The Auburn softball program has added former University of North Carolina at Pembroke head coach Steve Johnson as an assistant coach to work with hitters, slappers and infielders.

Johnson joins the Auburn program after spending the last six years at UNC-Pembroke. He guided the Braves to a 46-14 overall record in 2008 and the Peach Belt Conference championship, going 17-1 in league play. Johnson also led the Braves to the program’s first ever NCAA Regional appearance in 2008.

For his effort, Johnson and his coaching staff earned NFCA South Atlantic Region Coaching Staff of the Year honors.

“Steve is a great fit to our program,” AU head coach Tina Deese said. “He is energetic and that carries over to his approach on and off the field. He possesses a high level of competence in his teaching methods and knowledge of the game. Steve ran a disciplined program at UNC-Pembroke. He’s highly motivated and we are all very happy to have him join our softball family.”

Swimming’s Ewing shines at U.S. Open
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Rising senior Emile Ewing led the way Friday night at the U.S. Open in Minneapolis, Minn., advancing to finals in two of the three events on the schedule.
Ewing started off the session by finishing eight in the C Final of the 200m freestyle, 24th overall, clocking a time of 2:05.67. She earned her way into the final after finishing 22nd in the morning preliminary.

The Madisonville, Ky., native returned in the final event of the session to finish fifth in the 100m backstroke B Final. Touching in with a time of 1:02.62, Ewing was fast enough to finish 13th overall in the event.

Auburn signee Max Murphy, a native of Flower Mound, Texas, also made a final in Friday’s session. Murphy finished seventh in the 100m back preliminary with a time of 55.65, good enough for a spot in the championship final.

Two other Tigers also competed in Friday’s preliminaries. Birmingham native Julie Golden timed a 2:07.17 in the 200m free prelim to finish 46th overall while rising sophomore Andrew Mitchell finished 31st in the 100m back with a time of 59.08.

Equestrian announces 2008-09 schedule
The 2008 Hunt Seat national champion Auburn equestrian team will open the fall season Sept. 19 at home against Fresno State and begin the spring season Jan. 24 at home against Delaware State as the Tigers 2008-09 schedule was announced.

The Tigers will have six home meets at the Auburn Equestrian Center with three in the fall and three in the spring. Following the fall season opener against Fresno State, the Tigers then travel to Blythewood, S.C., to face conference rival South Carolina on Oct. 4.

The Tigers return home Oct. 18, when they face conference foe Georgia. The Tigers will open their spring season Jan. 24 at home against Delaware State and will then face Georgia and South Carolina in consecutive meets. The Gamecocks will travel to Auburn on Feb. 9, and the Tigers travel to Athens on Feb. 28 to face the Bulldogs.

Auburn continues their road swing with a trip to Texas to face Baylor and SMU March 7-8 and travel to Kansas State and Oklahoma State March 13-14.

The Tigers return home to face Tennessee-Martin on March 28 for the last meet of the regular season. The Tigers will travel to Athens, Ga., for the Southern Equestrian Championships April 3-4 and will travel to Waco, Texas, for the Varsity Equestrian National Championships April 16-18 looking to defend their Hunt Seat title.