Former Redskin Tiffany Howard excels at Auburn

Auburn University Athletic Department

Former Bryan County High standout and current Auburn Tiger,Tiffany Howardtook her game to new personal heights this season. As Auburn softball's leadoff batter she set new career-highs in multiple offensive categories as well as being named an NFCA Third Team All-American. As much hard work she has put it on the field, she has also done that off the field and in the classroom as she was named a Capital One Third Team Academic All-American by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Majoring in organismal biology/integrative biology, Howard maintained a 3.34 GPA over the last year and is looking to get into the veterinary program at Auburn.

For the first time in her career, Howard earned All-American status on the field after having a career-best season and helping Auburn to its first appearance in the Women's College World Series. Howard batted a career-best .415 with 72 runs scored, 86 hits, six triples and 25 RBI. The 86 hits is a new Auburn single-season record, five more than the previous record set by Kim Blair (81) in the inaugural 1997 season.

Until the final regular-season series, Howard was nearly a given for getting on base. Howard reached base for the first 52 games of the season, one of the longest streak in the nation. She finished the year with a .525 on-base percentage, second-best on the team.

Howard didn't make a single error in left field all season and was also a component in five outfield assists and one double play.

Along with the Academic All-American honor and the NFCA All-American honor, Howard is fresh off a Second Team All-SEC selection, her first all-conference honor of her career and was named to the SEC All-Defensive Team and NFCA First Team All-Southeast Region.

Howard's story has been one to watch after the season she had in 2014. Batting in the nine-hole for much of the year, she struggled to get her offense going, hitting only .277 through 62 games with 40 runs, 38 hits and six RBI.

All of those numbers jumped exponentially in 2015 as she moved to the lead-off position. Along with her record-breaking numbers, Howard's six triples set a new Auburn single-season mark and gives her seven for her career, one away from tying the Auburn career mark set by another Auburn All-American,Sara Dean.