Good Morning, Auburn Family. Auburn MBB’s Denver Jones was one of 10 semifinalists for the 2025 Naismith Men's Defensive Player of the Year Award as announced by The Atlanta Tipoff Club.

One of the top on-ball defenders in the country and in the league, Jones has received the top assignment for the Tigers this season, limiting multiple opposing teams’ players under their scoring averages including against Top 10 competition.

What else have we mixed into today’s steaming hot Brew? Check it out below!

🌊 Three swimmers punched tickets to Men’s NCAA Championships
🤸🏽‍♀️ Sophia Groth placed on inaugural Allstate NACDA Good Works Team
🐅 And much, much more!

📹 WAREAGLE+ : PRESS CONFERENCE

🔼 Pool Tickets Punched. Three swimmers and four relay alternates have earned their way to the 2025 Men’s NCAA Championships in Federal Way, Washington, March 26-29. 

Mason Mathias (200 free, 500 free, 1650 free), Nate Stoffle (100 back, 200 back, 100 fly) and Danny Schmidt (200 fly, 200 IM, 400 IM) have all punched their tickets to NCAAs. Stoffle will be competing in his fourth NCAA Championships, while Schmidt and Mathias are each making their third appearance at NCAAs. 

🔼 In the Words of DJ Khaled: “Another One.” Another day, another accolade for Auburn’s Johni Broome, who has earned the highest honor in all of college basketball as the Sporting News National College Player of the Year for the 2024-25 season.

The graduate senior big man was also one of two unanimous selections to the publication’s All-America First Team next to Cooper Flagg of Duke. He was also recently recognized as the co-Player of the Year by the Field of 68 Network and Player of the Year by the NCAA’s Andy Katz and by Jon Rothstein for College Hoops Today.

🔼 Maka the Most Of It. Fresh off a 200m championship at SEC Indoors, Makanakaishe Charamba sets his sights on an even bigger prize at this weekend’s NCAA Indoor Championships.

“Winning everything,” he said. “As a team.”

One of nine Auburn student-athletes competing Friday and Saturday in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Charamba ranks first nationally in his event.

🔼 Groth and the Greater Good. Allstate and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) announced that Auburn senior Sophia Groth was placed on the inaugural Allstate NACDA Good Works Team (Winter). The two-time All-American for Auburn Gymnastics was also named team captain, becoming the first female student-athlete to lead the distinguished group.

As president of Auburn’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Groth has championed community outreach throughout her time on the Plains, supported fellow student-athletes and students on campus through food drives and advocated for student parents working to complete their degrees through programs like Baby Steps. Groth also spearheaded The Big House Toy Drive, brightening the holidays for children in need.

🔼 Thrice As Nice. Auburn is set to host two SEC opponents and a non-conference match this week at the Yarbrough Tennis Center. The Tigers will face No. 18 Oklahoma today at noon CT, followed by Belmont at 5 p.m. CT. On Saturday, Auburn will finish the weekend with another SEC match against Ole Miss at 1 p.m. CT.

🗣 “It’ll be good to be back home and this season we have played really well at home.” - Bobby Reynolds, head coach

🔼 A High Note, Indeed. Freshman Emily Hallifax ended the 2025 Zone B Championships on a high note, finishing fourth in the Platform competition, well inside the top-seven cut mark for NCAAs to secure her spot at next week’s NCAA Championships in Federal Way, Washington. 

Halifax led the way with a sturdy 282.25 to sit fifth with five dives to go. Abigail Farrar, fresh off her 11th-place finish in 3-meter, produced a 260.45 to grab ninth before finals.

🔼 Making Quite a Racket. Auburn men’s tennis player Alex Frusina has been awarded SEC Freshman of the Week honors for the second time this season. Frusina picked up the honor after earning two ranked singles wins and clinched a doubles point in a tiebreaker against Texas A&M during the Tigers’ Texas swing over the weekend.

🔼 Heading Home. The Tigers softball squad came up just short at Georgia Tech, but the team is back at it tomorrow, with their SEC home opener against Texas A&M.

🐅 ONE BIG THING

This Goes Out to the Auburn Fans. First up is MBB: 👇🏼

Now, do baseball: 👇🏼

🤓 TIGER TRIVIA

📅 ON THE DOCKET 

Thursday, March 13
🎾 Men’s Tennis vs. Oklahoma @ Noon CT | Live Video | Live Stats 
🎾 Men’s Tennis vs. Belmont @ 5 p.m. CT | Live Video | Live Stats

Friday, March 14
🏀 Men’s Basketball @ SEC Championship @ Noon CT
👟 X-Country/Track @ NCAA Indoor Championships in Virginia Beach, Virginia
🎾 Women’s Tennis @ Alabama @ 3 p.m. CT | Live Video | Live Stats - Due to expected inclement weather, Friday’s match against Alabama in Tuscaloosa has been moved to 3 p.m. CT from the initial 5 p.m. time.
🥎 Softball vs. Texas A&M - Local Heroes Night @ 5 p.m. CT SEC ESPN+ | Buy Tickets | Live Stats | WEGL 91.1 FM 
⚾️ Baseball vs. Vanderbilt - Josh Donaldson Day @ 6 p.m. CT | Buy Tickets | Live Stats | Listen
🤸🏽‍♀️ Gymnastics vs. LSU - Senior Night/Alumni Night @ 7 p.m. CT SEC ESPN | Buy Tickets

Saturday, March 15
🏀 Men’s Basketball @ SEC Championship @ TBA
🎾 Men’s Tennis vs. Ole Miss Presented by Moe's BBQ @ 11 a.m. CT | Live Video | Live Stats
🥎 Softball vs. Texas A&M - St. Patrick’s Day/Wear Green @ 3 p.m. CT SEC ESPN+ | Buy Tickets | Live Stats | WEGL 91.1 FM 
👟 X-Country/Track @ NCAA Indoor Championships in Virginia Beach, Virginia
⚾️ Baseball vs. Vanderbilt - Kick the Dust Up @ 6 p.m. CT | Buy Tickets | Live Stats | Listen

🐅 Go here to view the entire Auburn Athletics Calendar

🥳 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: Walker Kessler!

Auburn MBB’s Denver Jones joins Walker Kessler (2022) and Johni Broome (2024) as the only three players in program history to be named a semifinalist for the 2025 Naismith Men's Defensive Player of the Year Award.

🐅 Happy Thursday, Auburn Fam!