Tag: Clemson women’s basketball

Clemson lands former Alabama starter in transfer portal

Clemson Women’s Basketball: Loyal McQueen, a former Alabama Crimson Tide starter, has landed with the Clemson Tigers via the transfer portal.

The Clemson women’s basketball team has landed a big commitment via the transfer portal.

The Tigers announced the signing of former Alabama starting point guard and South Carolina native Loyal McQueen in an official social media post to X, formerly known as Twitter, Wednesday.

A native of Florence, S.C., McQueen chose Alabama over coach Dawn Staley and South Carolina in 2022. McQueen spent two seasons in Tuscaloosa, where she was the Crimson Tide’s starting point guard in all 34 games in 2023-24, averaging 9.8 points per game in almost 31 minutes a night.

McQueen was part of an Alabama team that won 24 games and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament before losing to Texas. A graduate transfer student, McQueen set career highs last season for games played, points scored (332), rebounds (99), assists (105) and steals (25).

In all, McQueen played in 65 games in two seasons for Alabama. The former standout at Wilson High School was the 2020 South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year.

Tigers coach Shawn Poppie shared his thoughts on Poppie returning to her home state to play for Clemson.

“I couldn’t be more excited to welcome Loyal and her family back home. I’ve known Loyal for quite some time as I recruited her at an early age while I was at Virginia Tech. She’s one of those I’ve always watched and been a fan of from afar due to how strong our relationship was during the initial recruiting process. As Loyal and I reconnected in this process, our relationship together grew even tighter. I believe she is a perfect fit here at the perfect time. She has had a phenomenal college career up to this point, but I truly believe she has so much more to accomplish. I’m thrilled to add her experience and playmaking ability to our backcourt. With that said, I’m confident the Clemson family and the state of South Carolina will be proud of how Loyal will represent our program on and off the court as we welcome her back HOME.”

McQueen becomes the second addition Poppie has made via the transfer portal this week. On Tuesday, the Tigers announced the commitment of sophomore transfer Hannah Kohn, who became a standout shooter at Chattanooga last season. Kohn reunites with Poppie, the former Mocs coach, at Clemson.

Former Clemson 5-star commit announces commitment to Louisville

After de-committing from the Tigers, Imari Berry has found her new home.

A former Clemson five-star commit has found her new home in college football. 

Five-star 2024 guard Imari Berry announced that she had committed to playing for Louisville. Picking between Louisville, Kentucky, and North Carolina, the Cardinals landed the big-time recruit. 

Berry de-committed from the Tigers following the firing of former head coach Amanda Butler. With the person who recruited her no longer with the program, she requested to be released from her National Letter of Intent.

“I owe this message to Tiger Nation,” Berry said. “While I genuinely loved my experiences on campus, those experiences and the culture created within the program were a direct reflection of the coaching staff.

I was able to establish strong relationships with those coaches, and I have a great deal of respect for them. Because I am a relationship person, I knew immediately that it was within my best interest to reopen my recruitment.”

A big loss for the Tigers, though new head coach Shawn Poppie looks like the man for the job.

Clemson lands All-Conference forward in the transfer portal

Clemson continues to snag talent from the transfer portal.

CLEMSON, S.C. – The Clemson women’s basketball program and head coach Shawn Poppie announced the signing of transfer student Tessa Miller on Wednesday.

Miller, a 6’2” transfer student-athlete from Belmont and native of Crossville, Tennessee, was a 2023-24 All-Missouri Valley Conference selection after averaging 14.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per contest last season.

In seven contests against power-five competition last season – including games against Georgia, Mississippi State, Ohio State, Penn State, and Stanford – Miller averaged 14.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 60% from the floor. She scored at least 12 points in every game she played against power-five opponents last season.

Miller, a graduate student who has one year of eligibility left, is coming off the best season of her career. She recorded 17 points and 11 rebounds in the Bruins’ game against Georgia, 24 points and 12 boards against Drake, and a season-high 25 points in Belmont’s contest against Murray State.

POPPIE’S THOUGHTS

“We are thrilled to welcome Tessa Miller and her family into our Clemson Family. Tessa brings so much versatility to our front court with her ability to score from multiple areas all while being such a great passer. Her competitive spirit is shown on the court but also overflow into her personality. Tessa will represent our program on and off the cout in a way that will make Tiger Nation proud. I can’t wait to get to work with her.”

TICKETS: Deposits for season tickets can be made at https://bit.ly/3TSTzQ9.

 SOCIAL MEDIA: Make sure to follow Clemson women’s basketball on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to stay up to date on everything happening with the Tigers.

Clemson signs former defensive player of the year signs Summah Evans

Poppie is already working toward building this Clemson women’s basketball program.

CLEMSON, S.C. – Clemson women’s basketball and head coach Shawn Poppie announced the signing of Summah Evans on Tuesday.

Evans, a six-foot tall grad student from Cairns, Australia, joins the Tigers following two years at Mercer. She started her collegiate career at North Florida.

In her most recent season at Mercer, Evans averaged 13.4 points per game, 7.5 rebounds per game, and shot over 40% from beyond the arc on nearly 100 attempts en route to being named a Southern Conference All-Conference selection. Last season, Evans recorded three double-doubles and scored a season high of 35 points against Samford on 14-20 shooting from the floor, including five made three-pointers. She was also named the 2022-23 Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

Prior to Mercer, Evans played two seasons at North Florida, starting in 11 games in her time there. Her time in Florida was highlighted by an 18-point game against Lipscomb in which UNF won in overtime.

POPPIE’S THOUGHTS

I couldn’t be more excited about the addition of Summah Evans. She has been a nightmare to coach against the past two seasons and I’m glad she’s finally on my team. Summah’s length and athleticism on the defensive end along with her ability to shoot the ball bring an immediate impact to our roster. I’m looking forward to playing a part in her development both on and off the court. With that said, Summah is a high-character and team-first type player which is exactly what we want inside our program. I can’t wait to get Summah to campus and officially become part of this Clemson family!

TICKETS: Deposits for season tickets can be made at https://bit.ly/3TSTzQ9.

 SOCIAL MEDIA: Make sure to follow Clemson women’s basketball on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to stay up to date on everything happening with the Tigers.

– Via Clemson Athletic Communications 

WATCH: Shawn Poppie introduced as Clemson women’s basketball coach

Clemson women’s basketball: Shawn Poppie formally met with the media as part of his introduction as Clemson’s new women’s basketball coach Tuesday.

Clemson has a new face for its women’s basketball program.

Shawn Poppie was officially introduced as the school’s new coach at an introductory press conference with reporters Tuesday.

Poppie was hired last month after Clemson parted ways with Amanda Butler, who had led the program for six years. Clemson hasn’t been to the NCAA women’s basketball tournament since 2019, Butler’s first season.

“This (hire) coincides with the tremendous growth of women’s basketball,” Clemson athletic director Graham Neff said during his opening statement at Tuesday’s press conference. “It’s undeniable, watching games (Monday) and certainly over the last couple weeks, couple years. .. Really, really significant growth in that sport and really, really exciting for Clemson to double down on our anticipation, our excitement, and our investment in all 21 of our programs. But in particular, on this day, women’s basketball.”

Poppie joins Clemson after two seasons at Chattanooga. He posted a 48-18 record as head coach there and led the Mocs to NCAA Tournament appearances in both years.

Here’s everything Poppie said at Tuesday’s introductory press conference, as well as remarks from Neff.

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.

Clemson women’s basketball hires new head coach, per report

Clemson women’s basketball has their new head coach.

The Clemson women’s basketball team has found their new head coach.

According to reports from our friends over at the Clemson Insider, the program is hiring former Chattanooga head coach Shawn Poppie. Clemson’s head coaching search has come to an end, landing one of the better coaches in the country.

Poppie made significant strides as head coach of the Chattanooga women’s basketball team, guiding them to consecutive Southern Conference Tournament championships and securing NCAA Tournament appearances each season. Under his leadership, the Mocs boasted an impressive 48-18 overall record, including an outstanding 28-5 mark in the 2023-24 season.

Before his tenure at Chattanooga, Poppie contributed to the success of various programs. He served as an assistant coach at Virginia Tech, where he played a key role in six consecutive winning seasons and helped lead the team back to the NCAA Tournament after a 15-year absence. Prior to that, Poppie gained coaching experience at Furman University and USC Upstate, showcasing his dedication to developing winning teams. Starting his coaching journey at Limestone College, Poppie’s stellar playing career and coaching acumen earned him induction into the school’s Hall of Fame in 2017.

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 falls to Boston College in the ACC Tournament

Clemson’s ACC Tournament is over after falling to Boston College.

FINAL SCORE: Clemson 72, Boston College 85

RECORDS: Clemson (12-19) Boston College (14-18)

CLEMSON LEADERS: Ruby Whitehorn 26 points & 6 rebounds (12-16 FG, 0-1 3FG, 2-2 FT), Day Harris 26 points & 4 assists (7-16 FG, 3-8 3FG, 9-9 FT), Amari Robinson 15 points (6-10 FG, 0-2 3FG, 3-7 FT)

NOTABLES

Whitehorn sets a season record for points scored in a single game with 26 points (12-16 FG, 0-1 3FG, 2-2 FT)

Harris sets a season record for points scored in a single game with 26 points (7-16 FG, 3-8 3FG, 9-9 FT)

Seniors Amari Robinson, Danielle Rauch, Amani Freeman, and Harris finish their collegiate basketball careers.

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Led by Ruby Whitehorn and Day Harris with a combined 52 points, the Clemson Tigers (12-19, 5-14 ACC) fell to the Boston College Eagles, 72-85, in the first round of the ACC Tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum on Wednesday afternoon. Harris and Whitehorn are the first teammates in ACC Tournament history with at least 25 points each, scoring 26 points a piece.

Five different Tigers recorded points for Clemson, and three hit double-digit points. Behind Whitehorn and Harris, graduate Amari Robinson contributed 15 points as she shot 60% from the field.

 

Whitehorn opened up scoring with a slick layup in the Tigers’ opening possession. The graduate, Harris, led the Tigers through the first quarter, going 2-2 from beyond the arc and 3-5 FG as she scored eight points. Clemson’s defense forced two turnovers and held Boston College’s offense to 1-4 from beyond the arc in the first quarter alone.

Through the first half, Whitehorn and Harris tallied a combined 27 points, with 16 and 11, respectively. Whitehorn scored 14 points alone in the second quarter, with four layups and three pullup jumpers. The Eagles took an eight-point lead at the end of the first half, 34-42.

In the third, Whitehorn led all-scorers with six points as four different Tigers recorded points. Converting a pair of free throws at the end of the quarter, Whitehorn broke her season record for points scored in a single game.

Clemson opened up scoring in the fourth quarter on a 6-0 run to bring the Tigers within seven of the Eagles. A pull-up and driving jumper from Whitehorn and a pair of free throws by Harris were catalysts for the Tigers’ offense. With five minutes left in the game, the Tigers had outscored the Eagles 11-6, as they brought themselves within two possessions of the lead and limited Boston College to 1-4 FG and 1-0 3FG. The Tigers and Eagles would then exchange baskets for the remainder of the game.

– Via Clemson Athletic Communications 

Clemson forward Amari Robinson named All-ACC for second consecutive season

Clemson’s Amari Robinson has been one of the best players in the ACC this season.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Atlantic Coast Conference announced its individual awards and all-conference teams on Tuesday afternoon. Clemson’s superstar, Amari Robinson, was named to the Second Team All-ACC for the second consecutive season.

Robinson’s 17.4 points per game average was the highest she’s ever averaged and ranks seventh best in the ACC. She also ranked in the top 10 in the conference for most rebounds per game with 6.7 – another personal best. In addition to putting up high-scoring numbers, she was incredibly efficient from the floor, ranking third in the ACC in field goal percentage at 53%, and leading the conference in true shooting (.614) and effective field goal percentage (.567). She ranked in the top 10 in the conference in a myriad of other statistical categories, capping off her storied career with her best season ever.

With a career high of 37 points scored against Syracuse and a 35-point outburst against Georgia State, Robinson is the only player in the ACC to have scored 35 or more points on multiple occasions this season. She logged two points-rebounds double-doubles this year, including a career-high 13 rebounds in Clemson’s final regular season game against Florida State.

The Douglasville, Ga. native joins the exclusive Clemson group of Chrissy Floyd (’00, ’01, ’02, ‘03), Itoro Umoh (’97, ’98, ‘99), Lele Hardy (’09, ’10), Amy Geren (’98, ’99) Janet Knight (’84, ’85), and Delicia Washington (’21, ’22) who have been named All-ACC on multiple occasions.

Prior to this season, Robinson had been named to the 2019-’20 ACC All-Freshman team, the ’22-’23 Second Team All-ACC, and the ’23 ACC All-Tournament Second Team.

– Via Clemson Athletic Communications