Clemson gymnastics kicked off its third season two weeks ago and quickly made an impression on the gymnastics world. With new leadership from co-head coaches Justin Howell and Elisabeth Crandall-Howell, the team was expected to start strong and continue to show up as one of the ACC’s best this season.
The Tigers dominated their home opener on Jan. 4 against Towson, where they put up a score of 196.150, almost a full point above last season’s opening score. Junior Quinn Kuhl had a standout performance on bars, scoring a 9.900, which led to her winning the event and being named ACC Specialist of the Week. Brie Clark also scored a 9.900 on her floor debut for the season, which led to her crowning as the event winner as well.
Only 20 teams competed in the opening week of collegiate gymnastics. Within those 20 teams, Clemson ranked No. 4 — right above fellow ACC opponent California, the former school of co-head coaches Howell and Crandall-Howell.
In its second meet of the season, Clemson faced Alabama, the first SEC opponent the Tigers have hosted in their three seasons of existence. Despite the loss, Clemson has shown consistency that could lead the team to the postseason. The Tigers have a phenomenal lineup on uneven bars, where three gymnasts scored a 9.850, and Lilly Lippeatt scored 9.875, the highest on the event for the Tigers that week.
Injuries have plagued the Tigers, which has led to some notable gymnasts not being in the lineups in the first couple of weeks. Trinity Webb was integral to the success of the bar lineup for the Tigers last season, but after undergoing shoulder surgery, she has yet to make it back into the rotation.
Another notable gymnast missing is redshirt senior Trinity Brown, who suffered an injury during a meet last season. Brown was a valuable component of the vault lineup last season, but has not cracked the lineup this season.
The Tigers brought in two transfers in the off-season, including Ella Cesario, a transfer from California and a key piece to the uneven bar rotation. Cesario has put up a score of 9.850 in both meets this season, providing the consistency the Tigers are looking for heading into ACC meets. Clemson brought in another transfer from UCLA: Paige Anastasi. She suffered a concussion prior to the season and, unfortunately, has yet to make her first appearance as a Tiger.
Clemson is gearing up for conference matchups as it heads into Week 3. The Tigers will face NC State on Jan. 17 and Stanford on Jan. 25 before returning home to host UNC on Jan. 30 and California on Feb. 7 at Littlejohn Coliseum.
