Staring down the vault runway at the Baton Rouge regional, Clemson redshirt senior Brie Clark’s mindset was simple: do her normal, nothing more, nothing less.
Before this year, her normal on vault didn’t exist. Clark hadn’t been a regular in the vault lineup, let alone the leadoff, since 2022. When this season began, despite already making NCAA history as the first gymnast to successfully compete the Biles I on floor, she wanted to learn something new and contribute on more than just two events.
Three weeks later, she was training a Tsukahara full, and months later stuck that vault for a career-high 9.900 that would lead Clemson to its first regional final and guarantee its highest finish in program history.
The road to success wasn’t easy for Clemson. Clark was an inaugural member of Team Zero alongside current Tigers Molly Arnold, Trinity Brown, Eve Jackson, Lilly Lippeatt, and Madison Minner. The Team Zero year was challenging, as the gymnasts spent the year training without a practice facility, only pictures and a vision of what was to come. It was clear the university was willing to provide the resources the team needed though, giving Clark and the other members of Team Zero confidence as they began their careers as Tigers. All of the resources Clemson poured into the team early on paid off from the beginning, as Team Zero athletes currently hold program records on all events and in the all-around three years in.
While the Team Zero athletes were successful in their first two official competitive seasons, 2026 is where everything has come together. The Tigers built on that success by matching or setting numerous top-five program scores this year, capped off by a program record on bars that clinched their first ACC championship and first individual event champion in Minner on vault. Opening the preseason ranked No. 29, Clark credits the work ethic of the team and the coaches’ openness to working with their team as huge reasons why the program has surpassed all expectations.
“Our coaches are so patient with us and have that ‘one day better’ mindset,” she said. “In the gym, we get to play gymnastics instead of just having to do gymnastics, so it’s just been really, really fun.”
Clark says that while she knew Clemson would one day win the ACC championship in gymnastics, she never imagined she would still be on the team when it happened. As Clemson goes out for a chance to make more history, she says this has been her favorite year of her entire career because of how her team has grown throughout the season. “[We] go out there with no regrets and continue to have fun. To be able to grow as a team and continue to beat records and have so much success, I’m so excited for the years to come and what this brings for the team.”
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Article by Savanna Wellman
