When it rains, it pours for Shawn Poppie and the Clemson Women’s Basketball team.

One day after Hannah Kohn announced her intentions to enter the transfer portal, it was learned that five-star signee Trinity Jones was released from her National Letter of Intent. While losing Kohn certainly stings, it’s the loss of Jones that is the gut-punch.

Widely considered one of the top players in the country, regardless of position, Jones committed to Clemson back in October, before officially signing in November. Rivals ranked her No. 7 overall and the No. 2 shooting guard in the 2026 class. She was the highest-ranked commit for Clemson since 2008.

She was part of a class that was ranked third in the nation by 247Sports. It was the highest-ranked signing class in program history and Jones was a big part of the reason why.

“Trinity’s combination of length, athleticism, and versatility makes her one of the most exciting players in her class,” Poppie said of Jones after she signed. “She’s capable of impacting the game in countless ways, and her natural talent is matched only by her love of the game. As the highest-ranked recruit in program history, Trinity will help us set new standards — her work ethic and passion for the game make her future incredibly bright.”

The 6-foot-1 McDonald’s All-American was a central figure in the class and expected to be a part of the foundation of Poppie’s program over the next few years.

Jones was in Glendale earlier this week participating in the McDonald’s All-American Game, finishing with 10 points in the contest.

LSU, Tennessee and UCLA were other finalists when she committed back in October, but where she ends up is yet to be determined.

At the same time, the news isn’t all bad regarding the incoming class. Four-star small forward Julia Scott, four-star SG Kimora Fields and four-star SG Meeyah Green are all still joining the program, and all three are Top 60 prospects, with Scott ranking No. 29 overall.

However, losing Jones is still a massive hit to a program that has been trending upward since the hiring of Poppie. The head coach just led Clemson back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in seven seasons in just his second year at the helm.

Photo courtesy of Brett Davis-Imagn Images