Auburn University plucked respected softball coach Mickey Dean from James Madison University primarily for two reasons.

The first reason is to stabilize a program reeling from a tumultuous 2017 softball season. The second reason is to get the Tigers back to the Women's College World Series and win a national title.

Auburn believes that Dean can accomplish both goals after legendary softball coach Clint Myers was ushered out of the program.

To get there, though, Dean will need help. That's why he turned to new associate head coach Gerry Glasco and top assistant Annie Smith to form the core coaching trio that will lead Auburn Softball into the future.

Dean believes they will help him form a culture of accountability that he's looking for -- something that seemed to be missing from the program last season.

"There's two types of culture: culture by default and culture by design," Dean said at his introductory press conference in September. "My responsibility as head coach is to make sure we have the culture that we want and that has to be by design. If you want to be great, then you have to be great in all aspects of your life: academics, socially, on the field, work ethic."

The work ethic should not be a problem for a program that played for a national title just one year ago, when the Tigers finished runner-up to Oklahoma. But the wheels fell off in 2017 with scandals, resignations, and an early exit from the NCAA Tournament. When Auburn lost to Oklahoma (again), this time in the Super Regionals, it was time to hit the reset button.

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What Does Gerry Glasco Bring to Auburn Softball?

Mickey Dean wasted no time selecting Gerry Glasco to join his coaching staff. Glasco was initially named assistant coach and is now listed as associate head coach. He left the same position at SEC rival Texas A&M to join a new staff seeking a fresh start on a title quest.

What makes softball so fascinating is that coaches cross paths at the travel ball level, college level, and even the professional level. You just never know where you might find a future assistant coach in a completely unexpected environment.

That's the case for Gerry Glasco linking up with Mickey Dean. Dean needed someone to match the culture and handle the hitting aspect of this rebuilding project.

Glasco built his reputation as one of the top hitting coaches in college softball, making him a natural fit in the SEC where teams need an edge at the plate to conquer some of the best pitching in the country.

Last season, Texas A&M ranked 20th in home runs and scoring averaging 5.73 runs per game. The Aggies were 13th in slugging percentage and 14th in doubles per game. Glasco holds a strong track record on offense that will likely continue with the Tigers.

What Does Annie Smith Bring to Auburn Softball?

After hiring Glasco, Dean turned to Annie Smith to complete the trio of core coaches.

Smith also left an SEC rival, LSU, to join the Auburn program. Additionally, her run as assistant coach at LSU came shortly after she was head coach at Georgia Southern, where she led the Eagles to two NCAA Tournament appearances.

Beyond the resume, though, Dean identified one very important intangible that he was looking for in hiring Smith.

"She's had the experience of coaching in the Southeastern Conference. She's had experience as a head coach and was the coach of the year in her conference multiple times," Dean said. "I think she is a coach that the players will find it easy to relate to."

That comment captures the culture of personal connectivity that Dean is looking to build. Smith is someone the players can relate to, especially having been in their shoes playing softball at the collegiate level.

Overall, this is a big win for Auburn, because Smith carries respect as a former head coach and she brings tremendous experience to the table supporting the vision that Dean has for the Auburn program.

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Putting It All Together for Auburn Softball

Dean, Glasco, and Smith have the experience, skills, and plan to build a WCWS contender again.

Auburn has never won the WCWS title, so they do not have history to draw from to help their quest. And they are in arguably the toughest softball conference in the country having to battle the likes of Florida, Alabama, and LSU.

But, there is one famous Olympics softball player that believes Dean will build the type of program that will compete for championships.

Jennie Finch, who played for Dean at the professional level a decade ago, recently offered her thoughts on Auburn's prospects for success.

"He has all of the tools to succeed, and being at Auburn, he's going to be able to tap into all of the resources that the SEC and Auburn have to offer," Finch told Auburn's website. "I look forward to seeing him compete this first season and what he's able to pull off down the road."

After making the WCWS championship in 2016, the Tigers had a very difficult 2017 season. Are we looking at the rebirth of a softball powerhouse in 2018 thanks to a change in coaches and culture?

Don't be surprised to see this coaching trio lead Auburn back to the WCWS next season. The question is: When will the coaches and players combine to win the first WCWS title in program history?

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