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Clemson NCAA violations include football recruiting, softball video
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- Clemson NCAA violations include football recruiting, softball video
CLEMSON — A Clemson football assistant was banned from communicating with a prospect for two weeks after he quote-tweeted a verbal commitment post on X in 2025, according to documents obtained by The Greenville News .
This was one of seven violations Clemson athletics reported to the NCAA in 2025. All were Level III violations, meaning they were "isolated or limited in nature; provide no more than a minimal recruiting, competitive or other advantage; and provide no more than a minimal impermissible benefit."
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Level III violations are the least severe but most common infractions.
Clemson also provided "rules education" to the football assistant for the violation, and the social media post was removed. The NCAA prevents schools from publicly commenting on or promoting a commit before he has officially enrolled.
This was Clemson football's first NCAA violation since 2023 after not reporting any in 2024 . Prior to last year, the program had 11 infractions during the previous four years.
The other 2025 violations occurred in Clemson's softball, women's soccer, women's track and field, rowing and men's tennis teams.
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Here's what violation each program committed and what their discipline was.
Certain information, including names and the specific date of violations, were redacted from the report.
Clemson softball student manager posted video of recruit on official visit
In 2025, a Clemson student manager posted a video on social media of a potential athlete on her official visit.
A Clemson compliance staff member contacted the manager to remove the post and provided rules education to the softball staff because a school cannot publicize a prospect's visit to the campus.
MORE: How Clemson football profit dropping $14M continued athletics' downward trend in 2025
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Clemson women's soccer assistant placed on leave
In 2024, a Clemson women's soccer assistant was transporting current players from an airport and included them in an in-person off-campus contact with a potential recruit.
The NCAA prohibits off-campus in-person contact between an enrolled athlete and a prospect "provided such contact does not occur at the direction of an institutional staff member." The organization also stated that an institution "may not provide an enrolled student-athlete with transportation or expenses to recruit a prospect."
As a result, Clemson placed the assistant on leave of absence in 2025, and the coaching staff received rules education and was prohibited from making off-campus contact for two weeks.
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Clemson tennis player accepted prize money that exceeded limit
A Clemson men's tennis player accepted "impermissible" prize money while representing the Tigers that "exceeded actual and necessary expenses."
According to the NCAA, a tennis player can accept prize money. However, the calculation of actual and necessary expenses "shall not include the expenses or fees of anyone other than the individual."
The athlete had to repay the prize money to a local charity and received rules education. He was also declared ineligible until the NCAA reinstated him.
MORE: Clemson baseball's Ariston Veasey will miss at least 3 games after arrest, Erik Bakich says
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Clemson women's track and field recruit had unofficial visit beyond one mile of campus
In 2024, a Clemson recruit and her mother were met at two different restaurants "beyond one mile of campus" on an unofficial visit.
The NCAA permits off-campus contact between a staff member, a potential athlete and those accompanying the athlete during an unofficial visit, but it has to be within one mile of campus boundaries.
This led to Clemson providing rules education to the track-and-field coaching staff regarding transportation during unofficial and off-campus contacts. They also received letters of admonishment, a written warning, and were restricted from taking prospects off campus during unofficial visits for 30 days.
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Clemson women's track and field athlete wasn't added to squad list
In 2025, a Clemson track and field athlete competed in an event prior to being added to the sport's squad list.
According to the NCAA, an institution must complete a squad list for each sport by the first day of outside competition, and it should be kept up to date.
Clemson women's track and field coach Vicky Pounds received a letter of admonishment. She and an assistant coach, who is responsible for athletes track-meet submissions, both reviewed and signed the squad list.
Clemson rowing assistant emailed a prospect too early
A Clemson rowing assistant emailed a prospect prior to the first permissible date to send information.
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Clemson gave rules education to the entire coaching staff. The school also prohibited the staff from communicating with the prospect for two weeks.
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at DCarter@usatodayco.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson football recruiting among school's 7 NCAA violations in 2025
