BY NOAH GRIFFITH FOR THE OBSERVER
AUBURN —
There’s two sides to every story.
Several days after 2023 Auburn University graduate and former softball player Carlee McCondichie tweeted about her displeasure with the softball program’s leaders, which was supported by transfers Bri Ellis and Denver Bryant, three current players took to Twitter to shine a positive light on the coaching staff.
Junior catcher Aubrie Lisenby, senior pitcher Maddie Penta and sophomore infielder Millie Roberts, without referring specifically to McCondichie’s posts, took to Twitter last Tuesday to voice their support for the team’s leadership and coaches in general.
“Auburn softball holds a special place in my heart,” Lisenby said to start her thread. “I am beyond grateful for every opportunity I’ve received here. This sport and this program have given me so much. There’s not enough positive words to say. I love these girls I play with and there is no other coaching staff I’d rather play for.”
Lisenby, while rock solid defensively behind the plate in 31 starts at catcher for Auburn, saw some dips in her offensive numbers from her freshman season when she started 40 total games — three more than this year’s total (She had six starts as designated player as well as catcher in 2023.).
Her batting average went down from .269 to .234; her OBP fell from .353 to .324; and she struck out five more times with six fewer hits in 10 fewer at bats. However, her effort never wavered, and her contributions were staunch defensively, as she recorded a perfect fielding percentage after committing just one error in her freshman campaign.
Despite her struggles at the plate, Lisenby never felt overlooked or mistreated.
“It is no secret that I got the yips this year,” Lisenby continued via Twitter. “It would’ve been easy for the coaches and my teammates to write me off, but instead I received nothing but love and support. I am lucky to have such caring coaches regardless of performance. I am lucky to have coaches who push me to grow everyday. Being a college athlete is hard, and the job is to win.
“Instead of getting angry about the yips, he supported me and told me he didn’t care as long as I was okay. I haven’t been a ‘star’ of this program, yet I am given the same respect as everyone else day in and day out.”
In the end of her thread, she mentions her coaches by name, while specifics had previously not been used by anyone.
“[Assistant coach Eugene Lenti] looks for me everyday before practice to smile, say hello, and ask me about my day,” Lisenby said. “[Assistant coach Emily Carosone] has always been there for me to learn and grow. [Head coach Mickey Dean] has done so much for me. He has gone out of his way to make sure I am doing okay as a person and in softball.”
After earning 2023 SEC Pitcher of the Year, First-Team All-SEC and NFCA First-Team All-American honors and climbing several program leaderboards in her third season on the Plains, Penta added her support by retweeting Lisenby and adding her own message with a red heart emoji at the end.
“So proud to call myself part of the Auburn Softball program,” Penta said. “The opportunities and achievements that have been given to me by this program and coaching staff would have made my younger self so happy and proud. See y’all next year … War Eagle!”
Finally, Roberts gave her input after a freshman year where she played in 25 games with no starts and only got four hits in 17 at bats. She responded by quote tweeting Penta’s tweet and ending with a pink heart emoji.
“I am so happy to call these girls and this coaching staff my family!!!!” Roberts said. “No one else I would rather spend every single day with playing the game that we love. Auburn softball has done so much for me in the last year. Couldn’t be more thankful.”