AUBURN, Ala. – Accustomed to pre-dawn workouts and the solitary discipline distance running requires, Carson Bedics soaked in the Cliff Hare Award he received Nov. 1 like it was a Jordan-Hare Stadium victory lap.
“It means so much,” Bedics said after the on-field presentation. “Our family threw a great tailgate today and it was a great opportunity to be thankful and grateful for so many role models who came back into town to congratulate me.”
Presented annually since 1958 to a senior student-athlete for academic and athletic success as well as leadership, integrity and courage, the award honors Clifford Leroy Hare, who played on Auburn's first football team in 1892 and later served as Auburn’s dean of chemistry and president of the Southern Conference, which would become the SEC.
“My heart is very full and I’m grateful for everyone who’s made such a big impact on my life,” Bedics said.
The cross country and track and field standout from Homewood, Alabama, received the award from the grandson of its namesake, who shares his grandfather's name.
“It’s always such an honor to give out this award,” said Cliff Hare. “It means so much to my family and these young men who accept it. They’re all great kids who represent the Cliff Hare Award so well. We’re always proud to be a part of their family.”
Bedics joins an exclusive fraternity of Cliff Hare Award recipients.
“I feel so flattered and grateful to be recognized on the same level as all the former winners,” Bedics said. “There have been Olympians and excellent Auburn men. It’s the ultimate flattery to be recognized.”
After graduating last May from Auburn University’s Ginn College of Engineering, the former team captain and academic All-American has remained on the Plains.
“I like school so much I came back for more,” said Bedics, who’s now studying to earn a master’s in chemical engineering. “No rush to get out of Auburn.”
His cross country eligibility has ended but Carson Bedics still loves to run, sometimes twice a day.
“That’s the way I decompress, take a break from the books and stay healthy,” he said.
In 1949, Auburn's stadium was named in honor of Clifford Leroy Hare, whose grandson presents the highest honor an Auburn male student-athlete can receive, one for which Carson Bedics ably qualifies.
“He said, ‘Athletics make men strong, study makes men wise and character makes men great,’” Cliff Hare said.
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
2024: Elijah McAllister, Football
2025: Carson Bedics, Track/Cross Country
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on X: @jeff_shearer