Good morning.

Tigers fans should be aware that it’s an insanely hectic weekend on the Plains, with not only several sports at home but also a weekend-long event at the Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum

What else can you find mixed into today’s Brew?

🤸🏼‍♂️ On the Plains With Sydney Schumaker
⚾️
🐅 And much, much more!

📹 WAREAGLE+: THE FLIGHT

The Flight - Gymnastics (S. 1, Ep. 1)
The 2024 gymnastics season is off and running. With 10 newcomers, the team looks to develop its culture. Catch Olivia Greaves making her Auburn debut and a historic win over Alabama.

📈 STOCK UP

🔼 The Whole Nine Innings. No. 15 Auburn baseball begins its ninth season under head coach Butch Thompson with a three-game series vs. Eastern Kentucky Friday through Sunday at Plainsman Park.
 
First pitches for Opening Weekend on The Plains are scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m. CT, and Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
"It's time to play ball," Thompson said. "I'm excited to get this season started with our players, coaches, fans, the whole nine yards. We're looking forward to getting to host (Eastern Kentucky) and getting our season started with a great three-game series at home."
 
In conjunction with the season opener, Auburn will open its new Hall of Fame Club, a tribute to the first member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame from the Southeastern Conference, Frank Thomas. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at the Hall of Fame Club Friday at 4 p.m.
 
All three games will be broadcast on the Auburn Sports Network and can be heard locally on 94.3 FM (Friday and Sunday) and 100.3 FM (Saturday). They will also be streamed digitally on SEC Network+.

For all Auburn baseball gameday information, click here.

🔼 Herding Cats. Auburn built a big early lead and never trailed against Kentucky, hammering the Wildcats 78-50 Thursday at Neville Arena behind Taylen Collins' double-double and another 20-point outing from Honesty Scott-Grayson.
 
"We wanted to set the tone; we wanted to throw the first punch," Auburn coach Johnnie Harris said. "I thought we did that. We were super aggressive on the defensive end. We got production from different people. All around a good ballgame."
 
Auburn made 15 steals, forced 26 Kentucky turnovers and finished plus-23 in points off turnovers.
 
"That's just what we do," Harris said.
 
Seeking to sweep the in-state rivalry season series, Auburn (16-8, 5-6) travels to Tuscaloosa to play Alabama on Sunday at 2 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.

🔼 🧹 Broom Sold Separately. After junior Amelia Lech drove in six runs to lead No. 25 Auburn softball (4-1-1) to a win over UC Davis (2-3), the Tigers were the victors in a pitching duel, walking off No. 13 Utah (4-3) to sweep Thursday's doubleheader at the Nancy Almarez Stadium during day two of the PV College Challenge.
 
"What a great team win," said head coach Mickey Dean. "You have no idea how proud I am of this team. They stuck together. It wasn't smooth, but the work we did throughout the day enabled us to win."
 
Friday is an off day for the Tigers in Mexico. Auburn returns to the field on Saturday to face a familiar postseason foe for the first time in the regular season as the Tigers face No. 8 Clemson at 3 p.m. CT. The game is available to stream with a FloSoftball account.

🔼 A Schu-In. Sydney Schumaker never thought she would find herself in the state of Alabama. She grew up in Saratoga Springs, New York, and began her college career at SUNY Brockport, a Division III school just outside Rochester, New York. But when she found herself making the leap to Division I, Auburn became the clear choice.

“When I came on campus for my visit, I wasn’t overwhelmed with anything. But it was still a big change, and definitely, the size was something,” Schumaker said. “Then, how much support was given to all athletics—I feel like from D-III, there wasn’t as much love and support. It’s like a whole different world here.”

Schumaker fit in quickly at Auburn as she earned a spot in the vault lineup early and got her first taste of competition in Neville Arena in December at the team’s annual Preview Meet.

“My thought process going into it was, 'All right, I know there are more people than usual at the preview meet, but you know the environment; you’ve done it one time, just chill. It will be fine.' It ended up being one of the best vaults I’ve ever competed in my life,” she said. 

Go here for the rest of On the Plains With Sydney Schumaker.

🔼 On Deck. The student experience at Plainsman Park continues to evolve entering the 2024 season, highlighted by the addition of The Back Forty Deck sponsored by Outdoor Alabama.

The deck, which is located beyond the outfield fence in the right-center field and was previously the ground-level outfield viewing plaza, is open to students and the general public on a first-come, first-served basis. It features a two-tiered viewing experience that overlooks the visiting team's bullpen.

"When you say 'Auburn Family' you're talking about our students, you're talking about our players, and I think our student-athletes enjoy our students being with them," head coach Butch Thompson said at a student event this preseason.

For Opening Weekend on The Plains, the first 100 students on Friday and Saturday will receive a food truck voucher only redeemable at the food trucks located adjacent to the deck. Food trucks will be available for the majority of Southeastern Conference play.

🔼 Horsing Around on The Plains. The No. 6 Auburn equestrian team returns to the Auburn University Equestrian Center this weekend, hosting Dartmouth and No. 8 UT Martin on Friday and Saturday.
 
The Tigers (5-4) will take on Dartmouth in a jumping seat-only contest Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. CT. Auburn will then take on the Skyhawks on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT, which will be followed by a UT Martin/Dartmouth neutral site meet. Admission is free to all contests.
 
"We are very grateful to be home this weekend," head coach Jessica Braswell said. "We've been away from our fans for a long time, so it will be great to be back.”
 
The Tigers take to the road one last time this fall, traveling to the state of Texas for a pair of top-five meets. Auburn will face No. 4 Texas A&M on Friday, Nov. 10, in Bryan-College Station before traveling to Dallas for a meet at No. 3 SMU on Nov. 11.

🤔 TIGER TRIVIA

🐅 ONE BIG THING

One Fine Day. ESPN's College GameDay is coming to The Plains on Saturday, Feb. 17. The Show starts at 9 AM CT, and admission is FREE for all fans! Doors will open at 7 AM CT for students and 7:30 AM CT for the general public through the main entrance!
 
The two-hour show, hosted by Rece Davis, along with analysts Jay Bilas, Jay Williams, Seth Greenberg and Andraya Carter, will be aired live ahead of Auburn's SEC showdown with Kentucky at Neville Arena. Both teams are currently ranked in The Associated Press Top 25 Poll – No. 13 and No. 22, respectively.
 
Tipoff between the Tigers and Wildcats is set for 5 p.m. (CT) / 6 p.m. (ET) on ESPN with Dan Shulman, Bilas and Jessica Sims on the call. College GameDay will air before the game from 9-11 a.m. (CT) / 10 a.m.-Noon (ET).

🏆 VICTORY FORMATION

We’re calling on YOU to be part of our On To Victory movement! 

Become a member of On To Victory today to support Auburn student-athletes. Your support fuels their success and our success. Let's go, Auburn Family!

📬 FORWARDED BY A FRIEND

Did someone send you the Bodda Getta Daily Brew? Well, the first thing you should do is thank them. The next thing you should do is subscribe here and get it in your inbox every weekday morning just in time for your first cup of coffee!

📅 THE WEEK AHEAD

Friday 2/16

⚾️ Baseball vs. Eastern Kentucky on SEC Network @ Time TBA | Live Stats | Tickets 

🐎 Equestrian vs. Dartmouth @ 3 p.m. CT

🥎 Softball vs. Wichita State @ the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge @ 6 p.m. CT on FloSoftball | Live Video | Fan Info

🤸🏼‍♂️ Gymnastics @ LSU @ 8 p.m. CT on SEC Network

Saturday 2/17

🐎 Equestrian @ UT Martin @ 11 a.m. CT

⚾️ Baseball vs. Eastern Kentucky on SEC Network+ @ 1 p.m. CT | Live Stats | Tickets 

🥎 Softball vs. Clemson @ the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge @ 3 p.m. CT on FloSoftball | Live Video | Fan Info

🏀 Men’s Basketball vs. Kentucky @ 5 p.m. CT on ESPN | Live Audio | Live Stats | Tickets

Sunday 2/18

⛳️ Women's Golf @ Moon Golf Invitational

🎾 Women’s Tennis @ Texas @ 11 a.m. CT

🎾 Men’s Tennis vs. Middle Tennessee State @ 12 p.m. CT | Live Video | Live Stats

⚾️ Baseball vs. Eastern Kentucky on SEC Network+ @ 1 p.m. CT | Live Stats | Tickets 

🏀 Women’s Basketball @ Alabama @ 2 p.m. CT on SECN+ | Live Video | Live Stats 

🎾 Men’s Tennis vs. The Citadel @ 4 p.m. CT

🐅 Click here to view the entire Auburn Athletics Calendar

🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: 4! For the fourth time in program history and third-straight season, ESPN’s GameDay is descending upon The Plains.

🐅 Have a great Friday, y’all