Clemson Family,
I hope each of you had an enjoyable holiday season and a Happy New Year. We certainly enjoyed our trip to Orlando and our Tigers’ resounding win in the Russell Athletic Bowl. Congratulations to Coach Swinney and his team for an outstanding season, posting 10 wins for the fourth-consecutive year for only the second time in school history.
It’s also important to appreciate the leadership and accomplishments of an outstanding senior class. Their hard work and dedication resulted in 42 wins over four years, including bowl victories over LSU, Ohio State and Oklahoma. More importantly, every one of the 28 seniors on the 2014 roster has their degree.
Our Tiger defense again put forth a remarkable effort in shutting down the high-powered Oklahoma offense. The Sooners averaged 38 points per game entering the Russell Athletic Bowl, and the defense allowed only six points late in the contest. Additionally, the defense registered nine tackles for loss for 131 on the season, best in the nation. In total, the unit finished the season ranked number one in total defense, tackles for loss, pass efficiency defense, third down defense and first downs allowed. They were outstanding all year long, and put a great exclamation point on the season in the bowl game.
As we begin 2015, it’s a good time to take a moment to reflect on some of the highlights of the fall. While football’s 10 wins and big victories in the last two games of the year were certainly exciting, it’s also important to congratulate both the men’s and women’s soccer programs for outstanding seasons. The men captured their first ACC Championship since 2001, punctuating a remarkable season with a heart-stopping run in the ACC tournament. The women posted their first 13-win season since 2002 and earned an invitation to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007. The future is bright at Historic Riggs Field, and I can’t wait to see what the programs accomplish next fall. We also welcomed 38 student-athletes to the ranks of Clemson Alumni as they graduated in December.
If you had a chance to visit campus over the break, I hope you noticed the great progress being made on the Memorial Stadium WestZone Phase III project, including the bridge/oculus. Work on those features will continue until the summer, while suite and club level renovations continue as well. A special thank you to all who have renewed their suites or contacted IPTAY about reserving one. At baseball, the new premium field-level seats are scheduled to be installed soon, and the player development center should be finished during the season. Coach Leggett’s team begins practice this week, and their progress won’t be hindered by the ongoing construction.
A major feature in each of our ongoing construction projects is the addition of premium seating. Spaces are available at both football and baseball, and you can contact Kyle Shields (864-656-3945) for more information about each. In the coming days, you can expect a letter from Davis Babb in IPTAY with more information about the new South Club Level and how to reserve those seats. With a deadline of February 15 for priority ranking, the goal is to assign seats in that new area early in the summer.
January is a busy month, as men’s and women’s basketball turn their attention to ACC play and all of our spring sports are on the fields, courts, tracks, diving boards and lake getting ready for their seasons. Best of luck to all of our outstanding student-athletes in their upcoming seasons, and we hope you have a chance to come out and show your support for Tigers in action.
Thank you for all you do for Clemson Athletics, and Go Tigers!
December 13, 2024
December 12, 2024
