College Sports
Clemson AD Graham Neff on Amy Smith firing, next gymnastics coach
Clemson AD Graham Neff talks about Clemson Ventures and NIL Clemson AD Graham Neff talks about Clemson Ventures and NIL at the State of Clemson Athletics speech in the Smart Family Media Center Wednesday, August 21, 2024. CLEMSON — Clemson athletic director Graham Neff made his first public comments on the firing of gymnastics coach […]
Clemson AD Graham Neff talks about Clemson Ventures and NIL
Clemson AD Graham Neff talks about Clemson Ventures and NIL at the State of Clemson Athletics speech in the Smart Family Media Center Wednesday, August 21, 2024.
CLEMSON — Clemson athletic director Graham Neff made his first public comments on the firing of gymnastics coach Amy Smith after its board of trustees meeting on April 25.
“I can’t say much more than what was provided in the release, but the focus on the stature of the program that we have, the competitive success that it has seen and the student-athletes that are here get excited for the forward-looking approach to it,” Neff said.
In a brief media release on April 18, Neff announced Clemson “parted ways” with Smith and added the athletic department will “immediately commence a national search” for its next head coach. Neff said he is exited by the interest in the job vacancy and expects to fill it in one to three weeks.
“Certainly, the community support, 5,000 season tickets, the branding, the facilities: that’s just all been confirmation that Clemson gymnastics is a top-10 job in the country, even though it’s still in its infancy so to speak,” Neff said. “What we felt from candidates and interest has been beyond expectations.”
Smith was hired in April 2022 and just concluded her second season as the program’s inaugural coach. She led Clemson to two NCAA tournament appearances, including its first NCAA regional win in program history in 2025.
Clemson and Neff supported Smith’s hiring despite criticism from her former players, and a November 2023 Washington Post story that detailed allegations of verbal abuse and having a toxic culture from former gymnasts at North Carolina, where she was an assistant, and Utah State, where she was a coach.
Clemson also received a Level III NCAA violation in 2024 after Smith did not sign off on the team’s “squad list” prior to the team’s first competition, as required by the NCAA.
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00