Valerie Cagle talks about her Clemson Softball career and what lies ahead
Anyone who ever saw Valerie Cagle ’22, M ’24 deliver a crucial strikeout, provide a clutch hit or send a ball soaring over an outfield wall may be surprised to learn that she was not a highly recruited prospect in high school. While she always believed in her potential, Cagle assumed that she would mostly fly under the radar as a college athlete when she joined Clemson Softball as part of its inaugural team in 2020.
“I, for some reason, thought I could come here and have all of these big goals and do all the things I wanted to do, and no one would care,” said Cagle, whose five-year career concluded in May.
In The Circle and The Batter’s Box
Valerie Cagle was a two-way player for Clemson Softball, meaning she both pitched and hit — a rarity in the sport.
But people cared. Cagle recalls the program’s first-ever home game against a ranked opponent when, on a Wednesday night in February 2020, the 10-7 Tigers faced then-No. 14 Georgia.
“The stands were absolutely full,” Cagle said. “That environment’s been there since day one.”
When singling out that game as a favorite memory, Cagle does not mention that she pitched a complete game in the 4-1 upset victory. In speaking with her, it becomes clear that she does not want to monopolize the credit for team accomplishments. However, the story of Clemson Softball’s immediate success would not be complete without recognizing her significant impact.
In the Tigers’ first season, canceled after 27 games due to COVID-19, Cagle led the team in earned run average, innings pitched, hits and runs batted in. She repeated that feat in 2021, earning ACC Player of the Year and ACC Freshman of the Year honors as Clemson made the NCAA tournament and finished 44-8.
“…We are so much more capable than we give ourselves credit for.”
Valerie Cagle ’22, M ’24
In 2022, Cagle played through chronic proximal biceps tendonitis that caused unrelenting pain in her right shoulder and required offseason surgery. Though she ultimately made a full recovery and was named the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year in 2023, Cagle had been warned that she might never regain her peak pitching velocity.
These challenges — having her first collegiate season curtailed, working to return to top form after surgery, and adjusting to being in the spotlight — are as much a part of Cagle’s journey as the impressive stats and accolades.
“It’s just taught me how much the people around you matter,” Cagle said. “I wouldn’t have been able to get through the past five years without the support system that I have here and my family and just really learning to rely on others. But also, we are so much more capable than we give ourselves credit for.”
This spring, Cagle earned a Master of Human Resource Development with a concentration in athletic leadership. She hopes to remain in athletics as she considers her future career plans.
In May, Cagle was the first overall pick in the Athletes Unlimited Softball College Draft, making history as the first Clemson female student-athlete to go No. 1 in a draft. This summer, she played in the league’s five-week, 30-game AU Pro Softball Championship Season in Rosemont, Illinois. She also traveled to Japan in July with USA Softball women’s national team for a three-game series against Team Japan.
Career statistics, 2020-2024
Pitching: 1.72 ERA / 756.1 IP / 819 SO / 169 BB
Hitting: .379 AVG / 288 hits / .457 OBP / 224 RBI / 66 HRs
For Cagle, these opportunities are all tied to her decision to commit to Clemson and to the trust of a coaching staff that was “willing to take a chance on me.”
“They’ve all been very influential, and it’s really allowed me to kind of grow and push me to be a better version of me,” Cagle said. “(Clemson) was just the right fit for me. And starting a program isn’t necessarily right for everyone. But, for me, it was great.”
