Current Issues With Dr. Phillips

June 18, 2006

I thought you might enjoy seeing some of the accomplishments our program has recorded so far this year. Tim Bourret, our sports information director put together this list, which is not complete pending the outcome of our baseball team in the College World Series.

I am very pleased with the direction of our program. We all understand there are some areas in which we need to improve. All in all, however, we feel very good about the direction of the program and the progress that has been made this year.

In Solid Orange, Terry Don Phillips

Clemson Athletic Accomplishments in 2005-06

Overall Program

Advanced to the Final Four of the men’s soccer Tournament and the College World Series for the first time since the 1979-80 academic year.
Had at least six top 25 programs, four top 20 programs, and three top 10 programs (men’s soccer, golf and baseball) in the same year for the first time since 2001-02.
Had a first-round draft choice in football and baseball for the first time since 1999.
Won a bowl game, a post season men’s basketball game and a baseball postseason tournament game for the first time since the 1993-94 academic year.
Clemson posted an 11-4 record in head-to-head team competition with state rival South Carolina in 2005-06. That includes a 9-1 record in men’s sports. The Clemson football team defeated South Carolina for the fourth straight year and for the eighth time in the last nine seasons.

Team Accomplishments

Football team ranked 21st in the final AP and USA Today college football polls, Clemson’s best finish in six years in the nation rankings. Team won six of its last seven games for first time since 1991.
Football team defeated three top 20 teams for the first time since 1989 and for just the fourth time in school history. Defeated top 20 team in back to back games for the first time since 1983.
Football team had two finalists for national position awards, a first in the school’s history.
Tommy Bowden’s team had four freshmen All-Americans, the most by a Clemson team since 1988.
Men’s Soccer Team advanced to the NCAA Final Four for first time since 1987. The team finished third in the final Coaches poll, the highest final ranking for the Clemson program in any soccer poll since 1998.
The victory over Creighton that sent Clemson to the Final Four was played in front of the largest soccer crowd at Clemson since 1987.
Men’s soccer team had two All-Americans in Phil Marfuggi and Nathan Sturgis. The women’s soccer team advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 12th consecutive year.
Clemson Men’s basketball team won postseason tournament game for the first time since 1998-99 season. Squad won 19 games, most since that same 1998-99 season and a nine-victory improvement over the last two years. The 19 wins tied for the eighth highest single season total in school history.
Men’s basketball team won a regular season eight-team tournament for the first time since 1980.
Tiger men’s basketball team won seven conference games, its highest total since the 1997-98 season when it also won seven.
Clemson golf team earned a team bid to the NCAA tournament for the 25th consecutive year, the fifth longest streak in NCAA history and the longest streak in Clemson athletic history. The team qualified for the NCAA National Tournament for the 24th time in the last 25 years and finished seventh at the NCAA National tournament, the best finish for the program since it won the National Championship in 2003.
Both Clemson tennis teams reached the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Final 32.
The Clemson men’s tennis team won at least 23 matches for the fourth consecutive year.
Clemson’s Women’s Tennis team finished in the top 20 for the third straight year.
The women’s swimming team finished 28th at the NCAA meet to conclude the season. It was the highest team final ranking for the program 2001.
Clemson baseball team won the ACC regular season championship, the ACC Tournament and advanced to the College World Series. It was the first time the baseball team had accomplished all three in the same year since 1991 and just the second time in the last 25 years.
Clemson won a record number of conference games (24) in a league that had four teams advance to the College World Series.
Clemson had record 25 wins over Top 25 teams, including a win over #1 ranked South Carolina.

Coaching Accomplishemnts

Tommy Bowden’s named National Coach-of-the-Year by the FCA.
Basketball Coach Oliver Purnell named President of the NABC. First Clemson coach in any sport to be named national president of a coaching organization.
Trevor Adair coached the Clemson men’s soccer team to the Final Four, the first Final Four appearance for any Clemson men’s team in an NCAA Tournament since 1987.
Jack Leggett was named ACC Coach of the Year in baseball for the third time in his career. He led the Tigers to the ACC regular season title for the first time since 1995.
Nancy Harris coached the Clemson women’s tennis team to a final top 20 ranking for the fourth straight year. It was the first time since the 1980-87 era that the Lady Tigers have had four consecutive top 20 final rankings.

Individual Accomplishments

Charlie Whitehurst became first starting quarterback in the 104-year history of the Clemson vs. South Carolina series to post perfect 4-0 record. Whitehurst ranked fifth in the nation in completion percentage.
Jad Dean ranked third in the nation in field goals per game and was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award
Clemson cornerback Tye Hill was a first-round draft choice, the 15th pick of the entire draft, by the St. Louis Rams. Hill was one of seven players nationally to be a first-round draft choice, a first-team All-American and earn an undergraduate degree in the 2005-06 academic year. Hill was named a first-team All-American by
Walter Camp, Clemson’s first Walter Camp All-American since 1997. James Davis was named the ACC Rookie of the year and was named the MVP of the Champs Sports Bowl victory over Colorado.
Clemson basketball guard Shawan Robinson ranked third in the nation in free throw percentage and became Clemson’s first ACC champion in that category since 1967.
Vernon Hamilton was Clemson’s first ever first-team All-ACC defensive player and led the conference in steals, the first Clemson player in history to do that.
Jeannette Abbot was named Freshman of the Year in the ACC in volleyball.
Men’s soccer player Nathan Sturgis was named the ACC’s Defensive Player of the Year
Men’s soccer player Dane Richards was named to the Jamaican National Team.
Women’s swimmer Kim Routh finished fifth in the 1650 freestyle at the NCAA meet to earn first-team All-America honors. She was also an ACC Champion.
Men’s Tennis player Clement Reix advanced to the Final 8 of the NCAA
Men’s Singles tournament to earn All-America honors. It was the furthest a Clemson men’s player has advanced in the tournament in 20 years. Reix ended the year with a 33-8 record and had the best winning percentage by a Clemson player in 25 years.
First baseman Andy D’Alessio was a two-time National Player of the Week on the diamond.
Tyler Colvin was MVP of the ACC baseball tournament and was one of six Clemson players named to the All-ACC tournament team. He was a first-round draft choice of the Chicago Cubs.
Taylor Harbin was named the MVP of the NCAA Clemson Regional and hit four home runs in a five-game spurt in NCAA Tournament play.
Sarah Cooper earned All-America honors in rowing in Clemson’s Varsity Eight.
Mitch Greeley was Clemson’s first ever All-American in the pole vault, as he accomplished the feat at the NCAA Indoor Track meet where he finished eighth in the nation.
Sprinter Travis Padgett won the ACC Championship and the NCAA East Regional Championship in the 100 meters. He finished fourth at the NCAA Championships to earn first-team All-America honors. He was the ACC Freshman of the Year in men’s outdoor track.