It’s officially that time of year again! We’re live from Littlejohn Coliseum for a Tiger showdown. This afternoon, Clemson hosts Towson for their season opener. This is the first time these two teams have competed against each other since Clemson’s program started in 2024.
Towson rounded out the 2025 season as the EAGL regular-season champion and was ranked No. 36 in the College Gym News Preseason Poll. The Tigers have seven returners who received all-EAGL recognition, including Isabella Minervini and Ava Harper. They are entering this season with an eye on the EAGL championship title.
Clemson enters its third season overall and first under co-head coaches Liz Crandall-Howell and Justin Howell with a deep returning roster and rising expectations. The Tigers bring back 16 returners, several of whom competed at the 2025 NCAA regionals, including Brie Clark, Lilly Lippeat, Sierra Church, Eve Jackson, and Molly Arnold. Clemson also adds a standout incoming group featuring transfers Ella Cesario and Paige Anastasi, along with freshman Emma Malewski, a European Championships gold medalist on beam. With improved health and continuity under its coaching staff, Clemson is positioned to take another step forward this season.
The meet will be streamed on ACCNx at 2 p.m. ET.
Rotation 1: Clemson VT, Towson UB
Minner (CU): Started the Tigers off strong with a stuck tucked Yurchenko 1.5. 9.85
Slocum (TU): Nice piked Jaeger. A little bit of messy form in her switch kip. Arabian dismount, small step. 9.65
Clark (CU): Solid Tsuk full, chest a little low on landing. 9.825
Greene (TU): Beautiful stalder to handstand. Right into a clean Tkatchev to bail. Pretty dismount, small studder. 9.70
Holman (CU): Solid FHS pike half. 9.80
Portillo (TU): Misses her release. Gets back up, nice clean lines the rest of the routine. Almost gets the stick on her dismount. 8.95
Jackson (CU): Clean and pretty Yurchenko 1.5, small step. 9.675
Belanovski (TU): Nice Tkatchev, slight bend in her elbow. Nice and aggressive throughout. Full-twisting double back, soft in the knees. 9.60
Walsh (CU): Another stuck Yurchenko 1.5 for Clemson. 9.85
Ritch (TU): Clear hip handstand…I think, it’s a little hard to see unfortunately. Some form throughout the routine, but solid. A little soft in the knees on the dismount. 9.65
Arnold (CU): Yurchenko 1.5, aggressive but misses her block and sits it down. 9.10
Minervini (TU): Pretty Tkatchev to Pak. Beautiful swing throughout. Stuck double layout dismount. 9.85
AFTER ONE: Clemson 49.00, Towson 48.45
Rotation 2: Towson VT, Clemson UB
Hoffman (TU): Solid Yurchenko full, small hop in place. 9.775
Berry (CU): Nice aggressive swing. Pretty bail to Shaposh. Double layout dismount, almost gets the stick. 9.775
Belanovski (TU): Yurchenko full, chest a little low on landing. 9.60
Lippeatt (CU): Solid Ray to Pak. Nice blind full to double back, small step. 9.80
DeCroo (TU): Yurchenko full, chest also a little low on landing. 9.75
Clark (CU): I missed all of this routine,.after the fall on her release. We had a drink spill at the media table, didn’t need any of our computers getting wet mid-meet *cries* 9.25
Minervini (TU): Pretty lines in the air. Small step forward. 9.775
Jackson (CU): I also missed almost all of this one because of the previously mentioned spill, unfortunately. 9.725
Rodio (TU): Goes for the aggressive block, but sits it down. 9.050
Cesario (CU): Beautiful height on her Tkatchev to Pak. Pretty lines throughout. Small step on dismount. 9.85
Lannon (TU): Stuck Yurchenko 1.5. Nice vault to round out the Tigers. 9.725
Kuhl (CU): Solid Ray to bail. Aggressive swing throughout. Double layout dismount, stuck cold. 9.90
AFTER TWO: Clemson 98.050, Towson 97.025
Rotation 3: Clemson BB, Towson FX
Walsh (CU): Pretty full turn. BHS LOSO, lands chest down and has small balance check. Front toss, also a little off balance. Pretty extension in leaps. Sticks the dismount. 9.725
Calafati (TU): Front double full to tuck, great height. Couldn’t see her leaps due to a TV camera in my way. FHS punch Rudi, love how bouncy she is. 9.775
B. Clark (CU): Nice control in acro series. Solid full turn. Great height in leap to straddle half. Small step on dismount. 9.80
Lindgren (TU): LOVE her RO BHS triple full. Leaps were a little low on height and extension. Great power throughout. 9.775
H. Clark (CU): Solid series, small balance check but covers it up well. Nice lines in leaps. Beautiful front toss to arabesque. Small leg separation in the twist, but a pretty dismount. 9.80
DeCroo (TU): Strong double back to open. Switch side half to Popa, pretty extension. Nice lines and power throughout. 9.80
Lippeatt (CU): Solid full turn. Front aerial to bhs swingdown, pretty and nicely controlled. Great extension in leaps. Small shuffle on dismount, could’ve been taken as a stick if I’m being honest. 9.825
Minervini (TU): Front layout to Rudi (I think…so hard to see this corner with the camera in the way). Pretty switch leap to stag leap. She’s so fun to watch. 9.80
Cesario (CU): Nice full turn. A little off balance in her series, but stays on. Side aerial to switch leap to wolf jump, I’m pretty sure she broke this connection BUT I could be wrong. Pretty stuck front full dismount. 9.65
Hoffman (TU): Intense music to open the routine, love it. Goes for the full-in, loses her punch and sits it down. Nice extension in switch full combo. Good height on double back. 9.00
Kuhl (CU): Pretty triple series. Nice control in her leaps. A little off on full turn, but pretty. Round off was a little off to the side, recovers well and sticks the dismount. 9.825
Belanovski (TU): Great height on both passes. Chest a little low on her leaps. This broadcast camera blocking my view is going to be the death of me. 9.80
AFTER THREE: Clemson 147.025, Towson 145.975
Rotation 4: Towson BB, Clemson FX
Calafati (TU): Misses the connection on her acro series and tries it again, was still off balance. Pretty lines in leaps. Nice full turn. Finishes strong with a punch Rudi dismount. 9.00
Holman (CU): Solid punch front full. Great height in her leap series. Her dance is so fun and engaging. Ro to back 1.5 to back loso, nice control. 9.85
Belanovski (TU): Balance check after full turn. Front aerial to bhs, pretty. Nice control on split 3/4. Split jump to side gainer full, solid. 9.70
Walsh (CU): Solid punch front full to front full. A little too much sauce on her dance, leans back a smidge. Front leg was a little low on her leap pass. Loses balance out of the twist and steps to the side after final pass. 9.725
Draser (TU): Small balance check upon first skill and puts her hands on the beam. Nice control on bhs loso. Pretty leaps, could’ve had a wee bit more amplitude though. Solid gainer pike off the end, small step. 9.35
Jackson (CU): HUGE full-in to open. Okay Eve, I see you out there. Great amplitude on her leaps into wolf full. Loses her punch going into her Rudi and sits it down. 9.050
Duerre (TU): Pretty full turn. Nice switch leap to split 1/4. Bhs loso, loses her balance and comes off. A little loose in her side aerial. Recovers well with a solid, stuck dismount. 9.050
Minner (CU): Opens with a huge Ro back 1.5. Great height and extension in her leaps. Love her classic rock floor music…the crowd does too. Closes out with another solid pass, love the connected back loso. 9.825
Minervini (TU): Solid acro series, small hesitation between skills. Pretty lines throughout her leaps and dance. 9.775
Lippeatt (CU): Solid Ro double tuck to start. Great amplitude on her switch side to Popa, a little short on the full turn though. Nice control on her last pass. What a great comeback for the first regular meet post-surgery. 9.75
Trotter (TU): Seems a little timid up there. Small balance check after her series. Front leg a little low on her leaps. Front toss to sitting, almost comes off but covers it up SO well. Bhs side gainer full, almost gets the stick. 9.70
Clark (CU): HUGE double layout to open. Leads right into a Beyonce mashup for music, the crowd loves it. Nice power in her leaps. Front layout to front full to front tuck, great control. Finishes facing the judges after doing Simone Biles’ signature butt bounce and smiles. A great routine to close the night out. 9.90
FINAL: Clemson 196.025, Towson 193.550
What a great first meet for both teams with a nice environment to shake the preseason cobwebs off. Although there is a little room for improvement, there were solid routines all around. The atmosphere in Littlejohn was electric as always. Can’t wait to see how both teams do the rest of the season!
VT: Minner & Walsh (CU) 9.85
UB: Kuhl (CU) 9.9
BB: Lippeatt & Kuhl (CU) 9.85
FX: Clark (CU) 9.9
AA: Minervini (TU)
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Live blog by Jessica Brock
