Just two seasons after being hired to lead Clemson gymnastics, no one expected a media release about Amy Smith with words like “parted ways” and “immediately commence a national search for its next head coach.” But when this happened in April 2025, many were shocked. The Clemson athletic director, Graham Neff’s words just didn’t sit right with the fans. But now, after 2 months of uncertainty and speculation, we finally know the reason behind the split. Yes, the skeleton is out of the closet now…

Amy Smith being fired in April also seemed appalling because she had just concluded her second season as the head coach, having led her team to two back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances. And quite ironically, the 2025 one was historic for Clemson gymnastics, because they registered their first NCAA regional win in program history! But we now know that something way more serious necessitated that harsh step.

On June 30, records finally came to light, revealing that Amy Smith was fired from the Clemson gymnastics program after she had violated three different sections of her employment contract. As documented by The State in their recent article, new details were obtained by them via a public records request. They revealed that Smith was held accountable for violating the said clauses: “safe and responsible treatment of athletes”, “personal conduct” (not to do anything that shocks, insults, or offends the community), and “any act or omission” that brings “serious discredit” to her program.

The State further detailed that, as per the copy of Amy Smith’s notice of separation, she was formally fired from the position as gymnastics coach for cause. While Clemson cited the three violations as the reason, the letter from the university’s senior associate athletic director, Kyle Young, did not include any specific explanation or detailed examples of the misconduct. However, it’s clearly mentioned in his letter that “The specific reasons supporting the termination have been discussed” with Smith before issuing the notice.

In the past few days, it’s not just Smith’s parting that has shaken up this university. A lot of drastic changes have happened. For instance, the University made a mega $450k commitment when they hired California’s former coaches, Justin Howell and Elisabeth Crandall-Howell, for their gymnastics program. After nearly a month of having no coach, this step was taken, and it likely changed things internally because the shift of a coach is never easy. Techniques change, approach changes, and gymnasts are often left to adapt. The side even added an assistant coach, Luke Wasson, to the team. However, these were just the tip of the iceberg…

Clemson gymnastics’ bittersweet ride

The last few months have brought both progress and setbacks for Clemson gymnastics. Simone Brown, one of Clemson gymnastics’ star prospects who was looking to join the team in 2026, suddenly backed out. On June 15, she declared, “BIG news! I’m a razorback! I’m so excited to say that I have committed to Arkansas.” This comes almost a year after she had announced in 2024 that, “I would like to thank the Clemson coaching staff for how much you believed in me……I can’t wait to join Clemson gymnastics in 2026.”

What changed over this one year? Point to be discussed. But the shift of the coach is something that likely affected her call. However, not everything was bitter. The sweet parts include the recent news, just announced on June 30, that Paige Anastasi, a former UCLA gymnast, is now headed to Clemson. The gymnastics star announced on her social media that she trusted god’s plan and is looking for a fresh start at Clemson. Not just this, in May, a former Californian gymnast, Sydney Snyder, joined Clemson too.

So yes, there have been entries, and there have been exits too. The end result is that in just 2 months, the Clemson gymnastics program is looking completely different. Let’s wait and watch if this brings in the ideal results.