Tag: Clemson Sports

Clemson drops new campaign for 50th year of varsity women’s athletics

Clemson Athletic Department launches celebratory campaign signaling the beginning of the 50th year of varsity women’s athletics.

CLEMSON, S.C. – The Clemson Athletic Department launched its celebratory campaign signaling the beginning of the 50th year of varsity women’s athletics on July 18, 2024. The campaign, centered around the phrase ‘She will Triumph,’ celebrates the rich history of the people and events that have made Clemson Athletics what it is today while signifying the continued growth and competitive excellence of the future of women’s athletics.

Women’s athletics at Clemson have grown to more than 250 student-athletes across 12 varsity sports and saw more than 150,000 fans in attendance at its home competitions in 2023-24. The 2024-25 athletic year marks the 50th competitive season for women’s basketball and women’s tennis.

Over the past 49 years, Clemson’s Athletic Department has been defined by its growth and support of women’s athletics, including the addition of four varsity women’s sports within the past 12 years. Clemson’s women’s programs have accounted for 23 team ACC Championships, 18 individual NCAA Champions, 10 Olympic Medals, and countless individuals with incredible accomplishments inside and outside of athletics.

From leadership positions at major companies, heads of athletic departments, media personalities, coaches, doctors, professors, professional athletes, and all those in between, varsity athletics has been a major facilitator to thousands of positive outcomes for those that have triumphed in every aspect.

Fans will notice several tentpole celebrations at different points in the year, including:

  • Development of a 50th-year logo. READ MORE ABOUT IT HERE
  • Consistent promotion of the Hear Her Roar Campaign, which directly supports and helps fund women’s athletics. Learn more at IPTAY.com/HearHerRoar.
  • In-venue celebrations, guests and recognitions across athletics.
  • Original video docuseries focused on the growth of women’s athletics.
  • Social media campaign and recognitions.
  • Deep collaboration with ClemsonWorld on special features throughout 2024-25.
  • Original apparel line.
  • Launching of a new podcast focusing on issues and opportunities within women’s athletics.
  • Continued promotion and engagement of Beyond the Paw podcast and writing opportunities.
  • Featured placement throughout Orange: The Experience.
  • Enhanced coverage of the POWER Women’s Leadership Academy, which will hold its third POWER Summit on July 20.

– Via Clemson Athletic Communications

Clemson record 435 Tigers’ student-athletes named to ACC Honor Roll

Clemson student-athletes were outstanding this past year.

CLEMSON, S.C. – Atlantic Coast Conference named 435 Clemson student-athletes to the ACC Academic Honor Roll. This is the highest total recorded in a single year, shattering the 2023 record of 374. The ACC Honor Roll is composed of student-athletes who participated in a varsity-level sport and registered a grade point average of 3.0 or better for the full academic year.

The list featured 16 student-athletes who earned the honor for a fifth time and 47 who have earned the recognition four times.

Clemson student-athletes have achieved a collective GPA of 3.0 or higher for 12 straight semesters, beginning Fall 2018, including subsequent records of 3.30 in the fall and a 3.31 in the spring. Every Clemson team recorded a 3.0 or higher in both the Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 semesters

Additionally, 65 honorees advanced to Elite Eights or better, including all 14 members of the men’s basketball team. The list also featured 30 members of the Clemson Regional Champion Baseball program, 16 members of the inaugural gymnastics team and 79 members of the football program.

The honors cap a year in which 11 Clemson Athletic programs set or tied multi-year records for Academic Progress Rate (APR) in the NCAA’s data release, including nine perfect 1,000 multi-year scores and recorded a 995 mark as a department, its second-highest on record. Clemson also led the nation among public Power Five institutions in Graduation Success Rate (GSR) with a 97 percent mark for the 2013-16 cohort.

Clemson’s Five-Time Honorees in 2024:
Valerie Cagle, Softball
Caroline Conti, Soccer
Hampton Earle, Football
Caroline Emerson, Rowing
Hamp Greene, Football
Savannah Grewal, Golf
Dayshanette Harris, Basketball
Hal Hershfelt, Soccer
Caroline Johnston, Track & Field
Alia Logoleo, Softball
Enrique Montana III, Soccer
Arielle Oda, Softball
Amari Robinson, Basketball
Mckenna Slavik, Volleyball
Abi Stuart, Softball
Harper White, Soccer

Clemson’s ACC Honor Roll Selections since 1999-00
2024 – 435
2023 – 374
2022 – 337
2021 – 333
2020 – 329
2019 – 242
2018 – 218
2017 – 228
2016 – 205
2015 – 196
2014 – 198
2013 – 175
2012 – 194
2011 – 195
2010 – 209
2009 – 209
2008 – 188
2007 – 191
2006 – 195
2005 – 204
2004 – 195
2003 – 199
2002 – 190
2001 – 176
2000 – 192

– Via Clemson Athletic Communications 

Clemson AD Graham Neff shares update on Clemson Athletics

Neff is confident in Clemson Athletics.

Clemson Athletics is in a great place right now.

Not every program had a stellar season in 2023-24, but there was plenty of excitement on Clemson’s campus. Each sports team had its share of memorable moments.

The men’s soccer team returned to national prominence by winning another National Championship. In basketball, the men’s team made a historic run to the Elite 8, signaling a positive trend for the Tigers on the court. While the football season didn’t meet all expectations, it concluded with an exhilarating bowl victory over Kentucky.

Recently, Clemson AD Graham Neff shared his confidence in Clemson after a successful year.

Clemson Family,

I hope your summer is going well. What a time to be a Clemson Tiger!

As we close the book on the 2023-24 athletics year, I want to reach out to thank you for another record-setting year of your support of Clemson Athletics. This past season was historic in many ways but headlined by the record number of fans in our venues.

Quite simply – Thank you.

Home attendance grew by more than 20% year-over-year across all sports, resulting in a record number of tickets sold and – incredibly – 1,060,216 people passing through the gates at our 201 home athletic events. Clemson ended the season ranked in the top 15 nationally in attendance in six sports: Lacrosse (3), Men’s Soccer (3), Softball (7), Gymnastics (8), Baseball (11), Football (14).

To highlight what you helped achieve on the field:

  • After winning four ACC Championships for the first time in 25 years during 2022-23, our programs again raised the bar, advancing to NCAA Elite Eights or better in four sports for the first time since 1979-80 – Men’s Soccer, Women’s Soccer, Men’s Basketball and Women’s Golf.
  • Our Soccer programs recorded truly historic seasons, with the Men’s program claiming its second National Championship in three years and our Women’s program advancing to the College Cup for the first time ever. And it’s not over yet for them – National Player of the Year Ousmane Sylla is up for an ESPY as Best Male College Athlete [don’t forget to vote] and Hal Hershfelt was selected as an alternate for the US Women’s National Team at the Olympics.
  • Clemson made NCAA Postseason Appearances in Men’s Basketball (NCAA Quarterfinals), Softball, Baseball (Super Regional), Men’s Soccer (National Champions), Women’s Soccer (NCAA Semifinals), Men’s Golf (Regional Champions), Women’s Golf (NCAA Quarterfinals), Gymnastics (NCAA Regionals), Men’s & Women’s Indoor Track, Men’s & Women’s Outdoor Track and Women’s Cross Country (Gladys Chepngetich – 24th overall)

Men’s Basketball reached its second Elite Eight in program history, upending New Mexico, Baylor and Arizona in the NCAA Tournament.

  • Football went 9-4, including a win over South Carolina and a Gator Bowl victory over Kentucky. Clemson has won at least one postseason game (conference championship, bowl game and/or national championship game) in 13 consecutive seasons, extending the longest streak on record in major college football history.
  • Clemson was one of two schools in the nation to win a Football bowl game, advance to the Elite Eight in Men’s Basketball, and win a Regional in Baseball.
  • Gymnastics finished second in the ACC and made an NCAA Tournament appearance in its inaugural season. Amy Smith was named ACC Coach of the Year and Lilly Lippeatt was named ACC Newcomer of the Year.
  • Won the Palmetto Series against South Carolina with wins in Men’s Soccer, Football, Men’s Basketball, Baseball, Women’s Cross Country, Men’s Golf, and claimed the point for the most Palmetto Fellows.

Off the field, it was another historic year for Academic Progress Rate, Graduation Success Rate and Grade Point Average.

  • 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.
  • Ten programs set records in Graduation Success Rate at a perfect 100 percent
  • 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.
  • Ten Clemson programs earned recognition as being in the top ten percent nationally in APR.
  • Clemson student-athletes completed more than 3,200 community service hours.
  • Our POWER Women’s Leadership Academy just completed its trip to the Pacific Northwest to highlight its third cohort for professional development.

In short – it was an incredible year.

This coming year promises to be even bigger. During the 2024-25 season, we’ll celebrate the 50th year of varsity women’s athletics at Clemson. This is an important milestone that began with four sports in 1975 and has now grown to 12 sports and 150,000 fans through the gates in 2023-24. We’re investing, and we’re proud of it.

And, as we celebrate our progress, I know there are many headlines about the changing landscape in college athletics. I want you to know that we are working around the clock to do what’s best for Clemson, and to do everything we can to lean further into what makes Clemson different. We have the success we do today as an athletic department because we’ve never been afraid to think differently. Innovation is a core tenant and it is at the forefront of our steadfast commitment to competitive excellence and to build upon our brand nationally.

I have never been more confident in our position, and the driving factor is the 22,000 IPTAY donors who make it possible for us to have elite facilities, elite care for our students, elite academic resources and elite on-field performance. This is no accident.

As we get set for 2024-25, I hope you’ll continue this journey with us – the best is yet to come.

Graham

Clemson Athletics’ 2024-25 season is less than a month away

The Tigers’ women’s soccer team is up first on the 2024-25 Clemson athletic calendar. They’ll face Georgia in an exhibition game in just 31 days.

While Americans spent their Thursday observing the Fourth of July, Clemson Athletics sent a gentle reminder to its fans that the Tigers’ first action of the 2024-25 college sports season was only a month away.

Clemson will kick off its 2024-25 athletic calendar with a women’s soccer exhibition match against Georgia on August 4 at Historic Riggs Field. The two teams met in the NCAA Tournament a season ago with the Tigers earning a victory on a penalty kick. Women’s soccer will begin its regular season August 15 when the team heads to Auburn.

Clemson volleyball will also open its 2024 season against Georgia when the Tigers travel to Athens on August 24.

Of course, the Clemson vs. Georgia contest that everyone has been talking about is still almost two months way. Dabo Swinney’s team opens the 2024 college football season at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on August 31. Eight Saturdays remain before the opening kick (set for noon ET on ABC).

But before then, the Clemson men’s soccer team will begin exhibition play August 10 in Charlotte against the Charlotte 49ers. The Tigers won the national championship with a 2-1 victory over Notre Dame last December and will start regular season play August 22 when they face Penn State.

Coach Mike Noonan’s team has won two of the past three NCAA Division I men’s soccer national championships.

Follow us @Clemson_Wire on X and on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news, notes and commentary.   

Clemson player nominated for 2024 ESPY award

Former Clemson soccer player Ousmane Sylla was nominated for Best College Athlete in men’s sports at this year’s annual ESPY Awards. The ESPYS will be held July 11.

The Clemson Tigers will have some representation at this year’s annual ESPY Awards in Los Angeles.

Former Tigers soccer player Ousmane Sylla was nominated for Best College Athlete in men’s sports at this year’s ESPYS, scheduled for July 11 at 8 p.m. EDT on ABC.

At Clemson, Sylla was a two-time national champion and the winner of the 2023 MAC Hermann Award, given to the nation’s top college players in both men’s and women’s soccer. The Tigers won the national championship in 2023, in large part due to Sylla.

RELATED: Clemson’s Ousmane Sylla earns NCAA soccer’s highest individual honor

Clemson defeated Notre Dame, 2-1, back on December 11 to secure the program’s second championship in three seasons and their fourth all-time (since 1984). Sylla scored his 13th goal of the season in the 90th minute of the championship game against the Fighting Irish.

The Senegal native finished the season with 10 assists and 36 points, good for fifth most in the nation. After the season, Sylla was selected in the second round (55th overall) of the 2024 MLS SuperDraft by Houston Dynamo FC.

“I’m so grateful for being nominated for this award,” Sylla said in a press release. “This past year has been very rewarding, winning both the MAC Hermann Award and my second national championship. I’m thankful for the Clemson fans for always supporting me. I will forever be a Clemson Tiger.”

Sylla is hoping to become just the second Clemson athlete to win an ESPY for Best College Athlete in men’s sports. Former Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson won the award in 2017 after leading Clemson to its first national championship in college football since 1981.

Other finalists for the ESPYS’ Best College Athlete in men’s sports are former LSU quarterback and 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels, former Purdue basketball center and 2024 first-round NBA draft pick Zach Edey, and Notre Dame lacrosse player Pat Kavanagh.

Some of the top names in sports that are nominated for ESPYS this year include Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, and women’s basketball player Caitlin Clark.

A full list of ESPY nominees can be viewed here.

Follow us @Clemson_Wire on X and on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news, notes and commentary.  

Clemson women’s basketball adds two players in transfer portal

Clemson Women’s Basketball: The Clemson Tigers announced two new additions to the team’s 2024-25 roster.

The Clemson women’s basketball program has announced the addition of two new players to coach Shawn Poppie’s first roster via the transfer portal.

One of them is North Carolina graduate transfer Anya Poole, who signed with Clemson on Monday after spending four seasons in Chapel Hill. A 6-foot-2 forward from Raleigh, N.C., Poole started 74 games for the Tar Heels and was a part of three NCAA Tournament teams.

Her two best seasons were in 2021-22 and 2022-23. As a sophomore, Poole started all 32 games and averaged 20.2 minutes and 7.5 points a night with 6.5 rebounds. In her junior season, she averaged five points and 5.9 rebounds in 21.2 minutes. Poole saw action in 30 games a season ago, making six starts and averaging 12.3 minutes.

Poole was a five-star recruit out of Southeast Raleigh High School by ESPNW in 2020.

“I’m extremely excited to announce the addition of Anya Poole to our Clemson family,” Poppie said in a statement released by Clemson Athletic Communications Monday. “Anya will fill a big void in our front court. As we identified a need at that position, we looked for experience at this level, a physical presence, and someone with the ability to be versatile. Anya checked all of our boxes and finished the last check as being our type of kid. I initially recruited Anya and her family during the high school process and our relationship picked right back up throughout this process. Anya will represent our program in a great way on and off the court while I know she looks forward to getting involved with our ClemsonLIFE program.”

Clemson also announced Monday the addition of senior transfer Addie Porter, a starting point guard on Poppie’s two NCAA Tournament teams when he was head coach at Chattanooga. A 5-foot-4 guard, Porter started all 33 games for the Mocs last season, averaging 7.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.

“Addie is the definition of toughness and high character,” Poppie said in a statement. “She helped lead our Chattanooga program to back-to-back tournament championships from the point guard position. Addie understands our culture and lives it out on a daily basis. I believe her leadership skills will bridge the gap to the culture we plan on establishing here at Clemson. As a coach, I pride myself on building strong relationships with my players that allows us to grow together. I couldn’t be more proud as a coach that Addie chose to finish her senior season at Clemson, allowing me to play a part not only in this upcoming year but the next forty years.”

Poppie’s roster is now up to 13 players with the additions of Poole and Porter. The coach’s transfer class also includes former Chattanooga guard Hannah Kohn and former Mercer guard Summah Evans, the Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2022-23.

Former Belmont standout and All-Missouri Valley Conference selection Tessa Miller also transferred to Clemson earlier this month, as did former Alabama starter and South Carolina native Loyal McQueen. McQueen averaged 9.8 points per game in almost 31 minutes a night as the Crimson Tide’s starting point in all 34 games a season ago.

Clemson ends regular season unranked in major poll

NCAA Softball Top 25: the Clemson Tigers were unranked in the new Softball America Top 25 poll for Week 13, released on Monday, April 29.

Clemson finished its 2024 regular season unranked in at least one major Top 25 softball poll.

For the third consecutive week, coach John Rittman’s team was unranked in the new Softball America Top 25 poll, released Monday, April 29.

The Tigers won two of three games in their final regular-season series at Louisville over the weekend to finish at 33-16 overall and 15-9 in the ACC — fourth in conference standings.

The top nine teams in Softball America’s poll remained the same as last week. Texas (42-6) stayed at No. 1 for the third consecutive week after a 4-0 week. Oklahoma (45-4) held at No. 2 after going 3-0. Tennessee (No. 3, 37-9), Texas A&M (No. 4, 39-9), and Oklahoma State (No. 5, 42-8) rounded out the top five.

Duke (44-6, 20-4) was the highest-ranked ACC team in Softball America’s poll at No. 6. The Blue Devils concluded their regular season over the weekend by sweeping last-place NC State.

ACC leader Florida State (40-10 overall) was ranked 11th. Virginia Tech (38-1-1) was the only other ranked ACC school at No. 18.

Next up for Clemson is the ACC Tournament, scheduled to begin May 9 in Durham. Official seeding for the tournament has yet to be finalized.

Florida State currently sits atop the ACC at 18-3 in conference play with one series remaining in the regular season (beginning Friday at Syracuse). The Seminoles have won 14 straight entering the week and 22 of their last 23 dating back to March 23.

No. 2 Clemson rallies for late comeback at Notre Dame

Clemson Tigers Baseball: The Clemson Tigers scored six runs in the final two innings to earn a 7-3 victory over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in ACC play Friday at Frank Eck Stadium.

For the better part of Friday afternoon, the Clemson Tigers’ bats were held in check.

That all changed in the later innings. The Tigers scored four runs in the eighth inning and tacked on two more in the ninth for a 7-3 come-from-behind victory over Notre Dame in ACC play at Frank Eck Stadium.

Clemson, ranked No. 2 in the nation by every major poll this week, improved to 26-3 overall and 8-2 in ACC play. It was the team’s 15th come-from-behind victory this season.

Held scoreless and without a hit since the second inning, the Tigers started to come alive in the sixth. With his team trailing 3-0, Will Taylor scored Clemson’s first run with an RBI single off Notre Dame reliever Nate Hardman.

In the eighth, Blake Wright doubled home Jimmy Obertop to make it a one-run game at 3-2. The Tigers then caught a break on a misplayed fly ball that dropped between Tito Flores and second baseman Estevan Moreno in shallow right. That allowed Jacob Hinderleider to reach second on a game-tying RBI double.

Taylor followed by clubbing a two-run home run to the opposite field in right to make it a four-run frame while giving Clemson its first lead of the day at 5-3.

Obertop put things out of reach in the ninth when he hit a two-run home run that sneaked just inside of the right field foul pole. It was Obertop’s third hit of the day and capped the game’s scoring.

Clemson outhit Notre Dame, 12-7. Seven of the Tigers’ hits came in the final two innings.

That included 3-for-5 performances from both Obertop and Hinderleider. Taylor (2-3) and Andrew Ciufo (2-4) also had multi-hit games for the Tigers.

Matthew Marchal started and pitched six solid innings after allowing three early runs over the first two frames. Marchal ended the day with four hits allowed. He struck out four batters in a no-decision. Drew Titsworth (3-0) earned the win in relief by striking out the only two batters he faced in the seventh inning.

Austin Gordon pitched a scoreless 1 2/3 innings in relief for his third save.

Ricky Reeth (1-4) suffered the loss for Notre Dame (14-13, 2-11). Reeth allowed allowed all six runs in the eighth and ninth innings on seven hits.

The series resumes Saturday with a scheduled 5:30 p.m. EDT start. Left-hander Ethan Darden will face Notre Dame’s Jack Radel. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2.

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

With Shawn Poppie hire, Clemson hopes to turn its women’s basketball program into contender

NCAA Women’s Basketball: Clemson is hoping to turn its women’s basketball program into an annual contender. To do so, the university tabbed Chattanooga’s Shawn Poppie as its new head coach on Tuesday.

Clemson is hoping to turn its women’s basketball program into an annual contender.

To do so, the university tabbed Chattanooga’s Shawn Poppie as its new head coach on Tuesday. The 38-year-old Poppie replaces Amanda Butler, whom the university parted ways with after a disappointing 12-19 season that included just five wins in conference play. Butler had led the program for six seasons. Clemson hasn’t been to the NCAA Tournament since 2019, Butler’s first year.

In two seasons at Chattanooga, Poppie led the Mocs to a 48-18 record and two NCAA Tournament appearances. Poppie was named the 2023-24 Southern Conference Coach of the Year. Chattanooga won the Southern Conference championship in each of the past two seasons. They lost, 64-45, to No. 3 seed NC State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday.

“We are thrilled to welcome Shawn and his family to Clemson,” Clemson athletic director Graham Neff said Tuesday. “As we worked through our search process, his name kept coming up in several circles, and the on-court results speak for themselves. He’s coached and recruited at a high level, has experience in the ACC and in the upstate, and we are confident in his ability to get our program to the next level.”

Poppie received a six-year contract from Clemson worth $3.375 million annually through the 2029-2030 season. The agreement was officially approved by the Board of Trustees’ compensation committee on Tuesday. Poppie will earn $500,000 next season, plus an additional $25,000 until the final year of the contract when he’s expected to be paid $625,000. He will also receive a signing bonus of $435,000.

More details about Poppie’s contract, including bonuses, can be found at The Clemson Insider, which first reported the news of Poppie’s hire.

“I am beyond excited to be joining the Clemson Tiger family as the next head women’s basketball coach,” Poppie said in a statement Tuesday. “I am thankful to Graham Neff, Stephanie Ellison-Johnson, and the Clemson University administration for making our family feel welcome. It truly has been a humbling experience getting to know why Clemson is so special — it’s the people. With the resources in place and everyone moving in synergy together, I believe we can compete in the ACC, the best women’s basketball conference in the country.”

Poppie has ties to the ACC, having spent six years as an assistant coach at Virginia Tech. Before becoming the head coach at Chattanooga, Poppie had been promoted to associate head coach on Kenny Brooks’ Virginia Tech staff ahead of the 2020-21 season.

TAKEAWAY

The popularity of women’s basketball, particularly at the college level, is at an all-time high because of celebrated players like Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, LSU’s Angel Reese, and more. Understandably, Clemson wants to become a serious player in the sport. Doing so won’t be easy, but every program has had to start somewhere.

Look no further than the Tigers’ in-state rival in Columbia.

South Carolina was hardly a national or even regional power prior to the late 2010’s. Now, the Gamecocks regularly offer one of the best programs in the country. They have won two national championships since 2017 under coach Dawn Staley and are bidding for a third. South Carolina is a perfect 34-0 this season, and their 109-40 win over Clemson back in November was their 13th straight victory over the Tigers.

While short on championships, the ACC has been a premier women’s basketball league for several years. A total of eight league schools — Virginia Tech, NC State, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Louisville, Florida State, Duke, and North Carolina — reached the 2024 NCAA Women’s Tournament. It’s the sixth straight year that eight ACC teams made the tournament.

To that end, Poppie’s familiarity with the ACC from his time in Blacksburg is something Clemson and Neff clearly valued.

What’s also clear is that the Tigers’ five-year drought from the NCAA Tournament was unacceptable to Neff and others within the administration — as well it should be.

In Poppie, Clemson has hired a coach with a proven record of getting teams to the NCAA Tournament. True, Poppie will face an uphill battle to build the Tigers into a program that consistently competes in March, but there’s nothing to suggest that he isn’t a good fit for the school, or that the Tigers were in better hands prior to his arrival.

Case in point: South Carolina 109, Clemson 40.