Auburn introduces soccer head coach James Armstrong

AUBURN, Ala. – Riding with her parents around Auburn Sunday on the eve of her father’s formal introduction as the Tigers’ head soccer coach, 8-year-old Olivia Armstrong observed similarities between the Plains and her dad’s native country of England.

“This feels like London,” said James Armstrong, quoting his daughter, who was seated nearby with her mother, Casey. “We drove past Samford Hall, and she said, ‘Look, there’s Big Ben.’”

For the Armstrong family, London wasn’t calling but Auburn was.

“The connections we have with Auburn run deep,” James said.

Indeed. Casey Armstrong is an Auburn University graduate. James and Casey were engaged and married in Auburn, and their daughter was born at East Alabama Medical Center during James’ six-year stint as an assistant coach under Karen Hoppa from 2013-18.

“Beyond the personal milestones, we are returning to Auburn because we know this is a place where championships can be won,” Armstrong said in his opening remarks after athletic director John Cohen introduced him Monday at the Woltosz Center.

Speaking of championships, Armstrong led Mississippi State to the SEC regular season title this season in remarkable fashion, becoming only the fourth team in conference history to go undefeated and untied in SEC play.

“Having a clear vision, having the ability to communicate that vision, having players believe in it, and then executing it at the highest level possible,” said Armstrong of his success in six seasons in Starkville, a formula he plans to duplicate at Auburn.

“It’s going to be a lot of hard work and the players have to want it,” he said. “The players have to believe that this is possible. They’re excited to get to work and once you have that in place then anything can happen.”

The hallmarks of an Armstrong-coached team align with the opening lines of the Auburn Creed.

“Grit, hard work, fit, energetic,” he said. “We want to make sure we are the hardest-working team every single time we step foot in the weight room, on the practice field or during a game. Those are the non-negotiables.”

Armstrong succeeds Auburn’s coach for the past 26 seasons, his former boss Karen Hoppa, whom he’s known for 22 years, when she was an assistant coach on the U.S. U-19 national team and he was an equipment manager.

“I sought advice from her along the way,” he said. “Seeing firsthand how she built a program, how she coached, how she got the best out of players. That was something that obviously prepared me as I took my first head coaching job at Mississippi State straight from here.

“From a personal standpoint and a professional standpoint, she knows that my family and I could never thank her enough.”

Concluding his opening statement, Armstrong leaned into his deep Auburn roots, outlining his vision for the program.

“Auburn is a national power brand,” he said. “A leader in academics with world-class facilities, unmatched resources and a fanatical fanbase. It truly is the loveliest village, a place where people are proud to call home.

“I cannot wait to get to work with the student-athletes who have already been so welcoming to myself and my family and have shown hunger to take the next step.

“We will build an identity, foster a culture and instill an understanding of what it means to represent Auburn, not just on the field but in the classroom and in the community. Together, we will build relationships focusing on the holistic development of each student-athlete. They will leave here not only as better athletes but as better people and better students.

“Thank you so much for this opportunity. I cannot tell you how excited I am to get to work quickly. I’m truly looking forward to the journey ahead. War Eagle!”

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