Note: The following appears in the Duke football gameday program.
The story of Ian Schieffelin is unlike any other college athlete of his era. Many multi-sport athletes have come through the doors of Clemson University, but none have made history quite like how Schieffelin did for Tiger basketball.
A prep basketball player out of Grayson High School in Georgia, Schieffelin took his talents to the Tigers after choosing them over competing schools Virginia Tech and Dayton. His eyes were set on greatness, and he knew the Tigers were on a level of their own as a school and an athletics program.
“It was more than I even asked for. It was a dream to have a chance to play for Clemson and set a standard for the basketball program. Leaving it better than how it was when I arrived was something I always envisioned, and I’m glad I was able to do that.”
During his four-year career with the Tigers on the hardwood, Schieffelin became a key member and leader of some of the program’s most successful squads. In 134 games, he scored 1,067 points and etched himself not only into program history, but also national history. The accolade he is most proud of is his impact in taking the Tigers to the Elite Eight during the 2023-24 season.
“It set the standard…Clemson being able to reach that level. It was the first time in about 40 years that had happened, so it was important to show that Clemson can make it back there and that Clemson can do what other teams are doing.”
After the Tiger-record 27-win season came to a disappointing end, Schieffelin had completed his four full years of eligibility with the basketball program. With one year of eligibility remaining in any other sport, he decided to take an unexpected turn in his college career that no one saw coming…joining the Tiger football program.
“It was unexpected. It has always been one of those crazy thoughts in my mind that you never expect to come to reality. I had a conversation with Dabo Swinney one night when I was going through the process for professional basketball, and he laid out the different options and what football could do for me.”
Schieffelin decided to take his athletic prowess to the gridiron, joining the Tigers as a tight end following spring practice earlier this year. With his build and skill set from his days as a power forward, Swinney saw special use for him in the offense.
“A lot of those high balls in the red-zone area, Coach Swinney has seen me having my most usage there. It’s a lot different rebounding over a seven-footer than a cornerback that is six-foot tall. It’s something that I’ve done, just in different ways.”
Schieffelin has found himself in the offense multiple times already in the 2025 season, with his debut coming at Georgia Tech where he drew a pass interference penalty in the end zone for a first down. He recorded his first reception at North Carolina in October and has continued to make an impact on the offense since then. For Schieffelin, his goals are less about him and more about what he can do for the team.
“I want to get better every single day. It’s still new to me, everything, and little by little, I want to get better and find an impact on the field and try to help my teammates stay positive.
“I’ve been in different situations in my college career, and we haven’t started the way we wanted, but the best part about that is the growth that comes from it. With all of the negativity around us, we want to prove people wrong at the end of the day.”
Despite it being a new competitive venue, Schieffelin still has the same fire that boosted the men’s basketball program to another level, and that fire is making an impact now for Clemson football.
