From the Desk of Dan Radakovich

May 13, 2013

Hello Tiger fans!

I am headed off to the ACC spring meetings this week in Florida. In my next writing, I hope to have much content to discuss as a result of those meetings. In the meantime, I thought it would be appropriate to focus this space on the student-athletes that graduated from Clemson last Friday. I had the privilege to be on hand for each of the three ceremonies as part of the president’s administrative council. It was wonderful to see so many orange stoles, which are worn to signify student-athletes, in each ceremony!

I thought I would share the wonderful success stories of a few of them. In all, 49 student-athletes walked across the stage in Littlejohn Coliseum to receive their degrees from President Barker. (See complete list of 2013 spring graduates below). It was particularly heart-warming to see some of our student-athletes who returned to earn degrees several years after their Tiger careers ended. [Read more...]

Seniors take part in final home meet

Clemson senior Warren Fraser, left, takes the baton from teammate Reggie Lewis as the Tiger men’s 4x100 relay team won their event with a time of 40.23 seconds Saturday at the Bob Pollock Invitational. (Photo by Rex Brown/IPTAY Media)

Day 1 Photo Gallery

Day 2 Photo Gallery

By Gavin Oliver

CLEMSON — There is an ever-revolving door in collegiate sports, one that serves as a timeless entrance and exit for players as they continuously come and go.

The college athletes who head out that door, even the ones who embark on a journey to the next level, often undergo an indescribable feeling when participating in a home event for the final time.

Seniors of the Clemson men and women’s track and field teams had the opportunity to experience precisely that while taking part in the last home meet of their careers on Saturday afternoon at the Rock Norman Track and Field Complex during the Bob Pollack Invitational. [Read more...]

Seniors claim ACC Championships sweep in thrilling fashion

The Clemson women's track and field team celebrates after winning the 2013 ACC Championship on April 20 in Raleigh, N.C. (Photo by Sara D. Davis, theACC.com)

By Philip Sikes

RALEIGH, N.C. — Clemson’s leadership was uneasy about its position with two events remaining at the ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championships this past Saturday at Paul Derr Track. The Tigers had just scored big in the 200-meter dash and were 22 points ahead of second place Florida State in the team standings.

That feeling of uneasiness could have turned to panic when, in the span of 5000 meters, Seminole runners finished 1-2-3 to amass 24 points in a single event. If not for the rally by Clemson junior Natalie Anthony to finish seventh and net two points, the Tigers would have faced a deficit heading into the final event, the 4×400 relay.

As it was, the two teams were tied and Clemson prepared for the 4×4 without some of its usual heavy hitters in the event.

“This one was the toughest,” said Interim Director of Track & Field Shawn Cobey, who saw his team win the 4×4 in dramatic fashion to propel the Tigers into their eighth straight ACC title. “For these seniors going for eight straight, and with it coming down to the last race with us not having everyone we normally have, it took a full team effort.” [Read more...]

Student-athletes walk orange carpet for CLEMMYs

Boyd, Adeleye named top male, female athletes

Clemson football players, from left, Quandon Christian, Tajh Boyd and Chandler Catanzaro pose for pictures before the inaugural CLEMMYs on April 15 at Littlejohn Coliseum. (Photo by Dawson Powers)

Photo Gallery

By Steven Bradley

IPTAY Media

CLEMSON — At most major award shows, the stars walk the red carpet and proceed into a ballroom where awards are handed out for the year’s best performances. That was also the case at the inaugural CLEMMYs April 15, only the stars were Clemson’s student-athletes, the carpet was orange and the ballroom was Littlejohn Coliseum.

The CLEMMYs were modeled after the ESPYs as a comprehensive year-end awards show encompassing athletic and academic achievement. They replaced the Athletic Department’s annual honor banquet, which was an academic-focused event where only student-athletes with at least a 3.0 GPA had been invited.

“It’s all about the student-athletes. This is a night for them to have fun and just get together and celebrate,” Assistant Director for Athletic Academic Services Lindsey Ricketts said. [Read more...]

From the Desk of Dan Radakovich

April 22, 2013

Hello Tiger fans!

I thought this would be a good time to reflect on the tremendous success enjoyed by our athletic teams on what was dubbed “Solid Orange Weekend,” April 12-14 in Clemson. Our teams not only went undefeated, but IPTAY members and Tiger fans were able to gather and participate in fellowship on what turned out to be a beautiful weekend in the Upstate.

We had over 140 former letterwinners participate in our spring golf outing at the Walker Course and Cross Creek Plantation on Friday afternoon, and then over 300 were on hand for the awards dinner that night. It was great to spend time with some of our alumni and their families. Dabo Swinney also held his All-In Ball at the new indoor practice facility on Friday, and over $250,000 was raised for his foundation, which focuses support toward a number of worthy causes. [Read more...]

Seniors have winning expectations at ACC meet

Clemson senior Jasmine Edgerson has been a mainstay with three straight ACC Champion 4x100 relays, but will not compete in that event this week for the first time in her decorated career.

By Philip Sikes

CLEMSON — For Clemson track & field seniors Jasmine Edgerson and Warren Fraser, their respective teams enter this week’s ACC Outdoor Championships with the same expectation: win.

It’s a position the Tiger women are accustomed to. Clemson begins defense of its three straight ACC outdoor crowns and goes for an eighth consecutive conference championship — which would constitute a sweep for Edgerson and her classmates — on Thursday at NC State’s Paul Derr Track in Raleigh.

“It’s a honor for us to be in this position,” Edgerson said. “We’ve put in so much work on and off the track and for us to win seven so far, it really means a lot.”

Edgerson is one of five seniors who has a chance to win an eighth ACC Championship as a member of the Clemson women’s team, something that has not been done by another senior group in the conference since the University of North Carolina’s class of 1998.

This week means as much to Edgerson as any senior on the roster. She was unable to compete at the ACC Indoor Championships due to a quad injury. That didn’t stop her from stressing the importance of winning to her teammates. [Read more...]

Student-athletes take time out to say thanks to donors

Clemson women's golfer Taylor Ramsey calls an IPTAY donor during the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Thank-a-Thon on April 1 at the University Foundation building on campus. (Photo by Rex Brown/IPTAY Media)

Photo Gallery

By Steven Bradley

IPTAY Media

CLEMSON — One of the purposes of Clemson’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is to give the university’s athletes a voice when it comes to issues that affect them, and last week that voice was used to say thanks.

This year’s SAAC Thank-a-Thon began April 1 and continued April 2 at the University Foundation building on campus with 100 Clemson athletes — 50 each day — taking time out to call as many IPTAY donors as possible to express their gratitude for the ways those donations have enriched their college experiences.

“That’s the great thing about IPTAY — we don’t hear a lot about IPTAY as far as our everyday lives,” said Brittney Waller, a senior thrower on the track & field team who helped head the initiative. “We don’t think about our facilities and how we’re able to do a lot of the things we do — traveling, maintenance, construction, those kind of things — so it is very nice to have IPTAY, and we’re really thankful to have donors who do support us and who do want us to be successful on and off the field.” [Read more...]

From the Desk of Dan Radakovich

Ricketts

April 8, 2013

Hello Tiger fans!

At the end of May, one of the fixtures in Clemson’s athletic department over the last 28 years, Robert Ricketts, will be retiring. Robert has dedicated most of his professional life to Clemson, and in the process has worn many different hats, first at the university and then within the athletic department. We are indebted to he and his wife, Kathey, for all they have done for Clemson Athletics. With that in mind, I asked Associate Sports Information Director Philip Sikes to sit down with Robert for a question and answer session to reflect on his experiences at Clemson.

Dan Radakovich [Read more...]

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