AUBURN - Each week, AuburnUndercover.com will take a look at each Auburn sport in its season. We start today with soccer.
Auburn’s soccer team has won lots of trophies in Karen Hoppa’s 10 seasons as head coach.
The Tigers won the Southeastern Conference championship in 2002. They’ve won or shared six West Division championships. They have been to eight NCAA Tournaments. Hoppa says she’s proud of all that.
But it’s not enough.
The Tigers have yet to advance past the second round of the NCAA Tournament, and their goal as they open their season tonight at Samford is to change that.
“There is a lot we still feel like we have to do,” Hoppa told AuburnUndercover.com. “Our goal is to get past that second round.”
The Tigers will have to do it without record-setting goal-keeper Allison Whitworth, who became the first Auburn player to be chosen in the Women’s Professional Soccer draft. But Hoppa says the pieces are in place to do it.
The Tigers have six seniors, led by forward Rebecca Howell. She scored 24 points last season on six goals and 12 assists. And there is sophomore star Katy Frierson, SEC Freshman of the Year last season with 25 points on nine goals and seven assists.
Senior Gaby Rivera scored 17 points last season. Stephanie Fransoso, another senior, had 11 points last season.
There is no experienced goalkeeper available. Freshmen Amie Howard and Caitlin Torie will be called on to fill the significant void left by Whitworth.
“They are playing at a very high level for freshmen,” Hoppa said. “Our defense is going to have to step up a little bit.”
Hoppa says she expects her six seniors to lead a team that plays at a higher level than last season’s West Division champions.
“I don’t know if it will result in more wins,” Hoppa said, “but I expect us to play better soccer this year than we did last year.”
Tonight’s match begins at 6.
INSIDER NOTES: SECOND IN WEST: Auburn was picked to finish second in the West Division by SEC coaches. LSU was first with 63 points and eight first place votes. Auburn had 58 points and four first-place votes. Florida was picked to win the overall title, getting 11 first-place votes. Auburn got the other one.
ALL-SEC: Frierson was a preseason All-SEC selection after being named Freshman of the Year and making first-team All-SEC in 2008.
CONTRACT EXTENSION: Hoppa, is is 116-76-16, agreed to a five-year contract extension earlier this year. Her contract now goes through 2013.
"She is exactly the kind of coach that I would want my daughters to play for, because not only does she win, she looks at character and academic potential first in her recruits,” Auburn athletics director Jay Jacobs said. “We're all very proud of Karen for consistently competing at the highest level in the Southeastern Conference and for advancing to NCAA postseason play."
