Follow along this February as Auburn soccer catches up with some of its most notable and successful alumnae as we celebrate Black History Month. First up on the pitch is the program's very first black student-athlete to don the Orange & Blue, Trudi James Hawke.
Q: Why did you choose to continue your career at Auburn?
Hawke: I fell in love with the campus and was excited about the opportunity at a brand new program.
Q: How would you describe your Auburn experience in a single word?
Hawke: Defining.
Q: What did it mean for you to be the first black Auburn soccer player?
Hawke: Growing up in and playing soccer in south Florida, there was always a lot of diversity on the field. It was quite a culture shock to see that this wasn't the case at Auburn or in the SEC in the '90s, however, my teammates were great! I made some awesome, lifelong friends and have been really pleased to see how the program continues to grow with players from all backgrounds. It's also nice to see all of the support from the organizations within the Auburn-Opelika community.
Q: What is your favorite memory from your time in college?
Hawke: There are so many! Soccer-wise, beating Florida in a shootout during the 1995 SEC tournament my sophomore year. I grew up playing with a lot of those girls and their goalkeeper had been my club teammate for many years. It's a fun memory because the game was at Auburn, the field was soaked by rain and the whole team dogpiled when we won.
Q: What did it mean for you to be an example of a black student-athlete succeeding at the highest level, both athletically and academically?
Hawke: To be honest, I do not know that this was wholly on my radar at 17 years old in the '90s. Being from Jamaica and having a family deeply involved in soccer felt like it was part of my DNA, but I was probably more cognizant of being a female student-athlete more than anything.
Q: What did you earn your degree in and what are you up to now?
Hawke: My degree from Auburn is BS in zoology, and I feel like I need to qualify that with an explanation. At the time, HHP and the likes were not available and I had to pick a concentration of the sciences within Auburn's pre-physical therapy track. Zoology had the most emphasis on anatomy and physiology, so that's why I picked it. I am currently a certified yoga teacher and teacher trainer.
Q: What makes Auburn soccer special?
Hawke: There are just bonds that are forged when you represent your alma mater in a sport that you love so much. The memories and the friendships I still have are priceless.
Q: What would you consider your biggest accomplishment during your career?
Hawke: I think my biggest accomplishment was continuing to grow as a player all four years. There were times where it was easy to become complacent or be discouraged by injury and other factors, but being committed to getting better and not giving up when things got hard feels like my biggest accomplishment.
Q: What advice would you give to current and future members of the program?
Hawke: Enjoy it! Take full advantage of the resources and opportunities available to you because you are a part of the program. Believe in Auburn and love it!
Q: What is your legacy? What do you want people to remember about Trudi?
Hawke: I hope that anyone's feelings or memories regarding me would reflect that I was a genuine person.
Q: Is there anything else you'd like to share regarding your experience as a black student-athlete or regarding your time at Auburn as a whole?
Hawke: My overall experience during my time as a black student-athlete was that the entire student-athlete body was extremely supportive of each other. We all had an understanding of what it meant to be a student-athlete and to represent Auburn and there was a mutual respect that was apparent. As I said before it was initially a culture shock to my 17-year-old self, but I quickly grew to love it. I enjoyed my time representing Auburn and am forever grateful for it! War Eagle!