Junior Sheniqua Ferguson and sophomore Marcus Rowland of the Auburn track and field teams earned First Team All-Southeastern Conference honors, while three others were named to the second team, the conference office announced Monday.

Ferguson earned first-team honors by virtue of winning the women’s 200 meters at the SEC Indoor Track and Field Championships. She also finished second in the 60 meters. Rowland reversed that feat, winning the men’s 60 meters and placing second in the 200 meters to also earn a spot on the first team.

Auburn’s three second-place finishers at the SEC indoor meet were placed on the All-SEC second team. Sophomore Nivea Smith was second to Ferguson in the women’s 200 meters, while sophomore Ben Cheruiyot was
second in the men’s 5,000 meters and sophomore Ryan Fleck tied for second in the men’s high jump.

Auburn’s men’s and women’s track and field teams will compete at the NCAA Indoor Championships from Friday-Saturday in Fayetteville, Ark.

Thompson named SEC Pitcher of the Week
After throwing her first collegiate no-hitter, becoming the Auburn career leader in saves and striking out 38 of 63 batters faced in three games, Tigers softball senior Anna Thompson has been named the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Week, the league office announced Monday.

It is the second SEC Pitcher of the Week honor for Thompson, who also earned the distinction in week three in 2009. For her career, Thompson is the Auburn leader in strikeouts and saves and is seventh in SEC history in both categories. Thompson has 924 career strikeouts and 13 career saves.

“Obviously, we are all very proud of Anna and what she accomplished this weekend,” Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. “Getting that first no-hitter is something that meant a lot to her and our team. She has done a superb job this season and is making the most of her senior season.”

At the War Eagle Classic, Thompson earned her first no-hitter against Louisiana Tech in the first game of the War Eagle Classic.

Thompson threw 87 pitches for the game, with 64 for strikes. Thompson struck out 16 batters in the game, the second-highest single-game total for her career, and allowed only one batter to reach base, a one-out walk in the seventh inning.

“I felt I was doing a really good job of mixing up my pitches against Louisiana Tech,” Thompson said. “I knew our defense would do what they had to and they did a great job. I’m proud to earn conference pitcher of the week honors, but it is always a team effort.”

The win was Thompson’s 47th as a Tiger and puts her 13 off the school record of 60 wins held by Holly Currie (2004-07) and Kristen Keyes (2002-04).

Thompson also earned a pair of saves, the first coming against Tennessee State. It was Thompson 12th career save and made her the Auburn career leader. Thompson was the third pitcher of the game and went the final 3.2 innings vs. Tennessee State, allowing just one hit and striking out nine of 12 batters faced.

The Huntsville native then earned her second save of the weekend and fourth of the season in the Tigers’ 6-3 win over Valparaiso. Thompson started and went six innings before leaving with the game tied at 1 in the seventh.

The Tigers took the lead in the top of the ninth, with Angel Bunner as the pitcher of record. Thompson then came back in to pitch and closed the game, getting a pair of strikeouts to seal the victory.

Auburn (13-6) returns to action Wednesday, when the Tigers travel to Mobile to play South Alabama at 6 p.m.

Hoppa named ODP Region III coach
Karen Hoppa has been named the Olympic Development Program Region III Head Coach, replacing Tracy Leone, the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program announced.

“I am honored and excited to accept this position,” Hoppa said. “I have worked ODP at every level and believe in the ODP process as both a developmental tool and an avenue to make the national teams. I look forward to the challenge of leading Region III.”

Hoppa worked as the Assistant Head Coach for Leone in Region III since September 2008 before being elevated to the Head Coaching position at the USYSA Region III meeting in Fort Worth, Texas, at the end of February.

Hoppa has been heavily involved with state and regional ODP staffs and has also been a part of the US Women’s National Team staff. In August of 2007, she took seven Alabama ODP players to play in the Dana Cup in Hjorring, Denmark, with the Fortuna Club.

She had previously spent time coaching the Alabama ODP team for the 1990 birth year and had four players selected to the Regional Pool and two to the National Pool. She was also the head goalkeeping coach and regional staff coach for Region II from 1990-2001.

Hoppa just returned from a trip to La Manga, Spain, with the US U-18 Women’s National Team after going to the U-18 WNT training camp in Carson, Calif., in January. She previously worked as the goalkeeping coach for the April 2009 U-18 WNT camp and was the US National Youth Goalkeeper Coordinator from 2001-04. She has also coached the 2004 U-17 Team, the U-10 team from 2001-03, which won the 2002 World Cup Championship, the 2000 U-18 National Team and the U-16 National Team from 1999-00.

The 2010 soccer season will be Hoppa’s 12th at Auburn and her 18th as a Division I Head Coach after spending six years at Central Florida, her alma mater. In 11 seasons at Auburn she has guided the program to 125 wins, eight NCAA Tournament appearances, six SEC West Championships and one overall conference championship. Her 189 career wins are tied for 43rd most in NCAA Division I history.