Season-High Night Propels Tigers Past Tar Heels
CLEMSON, S.C. – The No. 24 Clemson Gymnastics program tallied season-highs on all four apparatuses to secure a 197.350-195.500 victory against the North Carolina Tar Heels on Friday evening inside Littlejohn Coliseum. Friday’s meet also served as the Tigers’ ‘Pink Meet’ with an electric crowd of 8,631 – the third-consecutive sold out crowd.
Vault
Junior Lauren Rutherford continued her hot streak on vault for the Tigers posting her second 9.925 on the event this season to tie a career-high and to take the event win. Trinity Brown followed with a 9.875, her second-highest score in 2024, while Rebecca Wells, Eve Jackson and Molly Arnold added three 9.800s to bring the event total to 49.200, a season-high for the program.
With the 49.200, Clemson led North Carolina through the first rotation by 0.050, as the Tar Heels notched a 49.150 on bars.
Bars
Continuing their momentum into the second rotation, the Tigers finished with a 49.250 on bars for the second-highest total on the apparatus in 2024. Led by career-highs by both Jackson (9.900) and Brown (9.850), Clemson strung together five performances of 9.825 or better. Wells recorded another 9.850, while Lilly Lippeatt and Rutherford rounded out the core with a 9.825 each.
At the halfway point, Clemson held a 98.500-98.300 advantage over North Carolina.
Beam
The career-highs carried into the third rotation as Sierra Church claimed the event win with a score of 9.925 to anchor the beam for the Tigers, and Kielyn McCright tied her season-best with a 9.900. Lippeatt and Wells added a 9.850 each, and Brie Clark followed with a 9.775 to bring the Tigers their highest season total on the event with a 49.300.
Entering the final rotation, the Tigers maintained a 147.750-146.750 lead against the Tar Heels.
Floor
Another outstanding rotation for Clemson had five Tigers scoring 9.900 or higher for a team season-high of 49.600. Wells, who captured both the event victory and the all-around title, finished with a career-high 9.950. Clark and Arnold trailed her with a 9.925 each, while Jackson and Rutherford each added 9.900s. Clemson’s 49.600 ties for the 10th-highest score by any Division I program on the event this season.
With a complete all-around performance, Clemson improved to 5-2 (4-2 ACC) following the 197.350-195.500 win against the Tar Heels.
Clemson is back in action on Sunday, March 3 at 3 p.m. ET when the Tigers compete in their first quad meet of 2024 taking on Texas Women’s, Oklahoma and Penn in Denton, Texas.
