CLEMSON — Sixty feet is all they needed.

Two-thirds of a basketball court, the length of a bowling lane, or a few seconds’ sprint. That is what the Clemson Softball needed to advance to the Women’s College World Series. Sixty feet is what stood between the Tigers and history.

Unfortunately, 60-feet is a long way away.

After beating Texas in Game 1 of the Austin (Texas) Super Regional, the Tigers were one hit away from advancing to the program’s first CWS. With runners on second and third and no outs in the deciding game, A single, sacrifice bunt or fly ball would have sent Clemson to its first appearance in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Instead, three quick Clemson outs–punctuated by an enthralled home crowd–sent the series to a decisive Game 3, in which the Tigers fell 6-5 to the eventual national champions. After going 19-1 in the last month of the season, Clemson’s year ended with a plane ride back home in lieu of a confetti-decked celebration.

“It definitely makes my blood boil a little bit how close we were and I know we were capable of doing it,” two-way player Macey Cintron said. “We just fell short and I think that now we’re coming back to prove that we belong in those big games. I know a lot of people doubted us and I feel like that fueled our fire and made us want to play and we continue to show and prove it to everybody.”

In Game 2 of the Austin Super Regional, Cintron hit her 14th home run of the season to tie things up and reached base four times in five at-bats that night. The Cumming, Ga., native, then a freshman, finished her season with a .292 average and .417 on-base percentage. 

Although Cintron and the Tigers finished their season battling with the best team in the country, the journey to Texas started on rocky ground. After losing a tenured core from 2024, Clemson opened last season with a humbling 3-6 record.

“Even though we started off a little shaky last year, at the end of the season, we fought with the best in the country,” Cintron said. “So, I just think that we want to prove it to people that we can still play in those big games, but at the end of the day, it’s just within our team that we know that we belong in those moments.”

After the slow start, the Tigers rattled off 15 consecutive wins. They finished the year 48-14 overall, with an ACC Championship in hand and a 19-5 record in conference-play.

Head coach John Rittman believes that momentum, paired with the sting of the Texas loss will prevent another slow start.

“It’s definitely motivation,” the veteran coach said. “I think you can see it in our approach in the weight room, our conditioning sessions. You can see how well they work together on the field. They know how close they were and they want to get over the hump.

“Certainly, you got to beat really good teams to get to where we want to go, and just having that postseason experience and having that hunger is motivation for this group.”

While the sting is still fresh, it falls on an entirely new team. The Tigers lost 10 seniors from last season, as centerfielder Jamison Brockenbrough and Boston College transfer Abby Dunning make up the only seniors on this year’s squad.

In turn, the experience from younger players will be crucial as Cintron, with other sophomores Marian Collins, Taylor Pipkins, and junior Julia Knowler step into leadership roles.

“All of our players, you know, that were here last year and returned, they are hungry,” Rittman said. “They have the postseason experience. They’re very talented and the freshmen have mixed in really well. There’s a lot of competition for the starting lineup and that competition breeds success.”

So far, Clemson’s success has translated to top-15 rankings in all major preseason polls, including a No. 12 ranking by ESPN and a No. 9 nod by Softball America. 

After an ACC Freshman of the Year campaign, Cintron earned preseason All-ACC and second-team All-American honors ahead of the 2026 season. The Tigers are slotted to come in second in the ACC behind Florida State, who Clemson beat to win the league last May in the ACC Tournament.

While Cintron, Rittman, and the Tigers will not face postseason intensity for another three months, they will open their season with five games at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Fla., this coming Thursday through next Sunday.

The slate will include opportunities against Oregon, Auburn, and Michigan State.

Clemson opens its season 258 days after the conclusion of last season, when the Tigers will play Southeast Louisiana on Thursday. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.