As Clemson softball prepares for the program’s third season there are high expectations for the team. With multiple 2021 All-Conference honorees and a conference Player of the Year, Clemson has the potential to win the ACC.
Going into the season, Clemson is currently ranked No. 14 overall in the most recent USA Softball and ESPN rankings. Last season, the program finished 44-8 and 29-5 in the ACC, winning the ACC Championship.
From last year’s team, five All-Conference honorees, including superstar pitcher Valerie Cagle and outfielder Marissa Guimbarda, are returning for the spring.
Cagle spent the off-season playing for the USA U-18 softball team and won gold for the U.S. in the Softball World Cup. After her win in the cup, she was named MVP of the entire tournament.
The redshirt sophomore is a dominant force for the Tigers, pitching with an earned run average of 1.16 for the 2021 season, recording 267 total strikeouts. Cagle also plays outfield and bats for the Tigers. In 2021, she batted .404 with 17 home runs and 45 runs batted in (RBIs).
“I think hitting definitely helps my approach on the mound more than my pitching helps my approach to the plate,” Cagle said in a 2021 post-season interview with WYFF news.
It is because of this pitching-batting combo that Cagle has been able to help her team deliver on the field.
“It’s definitely good seeing a softball program seeing the attention that we’re getting,” she said of the quick success of her and her team. “It’s really good for softball.”
While Cagle is a multi-player of the week and multi-pitcher of the month, she accredits her teammates as well.
“It’s a very exciting time for all of us,” Cagle said to the Clemson Insider of Clemson’s nine selections in the All-ACC softball team. Cagle won first team for this award, as well as ACC Player and Freshman of the Year.
Marissa Guimbarda is another player to be on the lookout for this season. Being an asset at the plate, Guimbarda held a .669 slugging percentage in her 2021 season, with 21 runs and 42 RBIs. Her on base percentage in 2021 was a team-high of .411, solidifying her as one of the Tiger’s top hitters.
“Marissa and I definitely do a great job protecting each other,” said Cagle on her chemistry with Guimbarda on the field. Both girls were named in the Extra Elite 100 list, with Cagle at No. 6 and Guimbarda at No. 91.
As for their ACC performance, the Tigers will be one of the hardest teams to beat when it comes to the mound. Ranking No. 1 in pitching and No. 3 in batting in the ACC, Clemson is the only school, besides Duke, in the top-five of the three defining categories for ACC rankings.
Clemson falters in fielding but still ranks as No. 4 in this category, ahead of Duke. Clemson also beats Duke in batting, where Duke is ranked as fifth overall.
Another strong opponent they will face is Florida State, which ranks No. 1 in fielding and No. 2 in pitching.
Despite these high individual rankings, Clemson is the fourth ACC team in D1Softball’s top-15 rankings. Florida State sits at No. 6, VT at No. 11 and Duke at No. 13. As stated before, Clemson is close behind Duke, ranking as No. 14 overall.
Head coach John Rittman has previously said that his program is out to “shock the world,” and so far, they have. Thanks to his great successes, Rittman was the 2021 NCAA softball Coach of the Year last May.
With an ACC championship under its belt and a majority of returning players, it is impressive to see how much of an advantage the young Clemson program will have going into the season.
With multiple All-American and All-Conference players and a 2021 Coach of the Year, it is no doubt that the Tigers will be a force to be reckoned with in 2022.
Clemson has 24 ACC games scheduled, with a total of 53 games for the regular season. The Tigers’ first game will be at the Florida Gulf Coast University Kickoff Classic on Feb. 10. They will finally return to McWhorter Stadium to host the Clemson Classic tournament on Feb. 25.
Going into the season, Clemson is currently ranked No. 14 overall in the most recent USA Softball and ESPN rankings. Last season, the program finished 44-8 and 29-5 in the ACC, winning the ACC Championship.
From last year’s team, five All-Conference honorees, including superstar pitcher Valerie Cagle and outfielder Marissa Guimbarda, are returning for the spring.
Cagle spent the off-season playing for the USA U-18 softball team and won gold for the U.S. in the Softball World Cup. After her win in the cup, she was named MVP of the entire tournament.
The redshirt sophomore is a dominant force for the Tigers, pitching with an earned run average of 1.16 for the 2021 season, recording 267 total strikeouts. Cagle also plays outfield and bats for the Tigers. In 2021, she batted .404 with 17 home runs and 45 runs batted in (RBIs).
“I think hitting definitely helps my approach on the mound more than my pitching helps my approach to the plate,” Cagle said in a 2021 post-season interview with WYFF news.
It is because of this pitching-batting combo that Cagle has been able to help her team deliver on the field.
“It’s definitely good seeing a softball program seeing the attention that we’re getting,” she said of the quick success of her and her team. “It’s really good for softball.”
While Cagle is a multi-player of the week and multi-pitcher of the month, she accredits her teammates as well.
“It’s a very exciting time for all of us,” Cagle said to the Clemson Insider of Clemson’s nine selections in the All-ACC softball team. Cagle won first team for this award, as well as ACC Player and Freshman of the Year.
Marissa Guimbarda is another player to be on the lookout for this season. Being an asset at the plate, Guimbarda held a .669 slugging percentage in her 2021 season, with 21 runs and 42 RBIs. Her on base percentage in 2021 was a team-high of .411, solidifying her as one of the Tiger’s top hitters.
“Marissa and I definitely do a great job protecting each other,” said Cagle on her chemistry with Guimbarda on the field. Both girls were named in the Extra Elite 100 list, with Cagle at No. 6 and Guimbarda at No. 91.
As for their ACC performance, the Tigers will be one of the hardest teams to beat when it comes to the mound. Ranking No. 1 in pitching and No. 3 in batting in the ACC, Clemson is the only school, besides Duke, in the top-five of the three defining categories for ACC rankings.
Clemson falters in fielding but still ranks as No. 4 in this category, ahead of Duke. Clemson also beats Duke in batting, where Duke is ranked as fifth overall.
Another strong opponent they will face is Florida State, which ranks No. 1 in fielding and No. 2 in pitching.
Despite these high individual rankings, Clemson is the fourth ACC team in D1Softball’s top-15 rankings. Florida State sits at No. 6, VT at No. 11 and Duke at No. 13. As stated before, Clemson is close behind Duke, ranking as No. 14 overall.
Head coach John Rittman has previously said that his program is out to “shock the world,” and so far, they have. Thanks to his great successes, Rittman was the 2021 NCAA softball Coach of the Year last May.
With an ACC championship under its belt and a majority of returning players, it is impressive to see how much of an advantage the young Clemson program will have going into the season.
With multiple All-American and All-Conference players and a 2021 Coach of the Year, it is no doubt that the Tigers will be a force to be reckoned with in 2022.
Clemson has 24 ACC games scheduled, with a total of 53 games for the regular season. The Tigers’ first game will be at the Florida Gulf Coast University Kickoff Classic on Feb. 10. They will finally return to McWhorter Stadium to host the Clemson Classic tournament on Feb. 25.
