It’s time for Clemson Softball.
The Tigers will be back inside McWhorter Stadium for their first appearance of the 2025 softball season when they host the annual Orange vs. Purple inter-team scrimmage on Sunday, February 2nd.
Fans should be excited and expected to show out in full force to get a glimpse at this new chapter. Gone are the familiar faces we have come accustomed to seeing in the orange and purple, including the likes of Millie Thompson, McKenzie Clark, Alia Logoleo, Arielle Oda, Regan Spencer, and Valarie Cagle – to name a few. Despite tempered expectations, John Rittman and his coaching staff will look to continue the early success of the Clemson Softball program with a big crop of new players to lean on.
While some recognizable – albeit, reliable – Tigers remain (All-American Maddie Moore, All-ACC Alex Brown and Aby Viera, as well as pitcher Brooke McCubbin, to name a few), it will largely be a group of unknowns anchoring the Clemson Softball team this year. Players like Kylee Johnson and Julia Knowler will look to avoid sophomore slumps and build on their successful freshman campaigns. Other names to keep an eye on are Junior power-hitter Jadeyn Ruszkowski, who has shown flashes of brilliance at the plate in her first two years, as well as pitcher Olivia Duncan, who (despite an up and down 2024 season) has all the makings and pedigree to be the next great pitcher at Clemson.
Not to be outdone are all of the new faces ready to take the diamond for the first time. Among the six true freshmen signed to Rittman’s 2025 class are infielder Marian Collins and outfielder Sam Minish, both clocking in on D1 Softball’s Top 100 Freshmen list. Beside the freshmen come plenty of great players from the transfer portal. Jamison Brockenbrough joins the Tigers as a Junior outfielder from Tennessee but is originally from Ireland. She brings with her two right-handed pitchers in Reese Basinger (Winthrop; Evans, Georgia) and Brook Melynchuk (La Tech; Hudson Bay, Canada), who will both play significant roles in the pitching rotation.
With so much to look forward to in this new era of Clemson Softball, fans will hope to pack McWhorter for this first look on February 2nd. Entry to the game is free, with gates opening at 11:15am and first pitch scheduled shortly after 12 noon.
