Tag: Clemson softball

Champs get the rings

Before they turned the focus to the 2022 season it was time for some rings. Check out this video from Clemson softball showing the team receiving the rings for winning the ACC regular season in 2021. The Tigers won the league in just year two. …

Before they turned the focus to the 2022 season it was time for some rings.

Check out this video from Clemson softball showing the team receiving the rings for winning the ACC regular season in 2021.  The Tigers won the league in just year two.

Another great season for the Tigers is begins on Thursday.

Cagle earns preseason All-America honors

Redshirt sophomore Valerie Cagle (Yorktown, Va.) was named a preseason first-team All-American as a pitcher/utility player by D1Softball on Monday. Last season, Cagle was a second-team All-American and the first softball player in league history to …

Redshirt sophomore Valerie Cagle (Yorktown, Va.) was named a preseason first-team All-American as a pitcher/utility player by D1Softball on Monday.

Last season, Cagle was a second-team All-American and the first softball player in league history to garner both ACC Player and Freshman of the Year honors. She led the Tigers with a .404 average and hit 17 home runs, 12 doubles, 45 RBI and scored 43 runs with a .821 slugging percentage. She also led Clemson from the circle with a 1.16 ERA with 267 strikeouts through 216.2 innings pitched while earning 28 victories and 12 shutouts.

In addition to being selected as a preseason All-American, Cagle is a preseason All-ACC selection, was named to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 50 watch list and was the preseason ACC Player of the Year selection by D1Softball. She also has clocked in as the No. 6 player on Extra Innings Softball’s Extra Elite 100 list and No. 19 on Softball America’s 2022 Preseason College Top 100 list.

Cagle and the Tigers open the 2022 season in Fort Myers, Fla. at the FGCU Kickoff Classic Feb. 10-13. Fans can get their first look at the 2022 roster on Feb. 5 at McWhorter Stadium as Clemson softball hosts an Open Scrimmage beginning at 12 p.m.

–Courtesy of Clemson Athletic Communications

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Clemson softball among ACC favorites heading into 2022 season

Coming off a conference regular-season title and the first regional appearance in the program’s brief history, Clemson’s softball team is among the favorites in the ACC heading into the 2022 season. The Tigers were picked to finish second in the …

Coming off a conference regular-season title and the first regional appearance in the program’s brief history, Clemson’s softball team is among the favorites in the ACC heading into the 2022 season.

The Tigers were picked to finish second in the league’s preseason poll released Wednesday. Clemson received two first-place votes and 128 overall points in the voting, which was done by the conference’s 13 head coaches.

Florida State, fresh off a run to the finals of the Women’s College World Series, was picked to win the ACC with eight first-place votes. Virginia Tech received two first-place votes while Duke got the final first-place vote.

Clemson, led by preseason all-ACC selections Valerie Cagle and McKenzie Clark, is coming off a 44-8 record in its second season as a program. Clemson is slated to open the season Feb. 10 against Florida Gulf Coast in the FGCU Kickoff Classic in Fort Meyers, Florida.

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Cagle, Clark named preseason All-ACC selections

Clemson softball’s Valerie Cagle (RHP/UTL) and McKenzie Clark (OF) have been named to the Atlantic Coast Conference’s 2022 Preseason All-ACC Team, the league office announced Wednesday. Both Cagle and Clark were 2021 All-ACC First Team selections at …

Clemson softball’s Valerie Cagle (RHP/UTL) and McKenzie Clark (OF) have been named to the Atlantic Coast Conference’s 2022 Preseason All-ACC Team, the league office announced Wednesday. Both Cagle and Clark were 2021 All-ACC First Team selections at the conclusion of last season. Additionally, the Tigers were predicted to finish second in the ACC standings, according to the league’s head coaches.

Cagle returns to the 2022 roster after dominating as a redshirt freshman in 2021. After starting all 52 games last season, including 32 in the circle, Cagle became the first softball player in ACC history to earn both Freshman and Player of the Year honors in the same season. Cagle was a NFCA Second Team All-American and a JWOS First Team All-American after posting a 1.16 ERA with 267 strikeouts from the circle. She also led the Tigers with a .404 average and .821 slugging percentage with 45 RBI, 43 runs scored and 17 home runs. The Yorktown, Va. native finished in the Top-25 in the NCAA in eight different categories and led the ACC in six including: slugging percentage, runs batted in, home runs, total bases, ERA and saves. She earned ACC Player of the Week and Pitcher of the Week honors four times last season and was the NFCA Player of the Week twice after throwing two no-hitters in a single week. In other preseason rankings, Cagle has been tabbed the No. 6 player on the Extra Elite 100 list by Extra Inning Softball and No. 19 on Softball America’s Preseason College Top 100 list. Earlier today, Cagle was named to the 2022 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List.

Clark was Clemson’s leadoff hitter last season and returns for her sophomore season after exploding into the collegiate softball world in 2021. As a freshman, Clark was named to the NFCA All-Region Southeast Second Team and was an All-ACC Freshman selection after starting in every game. The Myakka City, Fla. native maintained a .355 batting average with 47 runs scored and 29 RBI, while leading the Tigers with 23 stolen bases and six triples while posting a .639 slugging percentage. Clark led the ACC in runs scored and was eighth in the NCAA in triples.

Clemson will kickstart the 2022 campaign with an open scrimmage on Saturday, Feb. 5 at noon. This will be fans only opportunity to see the Tigers in McWhorter Stadium prior to the 2022 season getting underway on Feb. 10 in Fort Myers, Fla. at the FGCU Kickoff Classic. Clemson will be on the road for the first 11 games of the season before returning for its home opener on Friday, Feb. 25 against Boston University at 2:30 p.m. Season tickets are sold out, but a limited number of single-game tickets for home games will go on sale to IPTAY members on Feb. 1 and to the general public on Feb. 3.

–Courtesy of Clemson Athletic Communications

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Clemson looks to garner even more success in year 3

In its third-ever season, Clemson softball is looking to add yet another winning season to its name. Head Coach John Rittman’s squad enters the 2022 season following a 44-8 overall record, 29-5 ACC record, and an ACC Regular Season Championship in …

In its third-ever season, Clemson softball is looking to add yet another winning season to its name. Head Coach John Rittman’s squad enters the 2022 season following a 44-8 overall record, 29-5 ACC record, and an ACC Regular Season Championship in their first full season of play.

Clemson returns a roster that made a combined 430 starts in 2021, most notably housing a dual-threat in ace Valerie Cagle, who became the first-ever player to earn both ACC Player of the Year and ACC Freshman of the Year honors within the same season.

Following a stellar 2021 campaign, Cagle was named to Team USA’s U-18 Junior Women’s National Team roster this off-season, competing in the World Baseball Softball Confederation U-18 World Cup in Lima, Peru and the Junior Pan American Games in Barranquilla, Columbia.

In addition to Cagle returning to the circle this spring, Clemson retains key players in the circle in RHP Millie Thompson and lefty Logan Caymol as well as veteran power at the plate in Alia Logoleo, outfielders Marissa Guimbarda and McKenzie Clark, and infielder Cammy Pereira.

With the departures of Ansley Gilstrap and Casey Bigham following last season, the Tigers acquired eight new faces including a two-time All-ACC player in NC State grad transfer Sam Russ.

In her four seasons with the Wolfpack, Russ held the all-time record for career stolen bases with 103 and has the single-season record for stolen bases with 32. Russ’ father, Frank Russ, played baseball at Clemson as an infielder from 1980-83 and was a four-year starter for the Tigers.

Clemson softball opens up the 2022 season on Thursday, February 10, with the FGCU Kickoff tournament in Fort Myers, Fla., the start of an eight-game away stint. The Tigers’ home opener at McWhorter Stadium comes February 25 with the Clemson Classic. Out of Clemson’s 53 regular season games this spring, 28 will be played at McWhorter Stadium in Clemson, S.C.

Neff on expansion of softball stadium, new women’s sports

Clemson’s new athletic director, Graham Neff, was a guest Thursday morning on the Packer and Durham show on the ACC Network. Speaking about the excitement surrounding the Clemson Softball program right now after the Tigers won the ACC in their first …

Clemson’s new athletic director, Graham Neff, was a guest Thursday morning on the Packer and Durham show on the ACC Network.

Speaking about the excitement surrounding the Clemson Softball program right now after the Tigers won the ACC in their first full season last year, Neff said they are considering expansion of the softball stadium.

“We’ve sold out of softball tickets, you can’t buy them anymore,” he said.
“We’re talking about expansion of the stadium. So, that bar that Coach (John) Rittman, Valerie Cagle and the girls have set, there’s so much pride and excitement with it. As we start two new women’s programs over the next two years, we have that desire for success and certainly investment.”

Neff talked about where things stand with those new women’s programs, with the Tigers adding women’s lacrosse and women’s gymnastics as varsity programs in the next two years.

“The success of the ACC, currently and historically, traditionally, within all of our Olympic sports portfolio, that’s just ingrained in me, and certainly here at Clemson,” Neff said. “So, the ability to add to our sports with women’s lacrosse and gymnastics… We have a women’s lacrosse coach here we hired this past summer, had some commits and some signees, so the matriculation of them this summer and into competing next academic year is exciting, and we need to hire a gymnastics coach. From a, ‘Hey, what are the first couple things to do on the list?’ Looking to hire a new, inaugural gymnastics coach at Clemson here in February, March, April.”

Clemson Variety & Frame is doing their part to help bring you some classic new barware and help one of the local businesses that helps make Clemson special.

Order your Nick’s barware and do your part to help.  #SaveNicks

Clemson Softball’s 2022 schedule announced

Clemson head softball coach John Rittman announced the program’s 2022 game schedule on Friday. The Tigers are set to play 53 regular season games, 28 of which come in McWhorter Stadium, in just their third season. Clemson’s inaugural season was cut …

Clemson head softball coach John Rittman announced the program’s 2022 game schedule on Friday. The Tigers are set to play 53 regular season games, 28 of which come in McWhorter Stadium, in just their third season. Clemson’s inaugural season was cut short in 2020, and the 2021 team went 44-8 overall and earned the ACC Regular Season Championship in the program’s first full season.

Season ticket renewals are available for $225 ($8 per game) for a reserved seat and $100 for a general admission berm ticket. Season-ticket holders have until Dec. 8, 2021 to renew seats before tickets go on sale to the public.

Clemson is slated to play in four tournaments, opening the season with the FGCU Kickoff in Fort Myers, Fla. before traveling to Clearwater, Fla. for the prestigious ESPN St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational. Each of Clemson’s first eight game dates are away from home.

The Tigers’ opener at McWhorter Stadium comes on Feb. 25 in the Clemson Classic. The four-team round robin opens up a run of 15 straight home games for the Tigers, which also includes the Tiger Invitational, featuring an Alliance matchup with Illinois.

In league play, Clemson will see Virginia Tech, Louisville, Notre Dame and Georgia Tech at home, and travel to Duke, North Carolina, Pitt and Florida State. Clemson will also play a home-and-home with South Carolina and travel to Georgia.

No fewer than 16 games will come against programs that appeared in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, depending on preseason tournament match-ups.

Clemson returns players who made 430 combined starts in 2021, including ACC Player of the Year Valerie Cagle and fellow All-ACC selections McKenzie Clark, Marissa Guimbarda and Alia Logoleo. The Tigers also added Sam Russ, a two-time All-ACC performer at NC State as a graduate transfer and a highly-touted freshman class.

You can see the full schedule here.

–Courtesy of Clemson Athletic Communications

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