Beth McClanahan

I am a mathematics professor turned Advising Dean who has spent my career helping students find their path. Watching students persevere through challenges and ultimately succeed drives my work. I have 17 years of experience teaching entry-level mathematics courses, often to students who would say math is not their favorite subject, and I take pride in helping them build confidence and celebrating each win.

As an Auburn University graduate, devoted Atlanta Braves fan, and competitive by nature, my love of sports analytics began early. I started playing fantasy baseball at age 12 in a league with my dad and his friends, where I quickly learned that research and trusting the numbers could level the playing field. I have served as the official scorebook keeper for the Big South Conference and kept books for men’s and women’s basketball at LaGrange College. My Engagement course, Forecasting Football, draws on my background by applying quantitative reasoning to a field that is both complex and engaging: college football. This course explores how data, strategy, and decision-making shape the game while examining the limits of prediction. Rooted in a love of both the game and the numbers behind it, the course invites students to engage with each.