Athletic competition at Clemson University dates back to April 24, 1896, when Clemson Baseball faced Furman University in the first intercollegiate sporting event played at the University. Clemson played its home baseball games on present-day Bowman Field — named for the University’s first baseball coach, Randolph T.V. Bowman — until moving to Historic Riggs Field in 1916 and eventually Beautiful Tiger Field, which was renamed Doug Kingsmore Stadium in 2000.
Today, Clemson sponsors 21 varsity sports that compete in Division I, the highest classification of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Although Bowman Field is no longer home to Clemson Athletics, students often enjoy playing games such as spikeball and volleyball on what is commonly referred to as the University’s “front lawn.”
Clemson University Special Collections and Archives
