ClemsonTigers.com Exclusive: Coaches Share Lunch with Freshmen

CLEMSON, SC – Sometimes a parent does know best.

Freshman A.J. Holtberg, an education major, had no intention of coming to Clemson when he applied for college after his junior year of high school. But, at the request of his mother, the Virginia native eventually did apply, and he was glad he did.

“I thought this was a waste of my time and when I visited Clemson, I was like, ‘Wow! Clemson is beautiful.’ As soon as I walked on campus, I was like, ‘Man, I’m going here,” Holtberg said.

Holtberg was one of about 4,500 freshmen Tuesday afternoon to meet Clemson’s athletic coaches during a lunch with the freshmen program at Littlejohn Coliseum. Freshmen were all treated to a BBQ lunch and then had an opportunity to hear Clemson coaches from all the athletic programs speak for one minute each.

“It was definitely really informative,” Holtberg said. “I learned a lot about all the different sports and what I can see and expect. I’m definitely going to check out all of them.”

Alison Vest, also an education major, says Clemson Head Football Coach Dabo Swinney has her excited about the upcoming season.

“I have never been to a football game so it was really great to see him,” the Charlotte, NC native said. “I’m in for a real good time, I heard.”

Grayson Perkins knows all about football. He grew up in an LSU environment and of course attended a game or two before coming to Clemson. Being that he has witnessed a game at LSU’s “Death Valley” he is interested to see how Clemson’s Death Valley compares.

“It will be interesting to see which one is louder,” the architecture major said.

Perkins, who is from Shreveport, LA, says he is impressed with Clemson and was really surprised to learn it sits on more than 1,700 acres and hosts a football stadium that seats more than 81,000 on Saturday afternoons in the fall.

“That was really surprising,” he said. “The size of (Death Valley) is impressive for sure and the campus is really beautiful.”

Perkins and Holtberg said Tuesday’s lunch with the freshmen really sparked their interest in attending other sports, such and men’s soccer and volleyball, which open their seasons this Friday night.

“I really liked it,” Perkins said. “I look forward to looking into more of the information at the Tiger Prowls and looking at all the teams.

“I plan to go to as many games as possible.”