Auburn softball’s season officially ended Sunday with a loss to Florida State in the Tallahassee Regional final, 10-4. With the loss comes the end of a bittersweet era in the program.
Auburn’s loss to Florida State marked the official end to the tenure of [autotag]Mickey Dean[/autotag], the Tigers head coach since taking over for [autotag]Clint Myers[/autotag] in 2017. Dean built a 235-130 record with six NCAA Tournament appearances in seven seasons on the Plains and a 63-83 SEC record.
Auburn fans also watched the career of [autotag]Maddie Penta[/autotag] conclude on Sunday. Penta is one of the most decorated athletes in Auburn history with three All-American honors, six All-SEC honors, and was the 2023 SEC Pitcher of the Year. In four seasons, Penta boasted a 76-36 record with a 1.79 ERA and 941 strikeouts in 706 innings pitched.
The Tigers end the 2024 season with a 29-21-1 record and a 9-15 mark in SEC play. Auburn ended the season by competing in a regional final for the second season in a row and will lose just three seniors from this season’s roster.
Auburn softball will begin its hunt for a new head coach this offseason and will look to find its new “ace” pitcher ahead of the 2025 season that begins next February.