AUBURN, Ala. – For the first football season since childhood, Elijah McAllister spectates instead of participates.
“It’s tough not to be able to play and impact the game,” said McAllister, an Auburn team captain last season after transferring from Vanderbilt. “There’s no better place to settle those feelings than here in Auburn because the love I get from the fans, the administration and the athletes is second to none, and I’m so glad to be back here.”
After earning bachelor's and master’s degrees from Vanderbilt, where he was a two-time team captain, McAllister serves as a graduate assistant in Auburn Athletics administration while completing his doctorate in educational leadership and administration.
“It’s a long journey,” McAllister said, “but I’m almost at the finish line. I’m working with the athletic director and the administration, continuing to learn about what it means to be a great leader, build culture and continue to build successful college programs in hopes to, in a few years, be an athletic director somewhere.”
During Auburn’s game against Arkansas Saturday, McAllister received the 2024 Cliff Hare Award, presented annually since 1958 to a senior student-athlete for academic and athletic success as well as leadership, integrity and courage.
“It’s simply God, and my character lining up with His purpose for me,” McAllister said. “That’s all I’ve done and that’s all I continue to do. You don’t do anything for awards, but you do things to honor God and I’m glad to accept this award on my family’s behalf, and honor God through it.”
McAllister received the award from the grandson of its namesake, who shares his grandfather's name. Auburn's stadium was named in 1949 to honor Clifford Leroy Hare, who played on Auburn's first football team in 1892 and later served as dean of chemistry and president of the Southern Conference, which would become the SEC.
Inscribed on the award are these words: "Athletics makes men strong, study makes men wise, and character makes men great."
“It’s all about character,” Hare said. “I always tell the student-athlete to focus on that last line because that’s what it’s all about is character.”
“Truly an honor,” McAllister said. “Speaking to him about character, what Auburn means to him and what Auburn means to me. It’s amazing to represent him and my family as well.”
Cliff Hare Award Winners
Year Athlete, Sport
1958 Jimmy Phillips, Football
1959 Lloyd Nix, Football
1960 Henry Hart, Basketball
1961 Ed Dyas, Football
1962 Don Machen, Football
1963 Layton Johns, Basketball
1964 Mailon Kent, Football
1965 Billy Edge, Football
1966 John Cochran, Football
1967 Bobby Beaird, Football
1968 Marvin Tucker, Football
1969 Al Griffin, Football
1970 Connie Frederick, Football
1971 Alvin Bresler, Football
1972 Pat Sullivan, Football
1973 Mike Neel, Football
1974 Benny Sivley, Football
1975 Bobby Davis, Football
1976 Rick Neel, Football
1977 Gary Schatz, Swimming
1978 Marvin Trott, Football
1979 Jeff Gray, Football
1980 Charlie Trotman, Football
1981 Ambrose "Rowdy" Gaines, Swimming
1982 Edmund Nelson, Football
1983 Mark Dorminey, Football
1984 Randy Campbell, Football
1985 Gregg Carr, Football
1986 Rob Shuler, Football
1987 Yann Cowart, Football
1988 Rodney Bowman, Swimming
1989 Randy Hudson, Track
1990 Win Lyle, Football
1991 Geoff Answini, Swimming
1992 Chad Muilenburg, Football
1993 Karekin Cunningham, Football
1994 Stan White, Football
1995 Jay Waggoner, Baseball
1996 Patrick Nix, Football
1997 Wes Flanigan, Basketball
1998 Dameyune Craig, Football
1999 Casey Dunn, Baseball
2000 Mathew Busbee, Swimming
2001 Jeff Somensatto, Swimming
2002 Estevam Strecker, Tennis
2003 Ben Nowland, Football
2004 B.J. Jones, Swimming
2005 Caesar Garcia, Diving
2006 Doug Van Wie, Swimming
2007 Steven Segerlin, Diving
2008 Jay Moseley, Golf
2009 Glenn Northcutt, Golf
2010 Jordan Anderson, Swimming
2011 Dan Mazzaferro, Diving
2012 Corey Luckie, Baseball
2013 Ashton Richardson, Football
2014 T.J. Leon, Swimming
2015 Frazer McKean, Diving
2016 Justin Youtsey, Diving
2017 Joe Patching, Swimming
2018 Wesley Curles, Track
2019 Tommy Brewer, Swimming
2020 Jack Driscoll, Football
2021 Jordyn Peters, Football
2022 Tad Maclean, Tennis
2023 Conner Pruitt, Diving
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on X: @jeff_shearer