CLEMSON — Clemson’s softball team would love to be hosting an NCAA Regional at McWhorter Stadium this coming weekend. However, if they had to pick anywhere else to play in the NCAA Tournament, it would definitely be in Athens, Ga., which is where they landed.
The Tigers, the No. 6 seed in the Texas Bracket, will play in the Athens (Georgia) Regional, this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Jack Turner Stadium.
Clemson (32-20) will open the double-elimination regional on Friday against UNC Greensboro (42-17). First pitch is currently slated for 4:30 p.m., on ACC Network.
Earning the No. 10 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament and No. 3 seed in the quadrant, is Georgia (38-18), who hosts the College of Charleston (30-28) at 7 p.m., on ESPN+.
The winner of the Athens Regional will advance to a best-of-three NCAA Super Regional against the winner of the Knoxville Regional.
It helps that Clemson has had recent success against all three of the other teams it might play in the Athens Regional, including host Georgia.
“I was really excited,” Clemson centerfield Jamison Brockenbrough said about the selection. “I think we played a really good game against (Georgia) and it is always fun to play against Georgia. I was excited and I have a lot of faith in our team that we will have a great game with them.”
The Tigers should feel good about playing Georgia. They run-ruled the Bulldogs, who were ranked 10th at the time, 10-1, in Athens on Feb. 25.
“I think it is extra special with a lot of us being from Georgia,” All-ACC right fielder Taylor Pipkins said. “It will be a little hometown moment for all of us. I think we will have a good fan turnout and a lot of support. I am just really excited to play, like she said, a team we had an opportunity to play this season.
“We know they are going to come out competitive, and we are going to come out competitive, and it is going to be a fight for the regional.”
Georgia is not the only team the Tigers have played this season. They also played and beat the College of Charleston, 7-0, on March 4.
However, the Tigers must first get past UNC Greensboro before it worries about playing Georgia or Charleston. They have not played UNCG since the Spartans played in the Clemson Regional in 2023.
Clemson beat them 17-2 on May 19, 2023. The Tigers also beat them twice in the Clemson Classic earlier that year.
“All of the team in there, we are familiar with… It is going to be a tough weekend and a tough regional and we are looking forward to it,” Clemson head coach John Rittman said.