did, so give them credit for that," head coach Gus Malzahn said. "We have a lot of seniors and obviously we're disappointed we couldn't get those guys out on a positive note."
It wasn't easy for either teams' defense as both offenses were hitting on all cylinders.
Auburn's Cameron Artis-Payne's two touchdowns today gave the senior his twelfth career 100-yard game and ninth this season, good enough for third place in Auburn all-time single-season rushing (1,608).
"It's pretty much a team effort," Artis-Payne said. "Everything that I was able to do was because of the offensive line."
It was quarterback Nick Marshall's twelfth career 200-yard passing game and twelfth game with multiple touchdown passes.
The Auburn defense was unable to slow down Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon. The Heisman candidate's 251 yards rushing were the most ever by an Auburn opponent.
"We were trying to focus on that guy," Malzahn said. "Our key was to try and stop him and obviously we didn't. He made some big plays and that was a big factor in the game."
Wisconsin found the weak spots in the Tigers' defense early as the Badgers scored on their first drive with a seven-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Joel Stave to sophomore Corey Clement.
The Tigers started to hustle on defense at the end of the first quarter and stalled the Badgers on their second drive.
Auburn was productive later on in the first half as the SEC's leading rusher Artis-Payne pounded the ball up the field and scored off a two-yard touchdown run set up by a 19-yard completion from Marshall to wide receiver Quan Bray.
The Badger's luck dwindled when their starting center Dan Volts left the game after he injured his left ankle on a first-down play at the end of the first quarter.
The Tigers started playing like it was their final game of the season in the second quarter.
While Marshall had some bad reads, he came up huge for Auburn with a 66-yard touchdown pass to junior Ricardo Louis that extended Auburn's lead to 14-7 before heading into the locker room. It was Marshall's second longest completion of the season and the longest reception for Louis this season.
Auburn's defense stepped up as it recorded two interceptions in the first half. Junior Kris Frost led the way on defense with eight tackles in the first half and finished with 12.
Auburn had a 14-7 lead over its opponent at the end of the first half and 177 yards of total offense to Wisconsin's 218. Artis-Payne had 34 yards on the ground and a touchdown, while Marshall was 8-12 passing with 134 total yards at the end of the first half.
It was all Melvin Gordon in the third quarter.
The Heisman candidate started Wisconsin's second-half momentum with a 25-yard touchdown run to tie the game 14-14 with 12:09 left in the third quarter.
Auburn regained the lead with a 51-yard field goal by redshirt freshman Daniel Carlson, but Gordon continued pulverizing Auburn defenders as he battled and bruised his way 53 yards to the end zone to give Wisconsin a 21-17 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Marshall continued showing his athleticism as well. The senior hit tight end C.J. Uzomah right in the numbers for an early touchdown toss in the fourth quarter to put Auburn up 24-21 with 11:21 to go.
"Their plan was to make sure that (Nick) didn't run the football," Malzahn said. "He was able to make some good throws. The throws to Ricardo and C.J. were extremely good throws."
It wasn't long before Wisconsin and Gordon found the end zone again. A six-yard rush by Gordon put Wisconsin up 28-24 with 7:58 left in the game.
Auburn's offense continued to answer as Artis-Payne punched it in from two yards out to give Auburn the 31-28 lead with 2:55 left after a Wisconsin penalty set the Tigers up a first-and-goal.
Wisconsin tied things up again with a 29-yard field goal to make it 31-31 at the end of regulation and to make it the third Outback Bowl in the last six years to go into overtime.
Wisconsin's kicker Rafael Gaglianone hit another field goal to put Wisconsin on top 34-31 in overtime.
Auburn could not match it as Daniel Carlson missed a 45-field goal that sealed the win for Wisconsin.
"I told (Daniel) to keep his head up," Malzahn said. "He's a great kicker. He'll win games for us in the future. He's down right now."
While Gordon had his way with the Tigers' defense, several players from Auburn's secondary still stood out.
Senior Jermain Whitehead's two interceptions in the game gave him six this season and nine for his career, and it was his first game with two interceptions. Senior Trovon Reed recorded his third interception of the season as well.
Auburn's last overtime game was a 31-28 win against ULM in 2012 at Jordan-Hare Stadium. It was also Auburn's second consecutive bowl game to lose by a score of 34-31.
"This season didn't turn out how we wanted it to be, but we just have to keep moving on," Marshall said.
(12/21/14 6:30pm)
Three former Auburn football players will be inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame at the 2015 Induction Banquet and Ceremony at the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel on Saturday, May 16, 2015.
Former offensive lineman Chris Gray finished his last season as guard and center at Auburn in 1992 and played 15 years in the NFL. During his career with the Seattle Seahawks, he played every position on the offensive line and holds the franchise record for most consecutive starts with 121.
Bobby Hunt played his last season as an Auburn defensive back in 1961. He went on to play for the Dallas Texans of the AFL, where he was first team All-Pro his rookie year; the Kansas City Chiefs; and the Cincinnati Bengals. After his playing days were over, Hunt was an assistant coach for the Buffalo Bills.
Former Auburn quarterback Tony Richardson played for the undefeated Auburn team in 1993. He played 15 seasons in the NFL with three different teams; the Kansas City Chiefs, the Minnesota Vikings and the New York Jets. He was an AFC Pro Bowl Selection four times, a second team All-Pro Selection twice and a NFC Pro Bowl Selection in 2008.
The former Tigers will be inducted alongside former Alabama quarterback, Jay Barker; former Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion, Evander Holyfield; former Alabama basketball player, Derrick McKey; former Mississippi State and professional football player, Tommy Neville; and former Alabama basketball player, Ennis Whatley.