It's that time of the year at Auburn, the time when football recruiting is over and basketball is in the middle of the SEC schedule. Spring is around the corner. Soon chilly mornings will give way to longer and warmer days. Frost on the ground will disappear as new growth starts to bud and people look to be involved in more outside activities.
For those who love sports, it's a time to get out the tennis racket, dust off the golf clubs, or head to the ball park. And at Auburn it's a time for Spring Sports to get underway.
Already Auburn's No.1 ranked Equestrian Team has compiled a 7-1 record including Saturday's defeat of No. 4 Oklahoma State in their spring opener. The Tigers will take on rival Georgia next on Feb. 18, at 1 p.m. at the Auburn University Horse Center. If your looking for something to do that weekend come on out, admission is free.
Auburn Track & Field started Jan. 14 at the Alabama Invitational. And this past Saturday, sprinter Harry Adams ran the fastest time in the world in the 60 meters with a time of 6.55 seconds. He won the title at the Auburn Indoor Invitational at the Birmingham Crossplex. The Tigers are presently preparing to compete in the SEC Championships in Lexington, Kentucky on Feb. 24.
The 20th-ranked Auburn Men's Tennis Team started their season on January 21st with a 7- 0 victory over Troy. They defeated 18th ranked North Carolina 4-1 Monday in the ITA Kick-Off Weekend in Atlanta.
The Tigers (4-0) now advance to the ITA National Indoor Team Championships for the first time in program history, Feb. 17-20 in Charlottesville, Va.
The Women's Tennis Team defeated Troy in their season opener Saturday and then defeated Southern Miss and Alabama A&M in the Tigers' home opener on Sunday.
For the second-consecutive week, Auburn Gymnastics posted a season-high total score; this time against Alabama (196.325-196.250) Friday in front of a record crowd of 7,299 in the Auburn Arena. The Tigers' next meet will be tomorrow against Arkansas in Fayetteville.
The No. 2 ranked Men's Golf Team will begin their season Februaruy 11th at the Gator Invitational in Gainesville, Florida. The No.3 Women will start the next day February 12th at the Central Florida Invitational in Orlando.
The Swimming & Diving Teams have been competing in meets all year. Both the men's and women's teams just finished the regular season last Saturday ranked No. 7 in the country. The Tigers are now getting ready to participate in the SEC Championships Feb. 15 in Knoxville. More meets will follow in February and March in preparation for the NCAA's which begin the end of March.
The Auburn Softball Team will open it's 2012 schedule Feb. 9 in the first of nine consecutive home games to begin the season. Their opener will be against Alabama State on February ninth.
The Tigers' will be playing their usual tough schedule in 2012 as 13 of their opponents advanced to NCAA Regionals last season, seven of those teams reached the Super Regionals and five opponents advanced to the NCAA Women's College World Series (WCWS).
Auburn Baseball held their annual Diamond Club Preseason Banquet Saturday night. Justin Bryant, Jon Luke Jacobs and Cory Luckie were named the team captains for the 2012 baseball season. The Tigers will host Missouri in their first game on Friday, Feb. 17 at Hitchcock Field.
While I try to follow all spring sports, I'm a particular fan of baseball. For me there's nothing more enjoyable than sitting in the stands on a spring night in Plainsman Park. Season tickets are already on sale while individual game tickets can be purchase starting Feb. 13. I've got my order in and I can hardly wait.
If you haven't been to a spring game (match or meet) lately - you owe it to yourself to visit the Loveliest Village of the Plains, pull for the Tigers, and enjoy one of Auburn's Spring Sports.
Hope to see you there.