Clemson Roundup: Spencer Strider, Julie Venables and soccer polls

Spencer Strider breaks own record to 200 strikeouts

Clemson Baseball alum Spencer Strider has been a star for the Atlanta Braves the last couple of seasons. Last year he set the Major League Baseball record for getting 200 strikeouts, needing only 130 innings pitched.

This season, he broke his own record, achieving 200 strikeouts in only 123 1/3 innings pitched, and he did it against one of the best in the game today, Los Angeles Angels player Shohei Ohtani.

https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1686520403391397889?s=20

Strider is 12-3 on the season with a 3.61 ERA.

Former Clemson coach Brent Venables announces wife has cancer

Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables announced recently that his wife, Julie, was diagnosed with breast cancer in June. She underwent surgery on Friday, July 28th. They are hopeful the surgery was a success and she does not require further treatment.

We wish Julie a speedy recovery and our thoughts are with her and her family, including alum Jake Venables and current player Tyler Venables.

Clemson Fall Sports are starting practices

It’s not just Clemson Football that starts practices this week. Clemson Women’s Soccer hit the pitch for their first practice for the 2023 season.

https://twitter.com/clemsonwsoccer/status/1686519916822712320?s=20

The Tigers will start the season with two exhibitions before opening at home on August 17th against their archrival, the South Carolina Gamecocks.

The United Soccer Coaches Poll placed Clemson at #25. North Carolina, Notre Dame, Duke, Virginia, Florida State and Pittsburgh were also included.

https://twitter.com/theACC/status/1686743206006751237?s=20

Men’s Soccer and Volleyball start soon too. Men’s Soccer was ranked at #9 by the United Soccer Coaches.

Syracuse, Duke, Pittsburgh, Virginia and Wake Forest are also ranked.

If you need some pro football and can’t wait for the NFL, the BC Lions, with Clemson alums Garry Peters and Chase Brice, will visit the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Thursday at 8:30 PM.

Looking way ahead to next spring, College Baseball Nation released a way-too-early Top 25 and included Clemson Baseball at No. 8.

https://twitter.com/CollegeBallNat/status/1686433368429219840?s=20

The SEC holds the top three spots with LSU, Florida and Arkansas. Wake Forest is the highest ranked ACC team.