Auburn’s Koivun, Clinard Dominate SEC Yearly Honors, Cementing Their Place Among College Baseball’s Elite After Stellar 2025 Season Performances

Auburn baseball’s rise in the SEC this season has been more than a team story—it’s been a celebration of individual brilliance. That brilliance was officially recognized when freshman Ike Irish Koivun and reliever Will Clinard headlined the 2025 SEC yearly awards, underscoring a year in which the Tigers exceeded expectations and reasserted themselves as a powerhouse in one of college baseball’s toughest conferences.

For Koivun, the honors came in the form of SEC Freshman of the Year and First Team All-SEC, making him just the second Auburn player to earn freshman of the year honors since the award’s inception. Clinard, the steady and oft-unhittable force out of the bullpen, was named SEC Co-Pitcher of the Year and earned a First Team All-SEC selection as well, a feat rarely achieved by a relief pitcher.

Koivun’s emergence as a freshman phenom was apparent from opening day. The California native was widely regarded as a top-50 recruit in the nation, but few could have predicted how quickly he would adapt to SEC pitching. Batting in the heart of Auburn’s order, Koivun delivered a .371 average during the regular season, launching 13 home runs and racking up 59 RBIs, all while maintaining a .459 on-base percentage and a .631 slugging percentage.

His versatility added even more value. Originally recruited as a catcher, Koivun seamlessly transitioned between designated hitter and first base, allowing Auburn to keep his bat in the lineup daily. Defensively, he committed just one error in over 300 total chances, showcasing mature fundamentals rarely seen in first-year players. His approach at the plate, however, drew the most praise from SEC coaches and scouts alike.

“He doesn’t swing like a freshman. He sees pitches like a junior, and his poise in big moments is off the charts,” Auburn head coach Butch Thompson said. “We’ve had some special hitters come through this program, but Ike is already putting himself in a different conversation.”

Koivun’s consistency throughout SEC play separated him from his freshman peers. Against ranked teams, he elevated his game, batting .388 and knocking in crucial runs during series wins over LSU, Arkansas, and South Carolina. His walk-off double against Florida on April 14 stood out as one of the defining moments of Auburn’s season—a game where he went 4-for-5 and was a triple shy of the cycle.

On the mound, it was Clinard who anchored Auburn in the late innings, making a compelling case for being the best relief pitcher in the country. The senior right-hander posted a jaw-dropping 0.79 ERA in 34 appearances, notching 13 saves and striking out 78 batters in just 45.2 innings. Opposing hitters batted a mere .137 against him, and in high-leverage situations, he often made All-SEC hitters look overmatched.

Clinard shared the Co-Pitcher of the Year award with Arkansas ace Mason Molina, but the Auburn reliever’s numbers arguably made the more difficult case to ignore. In a league dominated by power arms and deep rotations, a reliever winning this award is a rarity, and it speaks volumes to the kind of season Clinard produced.

What separated Clinard wasn’t just the numbers—it was the dominance with which he closed games. Whether Auburn held a one-run lead or needed to escape a bases-loaded jam, Thompson routinely turned to his most trusted arm. In a stretch from late March to mid-May, Clinard made 17 straight appearances without giving up a single earned run, and in six of those outings, he entered with the tying run on base or at the plate.

“He’s the fire extinguisher,” Thompson said with a smile. “You know the moment’s never too big for Will. He attacks hitters, throws strikes, and doesn’t flinch. That’s what you want in a closer.”

Clinard’s presence also had a ripple effect on Auburn’s pitching staff. His reliability allowed the Tigers to be more aggressive with their starters and bridge the middle innings without overextending arms. It also helped Auburn post a team ERA of 3.28 in SEC play—the program’s best mark since 2005. The bullpen, led by Clinard, was a major reason Auburn swept Mississippi State and Georgia late in the season to lock up the No. 3 seed in the SEC Tournament.

The accolades earned by Koivun and Clinard were just the highlights of what became a banner year for Auburn’s baseball program. Auburn finished the regular season 37-17 overall and 18-12 in the SEC, its best conference record under Thompson. The Tigers climbed as high as No. 7 in the national rankings and are expected to host an NCAA Regional for the first time since 2019.

For Koivun, the Freshman of the Year honor may just be the beginning. Already drawing comparisons to former SEC standouts like Alex Bregman and Andrew Benintendi, Koivun is being mentioned in early 2026 MLB Draft projections as a potential top-10 pick. Scouts rave about his left-handed swing, plate discipline, and maturity, noting that his ceiling is “as high as any college hitter in the country.”

“He could be a future SEC Player of the Year—he’s that talented,” said one national scout who has followed Koivun since high school. “You rarely see a kid with both polish and power so early in their college career. He’ll only get better.”

As for Clinard, the senior’s story is one of development and patience. A former walk-on from Birmingham, he redshirted his freshman year and saw limited innings early in his career before reinventing himself with a sharper breaking ball and increased velocity. Now touching 96 mph and mixing in a wipeout slider, Clinard has transformed into a Major League-caliber arm. MLB scouts consider him a lock to be drafted in the top five rounds this summer.

Clinard credits Auburn’s coaching staff and strength program for helping him make that leap.

“I’ve had to earn everything here, and I wouldn’t want it any other way,” Clinard said. “This program believed in me, and I just try to repay that by going out and competing every time I get the ball.”

The duo of Koivun and Clinard also represents the heart of Auburn’s team culture—a blend of youth and experience that has come together at just the right time. They are quiet leaders who let their play speak loudly, and their presence has raised the level of everyone around them.

Their recognition by the SEC is not only a personal achievement but a program-wide validation. Auburn baseball is no longer a sleeper pick or a dark horse—it’s a team with stars, depth, and a legitimate shot at Omaha. And while much of the postseason focus will center on team performance, the spotlight will undoubtedly follow Koivun and Clinard, who now carry the weight of expectation that comes with elite honors.

If the SEC yearly awards are any indication, Auburn’s season is far from finished. The Tigers, armed with one of the conference’s best hitters and its most dominant reliever, look poised for a deep run into June.

And no matter how far they go, Koivun and Clinard have already etched their names into SEC history. Their 2025 campaigns will be remembered not just for the numbers but for how they helped propel Auburn back into the national conversation—and possibly toward a College World Series berth.