In a major move, Clemson has appointed Justin Howell and Liz Crandall-Howell as co-head coaches, according to Greenville News. The duo brings a wealth of experience from their successful tenure at California, where they transformed the Golden Bears into a national powerhouse.
“We’ve gotten to see the program that Justin and Liz built up close during their first season in the ACC, and the consistent excellence they have achieved speaks for itself,” Clemson Director of Athletics Graham Neff said. “In addition to many competitive accomplishments, their reputation has been praised time and again in our research. We emphasized finding a coaching staff with experience in some of the biggest moments and who could continue the trajectory of our program—we feel we have that in Justin and Liz. We are impressed with their technical ability, approach to operations, plan for development, incorporation of health, wellness and recovery, and attention to detail. We are excited to see them get to work.”
Under their leadership, Cal achieved unprecedented success, including a national runner-up finish in 2024 and multiple Pac-12 championships. Howell, who took the helm in 2012, became the winningest coach in Cal gymnastics history, amassing over 230 wins.
“The world-class resources and support for Clemson student athletes to succeed in the classroom and on the competition floor is incredible,” Howell said. “Liz and I are excited to bring our passion, energy, and pursuit of excellence to Tigertown. Clemson is truly a special place.”
Crandall-Howell, a former U.S. National Team member and international brevet-level judge, joined the staff in 2012 and was elevated to co-head coach in 2018. Together, they earned numerous accolades, including multiple Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors.
“The passion and commitment to excellence that runs through Clemson was clear from the moment we arrived on campus,” Crandall-Howell said. “The abundance of resources have been carefully and meticulously curated to support the student-athletes in every pursuit—sport, academics, career, and leadership development—and to utilize those skills to go out into the world as leaders. It was, however, the people that we met in Clemson that confirmed that this is the place we need to be. Justin and I believe that Clemson gymnastics can become one of the top programs in the nation, and we cannot wait to get out there and get to work!”
Clemson’s hiring of the Howells comes shortly after the departure of Amy Smith, the program’s first head coach. Smith led the team through its inaugural season before the university announced a coaching change in April 2025. While her past coaching tenure had drawn criticism due to prior allegations, Clemson did not publicly link those concerns to her departure, stating only that the program was moving in a new direction.
The Tigers’ gymnastics program, which just wrapped up its second season, is poised for rapid growth. The addition of the Howells signals the university’s commitment to establishing a competitive presence in the ACC and collegiate gymnastics as a whole.
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Article by Elizabeth Grimsley
If you’ve been to Berkeley, you will understand why the Howells left for greener pastures. I can’t wait to see what they do to turn Clemson into contenders.
I would say the talent they had at Berkley is alot better.