< PreviousFUEL UP FOR EVERY INNING © 2025 Smoothie King Franchises, Inc. 2311 Bent Creek Rd., Suite 100 Auburn, AL 36830A concussion is a traumatic brain injury and should be taken seriously. Although fewer than 10% of concussions involve a loss of consciousness, it is important to understand the dangers and not take them lightly. Even a minor fall or collision may be of concern, so be alert to symptoms such as headaches, unsteadiness, confusion or other types of abnormal behavior. Any athlete with a suspected concussion should immediately be removed from play and activity, evaluated right away by a doctor or healthcare professional, monitored and not left alone and not drive a motor vehicle. To make an appointment, please call 205-934-1041. A concussion is nothing to play with. ChildrensAL.org/Concussion© 2024 The Coca-Cola Company. “Coke” and “Coca-Cola” are registered trademarks of The Coca-Cola Company. Best Ever? ZERO SUGAR2025 COACHING STAFF 11 CHRIS MALVEAUX Co-Head Coach DJ SANDERS Assistant Coach KATE MALVEAUX Co-Head Coach RYKER CHASON Assistant Coach Chris and Kate Malveaux (mal-VO) were named Auburn softball co-head coaches by athletics director John Cohen on June 5, 2024. Both came to Auburn after serving as assistant coaches at the University of Tennessee where they helped the Lady Volunteer program to back-to-back Southeastern Conference regular season titles in 2023 and 2024 and a Women’s College World Series appearance last year. Additionally, the two helped Tennessee to 136 wins over the last three seasons, which tied for the 10th most wins nationally and second most by an SEC team. During the 2024 season, Tennessee not only won the SEC regular season title, but posted a 44-12 overall record and made an NCAA Super Regional appearance. Recognized as one of the top offensive minds in collegiate softball, Chris Malveaux guided six Lady Vols to All-SEC accolades in 2024, including a third straight All-SEC First Team selection for McKenna Gibson, and helped All-American KiKi Milloy rewrite Tennessee’s record book to become the program leader in home runs, runs scored and total bases. Three of Tennessee’s top five single-season home run totals came under Malveaux. Kate Malveaux was on staff at Tennessee for three seasons and was elevated to an assistant coach ahead of the 2024 season where she worked with the Lady Vols’ catchers and baserunners. Last season, she helped lead first- year Lady Vol catcher Sophia Nugent to All-SEC honors. Tennessee catchers committed just a pair of errors in 2024. Since her arrival in 2022, Tennessee ranked among the top five in the SEC CHRIS & KATE MALVEAUX Co-Head Coaches in stolen bases per game while The Lady Vols stole 50 bases in each of the past three seasons. Prior to Tennessee, the Malveauxs were both on staff at Missouri. Chris, a Houston, Texas, native spent the 2019-21 seasons at Missouri with one year as an assistant coach and two years as an associate head coach. Malveaux—formerly Kate Singler—was a member of the Missouri softball staff for the 2020 and 2021 seasons as its director of operations. Prior to joining Missouri, Chris Malveaux was the video coordinator at Kansas in 2018 and served as the associate head coach at Louisiana from 2016-17 – it was his second stay with the Ragin’ Cajuns as he was an assistant coach with ULL from 2009-11. A 2001 graduate of Texas A&M, Chris Malveaux served as an assistant coach at Bradley from 2012-15 and was the head coach at McNeese State from 2005-08 after being promoted from assistant coach, a title he held at McNeese from 2002-04 A standout softball player at Bradley, Kate Malveaux served as a volunteer assistant coach for the Braves in 2012. As a student-athlete, she was a second-team All-Missouri Valley Conference selection and a first-team MVC Scholar-Athlete. INTRODUCING CHRIS & KATE MALVEAUX 12 Embracing the uniqueness of their situation, Auburn softball co-head coaches Chris and Kate Malveaux see their partnership as a plus. “The reason why this is going to work really well,” Kate Malveaux said, “is what he is may not be my strength. My strengths may not be his, so you get the best. Every head coach is going to have flaws. You don’t have those flaws because you get both. People all the time want to say why it won’t work instead of why it will.” Introduced at the Woltosz Center on June 18, 2024, the Malveauxs expressed gratitude for their opportunity, appreciation for Auburn softball’s past, enthusiasm for its future, and love for each other. “Thank you so much for being an amazing wife,” Chris Malveaux said during the duo’s introductory press conference. The pair’s children, Gabe and Ellie, were in tow for the momentous event. “I’ve loved this journey and I’m excited for this new stage to be able to share this with you.” “Chris is my rock,” Kate Malveaux said. “He has pushed me to be better every step of the way. I am so grateful that we get to do this together.” The fourth and fifth head coaches in program history, Kate focuses on catchers and baserunners while Chris concentrates on offense. AUBURN SOFTBALL INTRODUCES CHRIS, KATE MALVEAUX: ‘WE’RE GOING TO CHASE CHAMPIONSHIPS’ “Chris has a brilliant mind,” Kate Malveaux said. Assistant coach Ryker Chason will handle pitching while DJ Sanders works with infielders and helps with offense. “I love going on a journey with people,” Chris Malveaux said. “Being in the trenches, in the cages, on the field and in the dugout. I love that journey, being on a team and being able to do it with people. We are so fortunate to be here in such an incredibly special place.” The Malveauxs come to the Plains from Tennessee, where the Lady Vols succeeded under husband-and-wife co-head coaches Ralph and Karen Weekly for two decades. “They gave us a shot to work together,” Kate Malveaux said. “They gave us the blueprint that husband and wives can do it.” Kate Malveaux recounted Auburn’s previous accomplishments, including SEC championships, Women’s College World Series appearances and individual accolades.HYUNDAISHYUNDAIS COST LESS IN COST LESS IN AUBURN! AUBURN! .REALLY DO REALLY DO “They are what laid the foundation for us to come in and do what we’re going to do here,” Kate Malveaux said. “I don’t think you can go where you’re going without knowing where you’ve been. We’re incredibly grateful for what Auburn softball has done, for what Mickey Dean and his staff has done to set us up for amazing success.” While seeking to replace former SEC Pitcher of the Year Maddie Penta, who spent last summer playing professionally, the Malveauxs went into the transfer portal for a pair of additions to help bolster a young pitching staff. A two-time national champion at Oklahoma, SJ Geruin joined first, adding some left- handed spin into the mix. The Malveauxs also signed 2024 Big West Pitcher of the Year Haley Rainey, bringing a much-needed veteran arm to the bullpen. But the Malveauxs plan to also build their first team around Auburn’s returning players. “They want to take a step forward,” Chris Malveaux said. “They want to work, they want to win. They want this, and we want this too, so let’s do it.” With 2024 WCWS finalists Oklahoma and Texas joining the SEC, college softball’s most competitive league is only getting stronger, a challenge the Malveauxs accept. “We’re not afraid to work,” Kate Malveaux said. “We’ve proven that we can build, and we can build fast. We’re going to chase championships. That’s what we’re going to do INTRODUCING CHRIS & KATE MALVEAUX CONT. 14 here and that’s what we expect out of our players. “We’re incredibly honored and humbled to usher in a new era of Auburn softball. We want this community, alumni, donors and fans, we want you to be part of it because you are part of the family. That matters to us, so come out and be a part of it.”BUILT ON TRADITION It was the exceptional vision of our founders in 1907 to build a bank that would meet the financial needs of our customers while also promoting the communities we serve. 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