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Apr 05, 2023

Auburn love on ‘The Bachelorette’? Former AU football player will compete for Charity Lawson’s heart

Auburn stands to win no matter who ends up with the final rose on the next

Auburn stands to win no matter who ends up with the final rose on the next season of "The Bachelorette."

Auburn University grad Charity Lawson stars in the latest chapter of ABC's hit reality dating series, and former Auburn football player Kaleb Kim will vie for her affection.

ABC announced in March Lawson will star on the upcoming season premiering June 26. "I’m the Bachelorette!" Charity said in the Instagram video. "Like, I can't even say that without crying, screaming, but I am the next Bachelorette." Lawson marks the first Auburn connection since Madison Prewett, a foster parent recruiter and AU graduate (and oldest daughter of Auburn's director of basketball operations, Chad Prewett), who appeared during season 24 with Bachelor Peter Weber. She's the first Alabama-connected lead in the franchise since Tuscaloosa's Hannah Brown starred in season 15 of "The Bachelorette."

READ: 15 times Alabama took over ‘The Bachelor’ and ‘The Bachelorette’

Lawson will lead season 20 of the spinoff franchise, following co-Bachelorettes Rachel Recchia and Gabby Windey. She holds bachelor's and master's degrees from AU, giving at least one contestant the ice-breaker he needs to spark any connection with the Bachelorette.

Kaleb Kim of Norcross, Ga., played offensive line for the Auburn Tigers 2016-19, finishing his college career as the team's starting center during the 2019 season. Kim finished with 17 career starts, starting the first three games of the 2018 seasons including the Washington season opener. He missed the Outback Bowl in 2019 but made the SEC academic honor roll, as well as the preseason Rimington Trophy and Reese's Senior Bowl watch lists.

Kim wore number 54 during his Auburn football career. His parents are John and Cindy Kim. His father played football at Gardner-Webb. Standing at 6-foot-4-inches and 300 pounds while at AU, Kim originally hails from Buford, Ga., and attended Mill Creek High School in Hoschton, Ga. He studied business at AU.

Now a construction salesman, the 26-year-old Kim "spent many years bettering himself and is ready to take the next step and find true love," according to his official ABC biography page. "As a loyal, caring and consistent partner, Kaleb K. will go the extra mile to appreciate his partner's passions."

So what is Kaleb passionate about? "Pushing himself to be the best," his bio says. "With a blue belt in jujitsu, Kaleb is excited to put his competitive edge to the test to win Charity's heart. And a fellow Auburn Tiger alum, he may already have another leg up with Charity. Kaleb K., don't drop the ball on this one!"

ABC shared these fun facts about Kim:

At the very least, we anticipate at least one "War Eagle!" during the June 26 premiere on ABC (at 8 p.m. Central), maybe as soon as Kim pops out of the limo and meets Lawson for the first time? Will the Auburn connection make for a love connection?

According to Kim's Auburn football bio and Lawson's 2022 Instagram post reflecting on her graduation, it appears the pair were on campus at the same time. Did they ever cross paths? We’ll find out soon enough.

You can see Kim blow a kiss around 1:08 of the video above, and meet all 25 of the men hoping to steal Lawson's heart this season.

Kaleb Kim (above) poses for a portrait for ABC's "The Bachelorette," on which he's a contestant during the show's 20th season starring Auburn University graduate Charity Lawson. Kim played football at AU from 2016-19. (Ricky Middlesworth/ABC; Julie Bennett/AL.com)

A 26-year-old child and family therapist from Columbus, Ga. She currently lives in Charlotte, N.C. She appeared as a contestant during the 27th season of "The Bachelor."

Here is what ABC shared about Lawson in her official "Bachelor" contestant bio:

"It's easy to see what makes Charity such a great catch! With a smile that lights up the room, a great career and a sweet personality to match, Charity is the total package! The Georgia beauty takes her name as a call to love and care for people and has built her life on that purpose. Charity is a mental health therapist and is extremely passionate about helping people live their best lives. Now, she is ready to receive the love she gives to so many others! Charity hopes her future husband is honest, loyal and shares similar morals. She says she is really excited to meet Zach and thinks the two of them could be a perfect match on paper. Time will tell if they’re also a perfect match in person!"

The ABC bio also shared three fun facts about Lawson:

Her parents are David and Vickie. Her brother is Nehemiah.

Lawson holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Auburn University.

After receiving her master's degree on the Plains, Lawson posted a graduate portrait on Instagram and wrote, "The past 6 years at Auburn, has been an experience of a lifetime, one that I don't take for granted. I’ve been challenged, pushed and molded into the woman I am today. Looking back on my journey, I’ve met the most incredible people, professors, created the BEST memories, but most importantly, unconsciously, I walked right into my calling."

She finished with a graduate degree in clinical mental health counseling. "The joy that comes with obtaining a degree the second time around is so much sweeter when you gain confirmation that it is exactly one of the things God has called you to do," she wrote. "The last two years has challenged me every single day in the areas of personal growth, but also in my professional identity as a therapist. I get the great opportunity as a therapist to love people as Jesus loved. This field of work is so beautiful, and I’m passionate about always advocating for mental health in today's society."

And yes, she also dropped a "War Eagle!"

Zach Shallcross, the lead on season 27 of "The Bachelor," sent Lawson home after hometown dates.

"She stole America's heart on season 27 of ‘The Bachelor’ with her confidence, compassion for helping others and magnetic smile," an ABC press release said. "Audiences saw Lawson open herself up to finding love by taking risks, all while supporting those around her. After her emotional exit, she solidified Bachelor Nation's trust in her genuine desire to find love."

From ABC: "As the Bachelorette, Lawson is searching for a life partner who loves dogs, thrifting and a good tailgate; but, above all else, is honest, empathetic and values her for who she is. With parents who have been married over 47 years, Lawson has been instilled with the confidence of knowing what she deserves and is eager to find a lasting love matching their example."

Season 20 of "The Bachelorette" will premiere Monday, June 26, at 8 p.m. Central on ABC.

From villainous contestants to lovable leads, Alabama personalities have dominated certain seasons of the long-running reality show, giving the state some well-earned airtime that keeps viewers coming back for more. We ran through Alabama's biggest connections to "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette," which turned 20 last year.

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