Tag: Clemson Athletics

Clemson baseball defeats Miami for latest ACC series win

NCAA Baseball: No. 2 Clemson picked up a 7-0 shutout victory over the Miami Hurricanes at Mark Light Field Saturday. The Tigers won two of three in the series to improve to 24-3 overall and 7-2 in the ACC.

CORAL GABLES, FLA. – Freshman righthander Aidan Knaak pitched 7.0 scoreless innings of two-hit ball with 10 strikeouts to lead No. 2 Clemson to a 7-0 victory over Miami (Fla.) at Mark Light Field on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers, who won the series 2-1, improved to 24-3 overall and 7-2 in the ACC. The Hurricanes dropped to 15-12 overall and 6-6 in ACC play.

It marked Clemson’s first series win over the Hurricanes since 2012 and first at Miami since 2006. It was also the Tigers’ 14th regular-season weekend series win in a row dating to 2023. That includes 10 straight in ACC regular-season play.

Knaak (2-0), a native of Fort Myers, Fla., earned the win by setting career highs for innings pitched and strikeouts while walking just one batter. He only allowed one baserunner past first base and none past second base. Reed Garris and Rocco Reid pitched the final two innings to close out the shutout, Clemson’s first since 2022. Miami starter Herick Hernandez (2-3) suffered the loss, as he yielded seven hits, seven runs (five earned) and three walks with five strikeouts in 5.1 innings pitched.

In the first inning, Jacob Hinderleider’s infield single and error on the play plated three runs, then Hinderleider blooped a two-out, run-scoring single in the third inning. Cam Cannarella laced a three-run double in the sixth inning to give Clemson a 7-0 lead.

The Tigers travel to Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C. to take on USC Upstate on Tuesday at 6 p.m. on ESPN+. Clemson is the designated visiting team and occupies the third-base dugout.

–via Clemson Athletic Department

Clemson baseball, softball games canceled Tuesday

The Clemson Tigers’ scheduled baseball and softball games Tuesday have been canceled due to the threat of inclement weather.

CLEMSON, S.C. – Due to forecasted inclement weather, Tuesday’s baseball game against Coastal Carolina at Doug Kingsmore Stadium and Tuesday’s softball game against Georgia State at McWhorter Stadium are canceled.

Information on tickets for Tuesday’s canceled games and potential makeup games will be provided by the Clemson University athletic department ticket office once details relative to the potential makeup games are determined.

Clemson baseball travels to Miami (Fla.) for a three-game series, beginning Thursday at 7 p.m. on ACC Network. Clemson softball hosts Boston College for a three-game series, beginning Thursday at 6 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.

–via Clemson Athletic Communications

Schedule Change: Clemson-Florida State series opener pushed back to Saturday

Clemson Baseball: With the threat of inclement weather, Friday’s schedule series opener between the Tigers and Florida State has been pushed back to Saturday. Both teams will play a doubleheader Saturday before the series wraps Sunday.

CLEMSON, S.C. – Due to forecasted inclement weather on Friday evening, the series opener between Florida State and Clemson on Friday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium is postponed. The new series schedule is as follows…

• Game 1 – Saturday at 1 p.m.
• Game 2 – Saturday approximately one hour after Game 1 ends
• Game 3 – Sunday at 1 p.m. (as previously scheduled)

Live video for all three games of the series is available on ACC Network Extra. All three contests are also still scheduled as nine-inning games.

Tickets for Friday’s originally scheduled game are valid for the second game of the doubleheader, while tickets for Saturday’s originally scheduled game are valid for the first game of the doubleheader. The stadium will be cleared in between games.

–Courtesy of Clemson Athletic Communications

Blake Wright powers No. 3 Clemson past Presbyterian in eight innings

Clemson Baseball: Blake Wright’s six RBIs in Wednesday’s 11-1 Clemson win over Presbyterian gave him 28 for the season. When he homered off Mason McDaniel with two away in the eighth inning, he had his third home run of the day and his 10th of the season in another solid 3-for-4 performance.

Blake Wright hit three home runs, and No. 3 Clemson cruised to an 11-1 victory in eight innings over Presbyterian in non-conference play Wednesday at Fluor Field in Greenville.

Wright’s six RBIs gave him 28 for the season. When he homered off Mason McDaniel in the eighth inning, he had his third home run of the day and his 10th of the season in another solid 3-for-4 performance at the plate.

The game ended after Wright’s eight-inning blast due to the 10-run rule.

Alden Mathes also hit two home runs for the Tigers (19-2 overall), who totaled six round-trippers on the day and outhit the Blue Hose, 10-3.

One day after Wright went 4-for-4 in a 13-3 clubbing of Winthrop, the senior second baseman outdid himself Wednesday by becoming the 17th player in program history — and the second this season, joining Will Taylor — to hit three home runs in one game.

His first long ball of the day came in the third inning off Luke Gibson and was part of back to back homers after Jimmy Obertop had launched a drive just to the left of straight away center field. Those two blasts gave the Tigers a 4-1 lead.

When Wright stepped to the plate an inning later, he cleared the bases with a three-run shot off Yechiel Saint that made it 7-1.

In between then and the eighth inning, Mathes hit his third and fourth home runs of the season with solo shots in consecutive at-bats.

Aside from Wright and Mathes (2-for-5), Jacob Hinderleider (2-for-3) and Jarren Purify (2-3) also had multi-hit games.

Clemson coach Erik Bakich used a bullpen-by-committee in Wednesday’s game with Justin LeGuernic starting and pitching two scoreless innings. LeGuernic fanned five and walked two. Ethan Darden (3-0) followed and was awarded the win after pitching the third inning, allowing the game’s only run (unearned).

Joe Allen, Ty Olenchuk, Drew Titsworth and Nick Clayton finished out the game in relief without allowing a run.

Gibson (0-1) suffered the loss for Presbyterian, who fell to 9-12.

NEXT UP

Clemson will host Florida State in a key ACC series beginning Friday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The Seminoles are a perfect 19-0 entering the weekend and are ranked No. 12 in this week’s USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll. First pitch Friday is scheduled for an 8 p.m. EDT prime time start. The game will be broadcast by ACC Network.

Clemson files lawsuit against ACC

Three months after Florida State filed a similar lawsuit in open court against the ACC in Tallahassee, Fla. comes word that Clemson has done something similar in South Carolina.

Three months after Florida State filed a lawsuit in open court against the ACC in state court in Tallahassee, Fla. comes news that Clemson has filed its own suit against the league in state court in Pickens County, S.C.

Both Clemson and Florida State’s lawsuits challenge the ACC’s grant of rights agreement, which binds current conference members and broadcast partner ESPN to the league through 2036.

It schools want to break the grant of rights agreements, the ACC contends those schools must pay an exorbitant exit fee of roughly $140 million.

According to Clemson’s suit:

“Clemson makes this motion on the grounds that the Complaint refers to and describes portions of agreements between the ACC on the one hand, and ESPN, Inc. and ESPN Enterprises, Inc. (together, “ESPN”) on the other hand—specifically, the Amended Multimedia Agreement and the Network Agreement (together, the “ESPN Agreements”)—and that the parties to these agreements maintain that the terms thereof are confidential and constitute trade secrets.”

Veteran college football reporter Ross Dellenger reported in 2023 that Clemson and Florida State were two of seven ACC schools that met to discuss a possible exit strategy from the league. Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Virginia, and Virginia Tech were the other five schools that met to explore ways to challenge the legality of the ACC’s grant of rights document.

In Tuesday’s court filing, Clemson claims that it “cannot protect and advance its interests, or the interests of its student-athletes, in current and ongoing negotiations within the Conference, with the Conference’s existing media partner ESPN, and in collegiate athletics more generally.”

Per the suit:

“The ACC’s actions interfere with Clemson’s free exercise of its rights and are fatally detrimental to Clemson’s efforts to ensure that its athletic programs can continue to compete at the highest level, which is critically important to Clemson even beyond athletics.” Clemson has been a charter member of the ACC since the league’s creation in 1953.

Clemson has been a charter member of the ACC since the league was founded in 1953.

You can read the school’s full lawsuit here.

Amanda Butler out as Clemson women’s basketball coach

After six seasons, Clemson is parting ways with women’s basketball coach Amanda Butler.

After six seasons, Clemson is parting ways with women’s basketball coach Amanda Butler.

Butler compiled an overall record of 86-102 (32-75 in conference play) in her six seasons as Tigers coach. Clemson was 12-19 this past season, including 5-13 in ACC games. The program finished 12th in league standings.

The Tigers made only one NCAA Tournament appearance with Butler as coach — in her first season back in 2018-19. That year, Clemson went 20-13 overall and fell to Mississippi State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The program has had only one winning season since then — in 2022-23, when the Tigers finished 19-16 overall. Clemson accepted an invitation to the WNIT and reached the Super 16 before falling to Florida, the school Butler had previously coached before she was hired by Clemson.

The Tigers have made just two Women’s NCAA Tournament appearances dating back to the 2001-2002 season.

Peegs.com’s Talia Goodman was the first to report the news of Butler’s departure from the program in a social media post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Clemson ranks No. 1 Nationally In GSR Among Public Schools

Clemson Athletics posts outstanding graduation success rate numbers.

The Clemson Athletic Department tops the nation among public Power Five institutions in Graduation Success Rate (GSR) with a 97 percent mark for the 2013-16 cohort in data released by the NCAA. It’s the 10th consecutive cohort in which Clemson’s department-wide GSR was at 91 percent or higher, and third in a row at 95 percent or higher, one of three public Power Five schools nationally to make that claim. Ten Clemson programs set or tied program records for GSR. Clemson’s Football program set a new program record of 99 percent, which leads all of Division I.

  • Clemson’s department rate of 97 percent leads the nation among all public institutions and is fifth in the nation among all Power Five programs, public or private.
  • Football’s 99 percent mark is the highest GSR score for any Power Five football program since the 2018-19 release, and the highest ever recorded among public Power Five football programs in the 19 years the NCAA has tracked the metric.
  • Clemson set a department record with 10 programs that earned perfect 100 percent scores for the cohort – baseball, men’s basketball, men’s golf, men’s tennis, women’s basketball, women’s golf, women’s soccer, women’s cross country/track, softball, and volleyball.
  • Volleyball maintained its streak of 19 consecutive cohorts at 100 percent.
  • The softball program hit 100 percent in its first available cohort since beginning play in 2020, while the men’s soccer program’s 96 percent mark was its second-best on record, trailing a 100 in the 2014 release.

Overall Department Rate: 97

*tie/set program record

Women’s Sports

  • Basketball: 100*
  • Cross Country/Track: 100*
  • Rowing: 96
  • Golf: 100*
  • Soccer: 100*
  • Softball: 100
  • Tennis: 89
  • Volleyball : 100*

Men’s Sports

  • Baseball: 100*
  • Basketball: 100*
  • Cross Country/Track: 83
  • Football: 99*
  • Golf: 100*
  • Soccer: 96
  • Tennis: 100*

A note on GSR:

The student-athlete graduation rate calculated directly based on IPEDS-GRS (which is the methodology the U.S. Department of Education requires) is the proportion of first-year, full-time student-athletes who entered a school on athletics aid and graduated from that institution within six years. The federal rate does not account for students who transfer from their original institution and graduate elsewhere. The NCAA GSR differs from the federal calculation in two important ways. First, the GSR holds colleges accountable for those student-athletes who transfer into their school. Second, the GSR does not penalize colleges whose student-athletes transfer in good academic standing.

Clemson issues statement on ACC’s expansion, says it respects decision

Here’s what Clemson University had to say about the ACC adding Cal, Stanford and SMU.

Clemson University issued a public statement Friday afternoon after the ACC announced it is adding Stanford, Cal and SMU to the conference in 2024.

“Clemson’s leadership has been aligned and consistent throughout this process, and continues to position our University for long-term success,” Clemson University said in a statement. “We respect the conference membership’s decision and welcome the University of California-Berkeley, Southern Methodist University and Stanford University to the ACC.”

Clemson’s statement comes after it voted “no” to the ACC’s expansion, which was finalized when the conference’s presidents and chancellors successfully voted Friday morning to add Stanford, Cal and SMU, according to On3’s Matt Connolly. To add the three schools, the ACC needed 12 of 15 programs to vote “yes,” a benchmark that was reached when NC State flipped its vote after initially opposing the expansion.

Along with Clemson, Florida State and UNC voted “no” and issued statements of their own.

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Clemson calls for NIL support

With sweeping changes that have recently altered the landscape of college athletics, Clemson is asking for support in helping the Tigers’ athletic department keep up. More specifically, athletic director Graham Neff has publicly called on Clemson …

With sweeping changes that have recently altered the landscape of college athletics, Clemson is asking for support in helping the Tigers’ athletic department keep up.

More specifically, athletic director Graham Neff has publicly called on Clemson fans to help financially back the collectives that provide name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities to current student-athletes, a necessity for Clemson to remain competitive in major college athletics. Neff emphasized that point in a letter written to IPTAY donors today.

“IPTAY will continue to be the core of our student-athlete scholarships, academic support, nutrition services, strength and conditioning, new and upgraded facilities that provide a first-class experience for Clemson student-athletes,” part of Neff’s letter read. “And in order to continue to compete, we must also invest in the NIL opportunities around our student-athletes. The Clemson community has the passion and the resources to compete.”

Neff urged fans and supporters to contribute to Clemson’s two collectives, TigerImpact and Dear Old Clemson, both of which were founded within a year after new NCAA legislation introduced in the summer of 2021 made it legal for student-athletes to profit off of their NIL.

TigerImpact has partnered with more than 50 student-athletes across multiple sports to help them promote the missions of charities of their choice. Dear Old Clemson has coordinated several fan-friendly signing events with multiple teams along with autographed collectibles.

“These groups need your support,” Neff wrote. “I encourage you to learn more about them and consider contributing to their organizations. Just like your contributions to IPTAY, the health of these supplemental organizations is critical to how our student-athletes are supported in this new world.”

Neff wrote Clemson initially took a “measured approach” in its interaction with the collectives given the way others around the country have been used as a front for a pay-for-play model for prospective student-athletes. Such a recruiting inducement has since been deemed illegal by the NCAA. The funds from Clemson’s collectives are paid out only to current student-athletes.

“I’m extremely proud that this infrastructure at Clemson has developed with integrity – within NCAA guidance and applicable law,” Neff wrote.

Clemson has taken steps to help its athletes navigate the NIL space. In April, the athletic department introduced “Reign,” a multi-faceted program intended to assist athletes in navigating those opportunities. Part of that is the construction of the Clemson Athletics Branding Institute, the country’s first facility dedicated solely to the development of NIL activity.

Neff wrote construction on the project is “close to completion.” Now he is calling on fans to do their part.

“College athletics is rapidly evolving, and since 1934, the constant has been your loyal support,” Neff wrote.

Dear Old Clemson is excited to announce a limited edition football and poster signed by Clemson’s Avengers.

Now there is a new way you can support Clemson student-athletes. Purchase collectibles from Dear Old Clemson and the proceeds with go to support Clemson student-athletes. Visit Dear Old Clemson to find out how you can help!

Graham Neff glad to see NIL done ‘the Clemson way’

Dear Old Clemson held its second NIL event in Clemson Saturday. The event, which allowed fans, local softball teams and members of the community, to have a meet-and-greet autograph session with Clemson’s softball team, was sponsored by the McWhorter …

Dear Old Clemson held its second NIL event in Clemson Saturday.

The event, which allowed fans, local softball teams and members of the community, to have a meet-and-greet autograph session with Clemson’s softball team, was sponsored by the McWhorter family, who the softball stadium is named for.

Clemson athletic director Graham Neff spoke at the event. Not only did he tout John Rittman’s fourth-year program, but he also mentioned plans for possibly expanding McWhorter Stadium in the near future. Neff primarily touched on how NIL events like Saturdays can impact student-athletes and the community alike.

“Fourth and fifth from an attendance standpoint, it’s been incredible just in Year 3,” Neff said Saturday at a NIL event in Clemson. “So, so much excitement, certainly for the softball program, and ladies, really appreciate and excited for you to be here and just the opportunity to engage in the community.”

From NIL to the transfer portal to conference realignment and changes within the NCAA it’s been an interesting start to the new job for Neff, who was named the 14th director of athletics in Clemson University history on Dec. 23, 2021.

“How we navigate these changes and continue to be leaders for Clemson and Clemson Athletics, we’re gonna do it the Clemson way and keep Clemson, Clemson,” Neff said. “And I think our approach to NIL — and this is a great opportunity and experience. This just feels really good here (Saturday) afternoon. We’re gonna continue to do it the right way, certainly from a compliant and NCAA standpoint.

“Through all the opportunities that we have to engage in the community and have NIL opportunities for our student-athletes, not just softball (Saturday) afternoon, but all of our programs. It’s just really, really important that we’re being transparent and available and certainly active from a compliant manner.”

Neff said that Clemson and its student-athletes will have support administratively, which is why he was at the Madren Conference Center on Saturday.

“That’s why I’m here, he said, “to be available and to give credence and support to certainly this event and Dear Old Clemson and other collectives that we have within the community

He just wants him and Clemson’s athletic administration to be available because NIL is such a gray area for the student-athletes, the community and community leaders. 

“We’ve worked a lot from an administrative standpoint with our coaching staff on how to do things the right way — the Clemson way,” Neff said. “I think we’re really excited to continue to expand the opportunities for our student-athletes and community…and to continue to grow the Clemson brand and our student-athletes.”