Auburn senior set to face her mother’s team as an opposing player

AUBURN, Ala. (WBRC) - Imagine lining up in a big non-conference college soccer game and your mom is on the other team.

Auburn senior Sammie Brown is set to revisit her hometown in Morgantown, West Virginia, and challenge her childhood team with her mom, Nikki Izzo-Brown, as that team’s longtime head coach. Coaching in her 28th season, Nikki has never experienced a losing season, but her daughter decided to kick it with the Tigers.

“I think as a little kid, I thought this would be so cool to play for my mom and play on this field,” Sammie said. “But as I got older, I just realized that I needed something different.”

Sammie used to spent her days as a child passing the soccer ball around with her sister on the field next to the field her mom coached on. Fast forward to now and Sammie is leading the Tigers to a rematch from last season’s scoreless draw to the Mountaineers in Auburn.

It will be the first time Sammie plays in Morgantown while wearing an Auburn jersey.

“She obviously has always cheered for the Mountaineers and to find herself in a position to cheer against them I know is very emotional for her and obviously for me the same,” Nikki said.

It almost ended in the Tigers favor last year when Sammie subbed into the game and nearly found the back of the net. Sammie and the Tigers will get another chance Thursday night at 6 p.m. CT when Auburn visits West Virginia.

“The mom in me wants her to score and show that she has the ability to do that, and the coach in me is like, ‘Heck no, we got to win this game,” Nikki said.

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