For most Ball State teams, senior night is a time to recognize players who have been staples of the program for several years.
That won't be the case for the Ball State men's volleyball team this Sunday.
Jeff Aucoin, the team's lone senior, will stand at the center of Worthen Arena following a match with Ohio State to be recognized for his Ball State career - one that has lasted only two months.
As a transfer from New Hampshire, Aucoin is playing through his only year of academic eligibility as a graduate student at Ball State.
It's a position Aucoin didn't ever think he would be in when he graduated last year.
"At first I didn't have any interest in becoming a grad schooler," he said. "I just figured I was done with school."
Two coaches he worked with at a women's volleyball club tournament changed his mind. Once Aucoin was convinced he could play at the Division I level, a master's degree became a real option.
Ball State quickly separated itself as the best destination to achieve that goal. Email with coach Joel Walton started the process for him to eventually sign with the school.
Muncie was a foreign place to Aucoin, though. He didn't know any of the players or the coaches, and knew little about Ball State as a school. Having a shy demeanor didn't make the transition any smoother.
"It was a slow start getting used to them because I'm not that outgoing of a person," Aucoin said of his teammates. "But I'm slowly getting there. Slowly starting to gel with the guys."
The number of Ball State players who have gone on to coaching careers after college also attracted Aucoin to sign on for one year with the team.
The connections that helped players under legendary coach Don Shondell and Walton secure jobs is something Aucoin said he is working to secure in the Muncie community.
It's an opportunity Walton emphasized when he was recruiting Aucoin.
"I know it's something we used as one of our selling points." Walton said. "Jeff was going to greatly increase his network of people he knew and people who knew of him."
Even though he's had less than a year to work with him, Walton said Aucoin has the tools necessary to become a successful coach, starting with his attitude.
"He's a very mature kid," he said. "He's a kid that wants to coach in the future and has been willing to do the work necessary to be the best possible candidate for a coaching job."
An ankle injury in the fall preseason has limited Aucoin to only a sparse amount of playing time this season. Now that he is fully healthy, Walton said he could see more time on the court through the next month of matches.
"I'm looking for an opportunity that I can put Jeff on the court and give him a chance to be successful. He's got great skills, and he's one of the best jumping athletes on our team."
While Aucoin's career as a Ball State men's volleyball player will come to an end in the next two months, his year on the team could lead to greater opportunities for years to come.
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