Mechanical engineering senior selected as new Auburn Cheerleading ‘Mic-man’

Senior Ben Timm is one of the leaders down in the Design and Manufacturing Lab in Wiggins Hall. He’s the guy in charge of teaching folks how to machine safely. He chose mechanical engineering because he loved working with his hands. But for the next year, he'll be better known for working with his voice. 

Timm was recently tapped as Auburn University's newest “Mic-man,” tasked this fall with leading the Jordan-Hare legions in classic cheers like Track'em, Two Bits and — the one he's most looking forward to — Bodda Getta.

Timm's Auburn pedigree — and Auburn Engineering pedigree — runs deep. 

His father, David Timm, is the new chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. His sister Allison graduated in 2022 with a degree in aerospace engineering. 

"I didn't tell my sister I was trying out," he said. "She's in Illinois. I called her after it was announced. That was a fun phone call. She wasn't expecting that."

Timm wasn't really expecting it, either.

The trombonist in the Auburn University Marching Band thought his two-years leading cheers for the Auburn basketball pep band would be the extent of his career as a hype man. And it probably would have been, had outgoing longtime Mic-man Dalton Odom not liked his style. 

"I decided to try out after Dalton came up to me at a women's basketball game and asked if I'd ever thought about being the Mic-man," Timm said. "I never had. But after a couple of weeks, I was, like, yeah, that'd be really cool. Then I was committed.

"I'm pretty excited. It's a big responsibility."