Auburn Golf Signs with Nike After Breakout Year
Auburn has ended its partnership with Under Armour and signed a new apparel deal with Nike, beginning July 1. The timing follows one of the strongest stretches in program history for both the men’s and women’s golf teams. The men’s team captured its first national championship in 2024, and both programs followed up with another standout season in 2025. The move to Nike reflects the school’s investment in national brand growth.
Why the Nike Deal Matters
Nike is the most recognizable name in college athletics. The partnership gives Auburn an advantage in recruiting, visibility, and access to top-tier gear. It also aligns with a season in which both golf programs produced national contenders and individual standouts. According to AuburnWire, this is the school’s first Nike agreement since 2005 and will extend across all varsity sports.
Men’s Golf: National Title Push Led by Koivun and Seniors
Auburn’s men’s team, led by incoming junior Jackson Koivun, spent most of the spring ranked first in the country and reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championship. The Tigers won the SEC title and competed in several of the top events on the national schedule.
Koivun was the top-ranked player in college golf and a Haskins Award finalist. He won multiple events, including the Linger Longer Invitational, and was Auburn’s anchor throughout the spring.
Recent graduate J.M. Butler added consistency and experience, finishing tied for eleventh at the SEC Championship and tied for tenth at the NCAA Auburn Regional. His performances helped stabilize the lineup and set the tone for Auburn’s postseason run.
Brendan Valdes, who also recently graduated, delivered a final-round 67 at regionals to help secure Auburn’s place at the national championship.
The Tigers reached match play at the NCAA Championship and finished among the final eight teams in the country, capping off a season that confirmed their status as one of the premier programs in college golf.
Women’s Golf: Davis Breaks Records, Weidenfeld Delivers Key Spring
Sophomore Anna Davis, now entering her junior year, set a new program record with a season scoring average of 70.81. She posted thirteen rounds under par and led Auburn with wins at the Illini Invitational, Charles Schwab Collegiate, and the NCAA Auburn Regional. Davis also made the cut at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and advanced to the NCAA Championship as an individual.
Incoming redshirt senior Casey Weidenfeld opened the spring with a career-low 206 and recorded four top ten finishes. She also made the cut at Augusta and earned an individual NCAA regional bid.
The women’s team remained ranked in the national top 25 through most of the season. They earned strong results at the SEC Championship, the Clover Cup, and the Therese Hession Regional Challenge. Davis tied for the opening-round lead at SECs with a 65, while Weidenfeld played a key role throughout the lineup.
Head coach Melissa Luellen continues to build depth and raise expectations for a program that is trending upward.
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