Auburn soccer’s Karen Hoppa marks 25 seasons on the Plains

AUBURN, Ala. – When Karen Hoppa came to Auburn after the 1998 soccer season, she never imagined she’d still be leading the Tigers a quarter century later.

“My only goal was to leave the program better than I found it,” Hoppa said. “I didn’t have any concept or thought that I would be here for the rest of my career.”

A standout goalkeeper at Central Florida, Hoppa remained at her alma mater and became, at 23, the youngest division I head coach in the country.

“A big learning curve,” she said. “The first women’s college soccer game I ever saw was the one I was competing in my first game as a freshman. It kicked off a career that I didn’t even think was possible.”

Growing up near Chicago, Hoppa played baseball, basketball and football with the boys in her neighborhood.

“I love sports,” she said. “I was always athletic.”

Hoppa gravitated to goalkeeper because of what the position offered and what it didn’t require. Hand use was in. Non-stop running was out.

“I was sold,” she said. “That’s how it started.”

After six seasons and five conference titles at UCF, Hoppa sought a new challenge. Her former college coach, Bill Barker, then at Georgia, suggested Auburn.

“I came here and just fell in love with it,” Hoppa said.

Since arriving at Auburn, she added two additional titles along with head coach, wife to Scott Hoppa and mother to daughter Bailey.

“That’s a big part of why I’m still here,” she said. “It’s a great place to raise a family. For me, Auburn has been one of the top athletic departments in the country and one of the best places in the country to raise a family. It’s really rare in this profession that you can get the best of both worlds.”

In Hoppa’s second recruiting class, Auburn landed Megan Rivera, a national team goalkeeper from Miami.

“A four-time All-American here,” Hoppa said. “She put us on the map. It made all the difference in the world for our program.”

In her third season, 2001, the Tigers won a share of the SEC Western Division championship and competed for the first time in the NCAA Tournament.

“Exceeding expectations,” Hoppa recalled. 

Under Hoppa, postseason appearances have been as much a part of autumn in Auburn as changing leaves and early sunsets.

“I do take a lot of pride in that,” said Hoppa, whose Auburn teams have competed in 17 NCAA Tournaments. “Our goal was to compete at that very highest level.”

Win-loss records remain vital to Hoppa, just not as important as another R: relationships.

“I think about the players and what they’re doing now,” she said. “One of my favorite parts is going to a former player’s wedding and I’ll see all her teammates standing up there with her and think I played a role in bringing them together.”

As season No. 25 begins, Hoppa pauses to reflect and remember, but 2023 is neither a victory lap nor a farewell tour. Rather, it’s an opportunity to continue to leave Auburn better than she found it. In other words, to party on the pitch like it’s 1999.

“Still looking forward, and trying to do more,” she said. “I think the future of Auburn soccer is unlimited.”

With 12 seniors on the 2023 Tigers, Hoppa dreams of leading Auburn to the College Cup, soccer’s version of the Final Four.

“That’s the goal,” she said. “We want to get there and compete at that very highest level. That’s what we’re trying to do as a program.”

Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer