CLEMSON — Andrew Ciufo has played college baseball through a pandemic, two presidential elections, three head coaches, two significant injuries, and two teams. Still, he has not played in an NCAA Regional Tournament. 

That is, of course, until this weekend.

The sixth-year shortstop started his collegiate career at Georgetown University in the 2019-2020 season, though he did not appear in the shortened year due to COVID-19.

In 2021, he started in 26 games for the Hoyas, recording a squad-best 13 RBIs and five multi-hit games. One year later, he held a .297 average with nine homers, 37 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases in 50 starts. Though Georgetown’s year ended abruptly with losses to the University of Connecticut and Xavier in the Big East Tournament, Ciufo was named to the All-Tournament Team at the end of his second year.

An injury kept the Medford, N.Y., native sidelined and unable to build off of his momentum in 2023, so the graduate decided to make a change.

After conversations with head coach Erik Bakich following the 2023 season, Ciufo packed up and moved south to Clemson with two years of eligibility remaining. The graduate started in the Tigers’ first 27 games in 2024, notching a .280 average with 26 hits and 15 RBIs. Clemson held a 24-3 record while Ciufo started at shortstop.

His most memorable moment came with a walk-off home run to beat rival South Carolina in Columbia on March 2, 2024, a moment that cemented his Clemson legacy. However, 33 days after the win over South Carolina, Ciufo suffered an ACL tear against Notre Dame and was sidelined for the remainder of the season, including last year’s Clemson Regional at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.

Just over a year later, Ciufo is days away from making his first postseason appearance as No. 11 overall seed Clemson will host USC Upstate, Kentucky, and West Virginia in the Clemson Regional. 

Though Ciufo has never played in a regional, he experienced success as a member of last year’s team. 

“I got to experience it with team 127 last year, but being able to play in front of this home crowd for a Regional atmosphere is definitely something I’m looking forward to,” he said.

Clemson (44-16) is one of three teams in the country to host an NCAA Regional in each of the last three seasons.

“You got to give all the credit to Coach Bakich,” Ciufo said. “What he’s done in just three years here is absolutely amazing and we’re definitely excited to be back home and play in front of this crowd again. They’ve been great all year, but the energy for a regional is definitely different as a lot of people remember from last year. I think we’re happy to be home again, thankful to be able to host a regional and take it game-by-game.”

Ciufo added his favorite section in the Doug Kingsmore stands is the family section, where he can usually find his parents at every home game, and that he and his teammates are always keenly aware of fans at the new Beer Garden and the “Jervey Junkies,” who watch from the porch of Clemson’s nearby athletic building.

The Tigers, backed by the Jervey Junkies, the opposing bullpen being taunted, and family support, hold a 27-6 record at home this season. For Ciufo’s first NCAA Regional, he believes the atmosphere will be crucial for Clemson’s success.

Clemson will play their first game Friday against USC Upstate at 6 p.m. The Tigers defeated the Spartans 7-0 at Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C., earlier this season. 

In the win, Ciufo hit his first home run since his ACL tear.