With first serve of the 2021 season less than three weeks away, Auburn volleyball preps for a full fall slate under head coach Brent Crouch. As the season approaches, we'll introduce the six new Tigers donning an Auburn uniform for the first time in their careers. Next to take center stage is Cassidy Tanton, a recent graduate of Dalton McMichael High School and a native of Stoneville, N.C.
Q: Why did you choose to continue your career at Auburn?
Tanton: Auburn was always at the top of my list throughout my recruiting process. The environment here is truly special. Everyone down here is really kind, and everyone you meet treats you like family. Brent (Crouch), Alex (Dunphy) and Rick (Moller) are all exceptional people who contributed significantly to my decision to join the Auburn Family. Here, the volleyball culture is evolving, and I want to be a part of it. We have a lot of new people, including myself, but everyone is making a strong effort into working together to change the future of the program.
Q: What is your major and what do you plan to do with it?
Tanton: My intended major is exercise science. I have a lot of ideas for what I want to do with this degree, but I haven't decided on anything yet. I want to be able to help other athletes in improving their performance and accomplishing their goals.
Q: Other than volleyball, what Auburn sport are you most excited to cheer for?
Tanton: That's a tough one. I'd have to go for football or basketball. My father was a college football player, so my family has always been big football fans. My mother's side of the family is basketball fanatics. Many of them have played collegiate basketball, and as someone who grew up playing basketball, I love watching it just as much as I loved playing it.
Q: What is your favorite social media platform to use?
Tanton: My favorite social media platform would have to be Instagram. It's a way to communicate with friends, family, other athletes and a variety of others. One of my favorite aspects of the app is that I can always find the most inspiring quotes and videos to think about. My handle is @cassietanton!
Q: Who is your favorite professional athlete to follow and why?
Tanton: Tom Brady is my favorite professional athlete. I was a major Michigan Wolverines fan growing up and love watching football. He was the 199th pick in his draft, and his accomplishments since then have inspired me. His commitment to his everyday routine, nutrition and exercise, among other things, make him someone to admire. Starting from the last draft pick to becoming one of the most successful quarterbacks in history with seven Super Bowl rings under his belt, he has come a long way and it's truly inspiring to see.
Q: If you could have any superpower you wanted, which would you choose?
Tanton: I'd like to be able to teleport to any location I desired. I enjoy traveling and seeing new places, so being able to do so would be super cool. Also, teleporting to visit my family when I miss them doesn't sound too bad either.
Q: How would your 10-year-old self react to the news that you would one day be playing Division I volleyball?
Tanton: To be honest, I'd be both surprised and excited. An accomplishment like that would leave 10-year-old me speechless.
Q: If you could trade places with any famous figure for a day, who would it be?
Tanton: If I had to choose someone to trade places with, it would most likely be April Ross. At home, I play sand volleyball, which I adore. I think it would be interesting to go through what a day in her life would be like, as well as to try a different form of volleyball for a day.
Q: If we made a movie about your life, what would it be titled, and who would you want to star as you?
Tanton: I think I would have to ask Blake Lively to play me. She's one of my favorite actors. I'm thinking of calling the movie "Small Town Girl" because of where I came from. There's very few people from where I live that make it this far in athletics, so it's always been a big deal for me.
Q: If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would that meal be?
Tanton: That is such a hard question to answer. Any meal that is home-cooked or from a great local Mexican restaurant is a meal that I look forward to.
Q: What is your message to the Auburn family regarding the upcoming season?
Tanton: We're ready to compete. We want to do things that are unexpected, and we're starting small and building our way up. Being given the opportunity to come here is already a major accomplishment for me, but I want to contribute to this developing program and become a valuable contributor. I want to make an impact, whether it be on or off the court. This is our season, and I couldn't be more excited. War Eagle!