AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn baseball had only been to the NCAA Tournament on two occasions in the last 11 seasons prior to Conor Davis' arrival as a member of the 2016 signing class. However, it didn't take Davis long to realize the team's potential.
"I knew going into that spring that we had a pretty competitive team," Davis said. "It was going to take a couple of games to figure out what kind of team we were going to be, but I think the biggest thing my freshman year that made us as successful as we were was we had so much chemistry. Everyone had the same goal and got along. That was the reason we were as good as we were that year and kind of set a path for us to keeping going on in the years to follow."
Fast forward a few months and the Tigers were a pitch away from winning the 2017 Tallahassee Regional. A year later, the team won the 2018 Raleigh Regional and took the reining national champion Florida Gators to game three of the Gainesville Super Regional. Another year after that, Auburn baseball was dogpiling in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, having qualified for its first College World Series since 1997.
"It's been something really cool to be a part of, taking that next step every year," Davis added. "Every year this program has gone to the next level, and everyone has a little more faith, a little bit more hope, a little more belief in Auburn baseball. Auburn is here to stay, and I think the last four years, building up like this, has a lot to do with the reason people believe in Auburn baseball again."
As a member of the class that helped turn things around and someone who believed in the program before many others did, Davis will always hold a special place in head coach Butch Thompson's heart.
"Conor Davis, Tanner Burns, these guys that have been around a long time, they believed in Auburn before we went to Omaha," Thompson said. "They believed in Auburn before we started this string of postseason runs. Conor is one of those guys who is really special to me, personally."
Davis' personal success on the diamond has been a big reason for the team's resurgence of late, and Coach Thompson not only credits his ability, but also his leadership.
"He's always done whatever it took," Thompson said. "He's had a desire and he's been good enough to be in that lineup almost every day, but he's also shown some ability to adjust and evolve and to make things work by moving around with different roles.
"He's done a great job of showing guys the ropes because he's been there before," Thompson added. "Conor's taken ownership of our program, and with these new groups, especially the last couple, he's done a great job of showing them the way and providing a ton of leadership."
As is the case with most special relationships, the one between Davis and his head coach is a two-way street. He reciprocates the same respect Coach Thompson has for him.
"Coach Thompson is someone that will make you want to become a better person and a better man," Davis said. "He's helped me grow a lot on and off the field, not only as a man, but also in my faith. I couldn't be more thankful for that. To have a relationship with him and the other coaches, too, has been great.
"I just want to say thank you to Coach Thompson and the whole staff," he added. "Whether it was the staff my freshman year or the staff the last few years, they always believed in me. I never would've been able to become the player or person I am without Coach Thompson, specifically. I can look at Coach Thompson as another father figure in my life because of all the stuff he's been there for me through."
Whether or not he's taken the field at Plainsman Park for the last time, Davis understands the impact his time at Auburn has had on his life and looks forward to the what the future holds.
"If I didn't end up coming to Auburn, I don't think I would be as prepared as I am or I wouldn't have learned the stuff I needed to learn to prepare me for whatever step is next," Davis said. "Whether it's in baseball or not, I know Auburn has shaped me to become who I am.
"I know I'll always have a place to come back and feel welcome and like I'll always have a family in Auburn," Davis added. "Through the years, just the relationships I've built with the fans and the community, the teachers, coaches, all my teammates and friends, I honestly feel like I'll always come back."