AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn diver Conner Pruitt was named the male recipient of the Spring 2023 PNC Achievers Award last month and honored on the field before the Auburn-Georgia football game. The award is given out to student-athletes based on their well-rounded achievement through leadership, academic success, community engagement and in competition.
Pruitt wrapped up his diving career at Auburn in the spring, earning top 20 finishes on 1-meter and 3-meter at the NCAA Championships in what was his final meet. He stayed on with the S&D program, however, and is serving as a graduate assistant coach this year.
In his time as a student-athlete, Pruitt was a four-time team captain and qualified for the NCAA Championships in four of his five seasons. He received Honorable Mention All-American honors in 2022 and 2023. He also made an impact away from the pool, serving on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) as Chair of the NIL Subcommittee the last two years. He was a four-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection and was the recipient of the SEC Brad Davis Community Service Award in 2022.
Here is Pruitt, in his own words, talking about the PNC Achiever Award and what goes into being a well-rounded student-athlete at Auburn.
What does it mean to be a PNC Achiever?
Pruitt: It's nice to obviously be recognized for stuff outside of just the pool. I think it's hard to compare different sports to each other, but it's really great to get recognized for both in the pool and outside of the pool because you can measure GPA and you can measure leadership. It means a lot. I try not to take any award for granted, especially now being done. I guess this is technically the last award I can get. I'm trying to take this one in.
What are some of the things you did away from the pool as a student-athlete?
Pruitt: I was involved in SAAC, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. I was the NIL Liaison. So, whenever anything new came out, it was my goal to communicate that. Which, for me, was kind of tough because it was changing a lot for a small period there. I always thought community service was fun. We did the disaster relief program my freshman year in Beauregard. I wasn't even in SAAC then, but it was fun. We've done stuff with Habitat for Humanity. There's a thing called Auburn Sustenance. We pack food for kids with financial insecurities. For one of them, I was able to talk to SAAC and get some student-athletes to do it. Last year, our men's team went for two or three hours, and we packed over 750 bags. In the moment, you're just racing the guy next to you. You do that and then you're done, and you realize that's food for 750 kids for the week. That's probably one of my favorite things we've done.
What is the definition of a student-athlete? What all goes into it?
Pruitt: I think the best way to put it is just to look at the Auburn Creed. We do so much day to day, and I'm trying to implement the Creed into all of that. You take the first stanza, "I believe that this is a practical world and that I can count only on what I earn. Therefore, I believe in work, hard work." You've got to work hard. Nobody else is going to earn it for you. And then you take the second stanza, "I believe in education, which gives me the knowledge to work wisely and trains my mind and my hands to work skillfully." It all ties in even back to athletics. I read the second stanza and I'm like, "Oh, it's talking about school." Not really. So, I would say that's probably the biggest definition of a student-athlete to me. Willingness to work hard and to learn. And probably just sacrifice. You get out what you put in.
What is your why? Where did the motivation come from for you?
Pruitt: It came from a lot of different areas. I'm going to be honest. There were days that it came from real deep. I mean real deep. There were other days, and it was just there. The motivation is actually still there. I plan on getting surgery and coming back. I'm going to give Paris 2024 as good of a run as I can, whatever that looks like. But freshman year probably looked a little different than it did sophomore year. Junior and senior year, it was probably the same thing – just the wrist. The motivation was always, "It's not just for you, it's for the team." Then in fifth year it was really just the team. Just give it everything I had. I lost my spot on the national team because I was a few points away at NCAAs and I couldn't have competed at USA meets because of my wrist. I got it back. To God be the glory. But the main thing has always been, "Who's watching and who am I representing?" It's always just more than yourself.
What is your focus in grad school? What is the plan after diving is over?
Pruitt: I'm in my second year of a master's program in biomechanics. I graduate in the spring. I'm trying to get hitched first of all. You can definitely put that in there. Cassie (Stevens) will hate it. I'm kind of in two different places right now. I'm just trusting in the Lord to take me wherever I will go. John (Fox) has mentioned keeping me on as an assistant coach in the coming years, and that's a possibility. But also, I would like medical device sales long term. There's something about Auburn. I just don't want to leave. And I couldn't be an assistant diving coach for 30-plus years. I would love to if I could, but eventually, you've got to support a family. It's probably medical device sales for now. It will clear itself up as we go. I'm not stressed about it at all. I'm just kind of hanging on to whatever I need to.
What does the Auburn Family mean to you?
Pruitt: I think the best way to put it is just coming back again to the Creed. The Auburn Family, it's hard-working. It teaches you education. It's honesty. It's a sound mind and a sound body. It's obedience to the law. It's human touch. It's belief in your own country. I look at all of these different stanzas in the Creed, and because Auburn men and women believe in these things, we love it. I wouldn't say the whole Auburn Family knows the Creed. I don't think they can just sit here and recite it, but they believe in it whether they know or not. Auburn speaks for itself. Being raised an Auburn fan is a little different than coming and experiencing it for the first time. But getting to watch people experience it for the first time is so fun. I don't think a day goes by that I don't say "War Eagle." Even at the end of the conversation. It's like a goodbye. It has meant more than I can even fathom. In a year or two years, job offers will come up because of the Auburn Family. It's more than just being in Auburn. It's everywhere. You hear people go into another country and hearing "War Eagle." Seriously? It's everywhere. It's bigger than we know and way bigger than I can even imagine.
