AUBURN, Ala. – A true road game to open the 2026 campaign followed by a five-game slate at the NFCA Leadoff Classic awaits Auburn softball as the Tigers begin year two of the Malveaux era with a Florida road swing.
“We're so excited to get this thing going again this year,” said co-head coach Chris Malveaux. “This season couldn't come soon enough. We've been at it since August. Throughout the fall, we just couldn’t wait to see these players get on the field and do their thing. It's going to be a fun group to watch. They're young, but they're going to be very exciting. We can't wait to see them out there competing against other teams.”
Pumped for what’s next 📈#WarEagle x @AuburnSoftball pic.twitter.com/kcoX3aHiwk
— WarEagle+ (@WarEaglePlus) February 4, 2026
For the first time since the 2014 season, Auburn opens the season with a true road game as the Tigers trek to Jacksonville, Florida, to face North Florida. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. CT.
No streaming coverage is available, but JJ Jackson will provide radio coverage on the Auburn Sports Network and WEGL 91.1 FM.
The Sunshine State swing continues at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. The Tigers are slated to compete in five games over a three-day slate at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater, Florida.
Friday’s action features games against Notre Dame and Michigan State. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. CT. Auburn has its first opportunity against a ranked opponent on Saturday, facing No. 9 Clemson before battling Pitt. Saturday’s slate begins at 3 p.m. CT. Sunday’s finale versus Penn State is set for 9 a.m. CT.
All five games are available to stream for free on GameChanger. Fans can access GameChanger on their desktops, tablets or laptops. Saturday’s contest versus Clemson is also available on the MLB Network.
Jackson will also have the radio call for the entire tournament on the Auburn Sports Network and WEGL 91.1 FM.
Auburn holds a 23-5-1 record in its season-opening contests, winning 10 of its last 12 contests. Auburn opened the Malveaux era last season with a 6-1 victory over Southern Illinois at Jane B. Moore Field as part of the Tiger Invitational.
This is Auburn’s first true road game to open a season since 2014. That season Auburn traveled to Troy to begin its campaign. The game ended in a 5-5 tie.
Auburn is making its seventh overall appearance at the NFCA Leadoff Classic and its first since 2023. The Tigers have competed in both the Clearwater (2023, 2020) and Columbus, Georgia (1998, 2006, 2007, 2008) versions of the tournament. Overall, the Tigers are 15-12 over their six previous appearances.
After graduating nine seniors, including eight primary starters, Auburn’s offense is entirely revamped for the 2026 campaign. The Tigers will be led by All-SEC honoree AnnaLea Adams, who returns for her sophomore season after one of the most historic true freshman seasons in program history.
Adams led the team last season with a .390 batting average and a .658 slugging percentage. Despite not seeing action in nine games, Adams also finished in the top three on the team in on-base percentage, hits, RBI, doubles and home runs.
Another key returner for the Tigers is left-handed pitcher SJ Geurin. Geurin be the veteran in the circle for Auburn’s young pitching staff. Last season, Geurin recorded 23 wins and four saves behind a 2.97 earned run average and earned NFCA All-Region honors in the process.
Chris and Kate Malveaux hit the transfer portal in the offseason, bringing in six additions to round out the Tiger lineup. The transfer class looks to factor heavily this season and includes outfielder Kylie Shaw (Florida), right-handed pitcher Ella Harrison (Rutgers), infielder Alyssa Hastings (Lipscomb), outfielder McKaela Walker (LSU), infielder Destiny Rodriguez (Tennessee) and left-handed pitcher Abby Herndon (Ole Miss).
Auburn’s transfer class has combined for two NFCA All-Region honors, three all-conference awards, two SEC Championships, eight postseason appearances and four trips to the Women’s College World Series.
Ranked the No. 10 recruiting class in the country, Auburn also added seven true freshmen to bring its newcomer total to 13. Three of those seven freshmen have made early noise in the preseason with utility player Daigle Wilson, catcher Ava Ratliff and infielder Haven Roebuck being named to freshmen watch lists by D1 Softball and Softball America.
Looking ahead, Opening Weekend on the Plains is set for Feb. 12-15 as the Tigers host the War Eagle Classic at Jane B. Moore Field. Illinois, Bradley, Campbell and Binghamton round out the tournament field.