As students return to Clemson, here are some sports stories that might have flown under the radar over the summer:

Women’s basketball lands 5-star recruit 

Five-star recruit Imari Berry verbally committed to Clemson basketball on Aug. 5. The Tennessee native is ranked No. 7 in ESPN’s HoopGurlz Recruiting Ratings for the class of 2024. 

As a guard, Berry averaged 26.1 points, seven rebounds and four steals per game as a junior last season. After setting her high school’s single-season scoring record with 836 points, Berry is exactly what the women’s program needs following last season’s 7-11 ACC record.

110% 🧡💜🧡💜🧡💜 pic.twitter.com/m6D9NprK5C

— Imari Berry (@BerryImari) August 5, 2023

Clemson names new men’s tennis head coach

Brandon Wagner was named head coach in early June following the termination of previous head coach Robbie Weiss.

Wagner was most recently an assistant coach for the University of Texas at Austin. In his four seasons with the Longhorns, he achieved an 81-24 overall record. 

Let go in April, Weiss served as the program’s leader for four seasons, where the Tigers’ record was 41-49 overall. Now, Wagner will look to turn around the program. 

Program alumni Sander Koning has also joined the coaching staff as an assistant coach. 

Football ranks No. 9 in preseason polls 

The reigning ACC champions have taken the No. 9 spot in the AP Poll released on Aug. 14. 

Finishing last season 11-3, the Tigers are optimistic for the upcoming season. Although he started in just two games in 2022, Cade Klubnik is expected to break out in his sophomore season. 

Klubnik, along with new offensive coordinator Garrett Riley, should be a dominant force on the field to boost their rankings come September. 

Clemson extends track and field director

Clemson and track and field director Mark Elliott agreed to a contract extension on Aug. 4 that keeps him at the University through 2025. 

Elliott, the 2023 ACC Men’s Outdoor Coach of the Year, led the program team to 28 top-10 results in the 2022-23 indoor and outdoor seasons. Under Elliott, Clemson won its first outdoor track and field ACC title since 2004. 

This season will mark Elliott’s 11th with the Tigers.

Three Tigers selected in MLB draft 

Caden Grice, Cooper Ingle and Ryan Ammons were all drafted into the MLB to further their baseball careers after playing at Clemson.

Grice dominated the mound and plate for the Tigers this past season with his .307 batting average and a 3.30 ERA. Drafted 64th overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks, Grice is the highest-picked Tiger in the draft since 2007. 

Ingle was selected by the Cleveland Guardians as a fourth-round pick; Ammons signed with the Boston Red Sox following his selection in the 10th round.