AUBURN, Ala. – Growing up about an hour north of Auburn, Chase Hall envisioned donning the orange and blue for the Tigers for as long as he can remember. The Roanoke, Alabama native grew up coming to Auburn games and knew this was a dream worth chasing.
"Once it was clear to me that I was able to come here, it was 100 percent," Hall said. "I didn't really give any other places any thought because how could I pass up this opportunity?"
The dream that started on a T-ball field at 4 years old became reality for Hall after spending two seasons at the junior college level.
The recruiting process was a quick one after Auburn head coach Butch Thompson came to see Hall play while he was at Southern Union Community College. The Tigers needed another catcher, and after seeing him in action Thompson knew that Hall could fill that spot.
"He's attacked his role. He's made a difference here," Thompson said. "He believed he could play here. He's started games here. His vision was to prove to everybody locally that he could play and contribute in the SEC, and I would say job well done.
"I was a junior college player too, and I just have a level of appreciation for how much he serves our program," Thompson added. "He is a senior that is going on his third year in our program, probably the best teammate on the team. He serves our pitchers every day. He's just an amazing teammate."
A lot of the work Hall puts in on a daily basis takes place behind the scenes, but he's not worried about being in the spotlight during his time at Auburn. Being that amazing teammate and someone the younger players can look up to is the legacy Hall hopes to impart as his time on the Plains comes to a close.
"I want my teammates to be able to look at me and say, 'that guy's hard-working. That guy never gives up,'" Hall said. "I want them to remember me as a guy who just loved being at Auburn. I want them to remember me as an Auburn man and somebody who was fun to see out there on the field. Hopefully I've left some kind of legacy the younger guys can look up to."
Hall graduated earlier this month with a degree in interdisciplinary studies with emphasis in business and sports coaching. No matter what the next step is for Hall, he will always love the place that has meant so much to him for such a long time.
"It's bittersweet," Hall said of his college career coming to close. "I'm thankful for everything I've been through and everything I've been able to do.
"I love Auburn. I grew up loving Auburn, and I'll continue to love Auburn," Hall said. "Just the support, the family, that's what it's all about."
Hall will miss waking up each day knowing he's going to the ball field to work and get better with his teammates. He'll miss being in the dugout as the team fights for each win. He's learned a lot from the game and knows that he's a better man because of it.
"Coach Thompson, Gabe [Gross], Noney [Karl Nonemaker], BL [Blake Logan], everybody else, there's so many people that contribute to this team and have contributed to me as well," Hall added. "I just want to say thank you so much for the opportunity, and I've absolutely loved it. It's been the best three years of my life."