Latest news with #ButchThompson
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Butch Thompson signs new deal with Auburn baseball
Kendall Rogers of D1Baseball reports that Auburn will keep Butch Thompson around for a few more seasons. Auburn baseball is one of the program's best stretches in history, and is aiming to keep momentum going by giving its head man a contract extension. Kendall Rogers of D1Baseball reported Wednesday that Auburn has signed head baseball coach Butch Thompson to a contract extension this week that will keep him on the Plains until at least 2031. According to Rogers, Thompson has signed a six-year extension with Auburn that includes a $1.5 million base salary with incentives that roll into 2033. As part of this extension, Auburn assistant coaches will also see an increase to their salaries. Auburn hired Thompson ahead of the 2016 season, and has won 324 games while leading the Tigers to six postgame appearances and two trips to the College World Series. In that stretch, Auburn won 40 games three times and won at least 35 games two additional times. Last season, Auburn won 41 games and hosted its first-ever Super Regional at Plainsman Park. In addition to Auburn's success on the field, the program has seen many enhancements to Plainsman Park. The home venue for Tigers baseball now has a capacity of over 7,000 and experienced several attendance records broken. Multiple club levels have been added to Plainsman Park, as well as seats to the "War Eagle Wall" and a new student seating area in right field. Auburn baseball recently set a program record for the most picks taken in the first round of the MLB draft this year, as five Tigers, including first round pick Ike Irish, heard their name called within the first 290 picks. Auburn baseball is in great hands under Butch Thompson, and the program is expected to continue trending upward under his watch. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__
USA Today
25-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
ABCA names Auburn baseball's Butch Thompson Southeast Region Coach of the Year
Butch Thompson wins coach of the year award after leading the Tigers back to the postseason. The 2025 season was a great turnaround for the Auburn Tigers baseball after a disappointing 2024 season. Auburn posted a 41-20 record and ended the season in the Super Regional versus eventual national runners-up Coastal Carolina. That type of season has resulted in head coach Butch Thompson being honored. On Tuesday, Thompson was named the Southeast Region Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association. Thompson is the first Auburn coach to lead the Tigers to four region championships. He did so in 2018, 2019, and 2022 before this past season. It was the first time in Auburn baseball history that the school hosted a Super Regional. Unfortunately, the Tigers could not get past the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. Coastal Carolina lost in the 2025 College Baseball World Series Final to the LSU Tigers. The SEC was tough as always, and the Tigers held their own, going 17-13. That record earned the Tigers a sixth-place finish in the best conference in college baseball. Auburn earned the No. 4 seed in the NCAA College Baseball Tournament and finished ranked No. 13 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll. All of that also resulted in six Auburn players making the All-SEC Team. On the statistical side of things, the Tigers finished third in the SEC with a batting average of .304. It was a historic season for Thompson, winning his 300th game as the head coach of the Tigers. In his ten seasons, he has posted a record of 324-232-1 with six postseason appearances. With the success of the 2025 season, the 2026 season should bring a lot of excitement with Thompson leading the program for an 11th season. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__
USA Today
23-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Where did Auburn baseball finish in the final USA TODAY Coaches Poll of the season?
Where did Auburn end in the rankings after a great season? Auburn baseball ended its magical season in the first-ever Auburn Super Regional, losing to the eventual College World Series runners-up. How did that affect their final ranking? The final USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll of the season was released Monday following last weekend's College World Series final. Auburn dipped three spots from No. 10 to No. 13 after a postseason that saw them sweep the competition at the Auburn Regional and fall in two games to the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in the Super Regional round. Auburn is one of eight SEC teams to earn a spot in the final ranking, and one of seven to finish in the top 15. National champion LSU finishes No. 1, with Arkansas and Tennessee rounding out the top 10 at No. 3 and No. 10, respectively. Texas is next in line at No. 12, followed by Auburn (No. 13), Vanderbilt (No. 14), and Georgia (No. 15). Ole Miss wraps up the conference's representation at No. 18, while Florida and Alabama dropped out of the ranking after both entered the postseason ranked in the top 20. The Tigers finished the season with a 41-20 record and a 17-13 record against SEC foes. Auburn also made the postseason for the sixth time under head coach Butch Thompson, and reached the Super Regional round for the fourth time. Auburn will return several key players, including Chase Fralick, Chris Rembert, and Christian Chatterton, and will work toward another postseason run in 2026. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__
USA Today
21-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Auburn baseball lands Belmont transfer pitcher Ethan Harden
Ethan Harden struck out 32 opposing batters over 29.2 innings as a Belmont Bruin in 2025. The Auburn Tigers baseball season may have only ended a few short weeks ago, but head coach Butch Thompson and his staff are already busy seeking reinforcements in the transfer portal. One of those fresh faces officially committed this week, with former Belmont pitcher Ethan Harden set to join the Tigers next season. The redshirt sophomore will join Butch Thompson's Tigers following a highly successful 2025 campaign as a Bruin. Standing at an even six-feet tall, the left handed reliever struck out 32 batters over 29 2/3 innings of work last season. Harden managed no earned runs across the final 6 innings of his campaign against eventual College World Series participant Murray State. Auburn's newest relief pitching weapon also faired well against SEC competition in 2025. The incoming junior saw just one batter above the minimum in 2 scoreless frames against Kentucky early in the season before striking out 2 Vanderbilt Commodores in an inning he allowed a solo home run. While predicting where the newest member of the Tigers' bullpen will fit in is difficult this far out into the season, Thompson's eagerness to capture Harden's talents in the portal this early in the offseason display how big of a piece he could be to Auburn's success in 2026. Auburn will continue adding talent in hopes of reaching the College World Series for the first time since 2022 next season. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Brian on Twitter@TheRealBHauch
USA Today
07-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Auburn baseball vs. Coastal Carolina: Live coverage of Auburn Super Regional game two
Auburn baseball vs. Coastal Carolina: Live coverage of Auburn Super Regional game two Auburn baseball suffered a tough loss on Friday night/early Saturday morning to the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, 7-6 in 10 innings, to fall behind 1-0 in the Auburn Super Regional. The Tigers trailed 6-1 in the 4th inning before chipping away in the 5th and 6th inning, and ultimately tying the game at 6-6 with an Eric Snow solo home run in the 7th inning to force extra innings. Caden Bodine hit a solo home run in the 10th inning to seal the win for the Chanticleers. He, along with teammate Blagen Pado, homered twice in the game for Coastal Carolina. Friday's game, which got underway at 8:06 p.m. CT, was delayed in the middle of the game by one hour and 46 minutes and ended in the early morning hours of Saturday. Auburn head coach Butch Thompson hopes that his team can find confidence despite the quick turnaround. 'We have confidence and resilience,' Thompson said postgame. 'We have to put our head down, get some sleep and get back out here. Quick turnaround, get back out here and do everything we can to try to win a baseball game and extend the season.' Check back throughout the game for the latest updates, highlights, and trends from game two of the Auburn Super Regional between Auburn and Coastal Carolina from Plainsman Park in Auburn, Alabama. One game to keep an eye on as you wait for first pitch between Auburn and Coastal Carolina is Saturday's game between North Carolina and Arizona. The Tar Heels are up 1-0 in the series and currently lead the Wildcats, 8-6 in the bottom of the 7th in game two. The winner of the Chapel Hill Super Regional will face the winner of the Auburn Super Regional in the opening round of the College World Series next week. Here's a look at how the Tigers will lineup on Saturday, with stats from Friday night's game included. Butch Thompson is going with the same lineup as last night that out-hit the Chanticleers, 11-10. 2B Chris Rembert (2-for-3, RBI, BB) Chris Rembert (2-for-3, RBI, BB) LF Bub Terrell (0-4, BB, 2 K) Bub Terrell (0-4, BB, 2 K) RF Ike Irish (2-for-4, RBI, 2B, HR) Ike Irish (2-for-4, RBI, 2B, HR) 1B Cooper McMurray (2-for-4, RBI, 2B) Cooper McMurray (2-for-4, RBI, 2B) DH Lucas Steele (1-for-5, RBI) Lucas Steele (1-for-5, RBI) 3B Eric Snow (2-for-4, RBI, HR) Eric Snow (2-for-4, RBI, HR) CF Bristol Carter (1-for-4) Bristol Carter (1-for-4) C Chase Fralick (1-for-5, 2B) Chase Fralick (1-for-5, 2B) SS Deric Fabian (0-for-4) Auburn: RHP Andreas Alvarez (3-1, 5.47 ERA) Coastal Carolina: RHP Jacob Morrison (11-0, 2.19 ERA) After striking out five batters and allowing zero runs in his start against NC State last Sunday to clinch the Auburn Regional title, freshman Andreas Alvarez has earned the right to start on the mound for the Tigers in game two of the Auburn Super Regional. He will rival Coastal Carolina right-hander Jacob Morrison, who is second on the team in strikeouts with 89 entering Saturday's game. Last night's game was delayed for nearly two hours due to thunder and heavy rain in the area. Will weather play a factor in game two? According to Accuweather, there is a 40% chance of rain during the 2 and 3 p.m. CT hours, with the greatest risk coming during the 4 p.m. CT hour at 51%. Counties north of Lee County are under Severe Thunderstorm Watches currently, so the weather will be worth monitoring. Check out the best photos from Friday's Auburn Super Regional opener Date: Saturday, June 7 Saturday, June 7 Time: 2 p.m. CT 2 p.m. CT Channel: ESPN2 ESPN2 Streaming: Fubo (free trial) Fubo (free trial) Broadcasters: Roy Philpott, Lance Cormier Watch Auburn vs. Coastal Carolina on ESPN2 How to listen to game two between Auburn and Coastal Carolina The broadcast of Friday's game between Auburn and Coastal Carolina will be available on the Auburn Athletics app, as well as the Auburn Sports Network. Find your local Auburn Sports Network affiliate below.
