Clemson Reports Seven Minor NCAA Violations Across Six Sports in 2025
Clemson athletics self-reported seven NCAA Level III violations across six different programs in 2025, including one involving the football team. While none of the infractions rise above the NCAA’s least severe classification, they still required the university to take corrective actions - from staff suspensions to temporary recruiting restrictions.
Let’s break down what happened across each sport, starting with football.
Football: Assistant Coach Penalized for Social Media Post
In 2025, one of Dabo Swinney’s assistants found himself in hot water after quote-tweeting a recruit’s verbal commitment on X (formerly Twitter). That post crossed the NCAA’s line, which prohibits schools from publicly endorsing or promoting a prospect before they officially enroll.
The assistant was handed a two-week ban from contacting the recruit, and the post was quickly removed. Clemson’s compliance team also stepped in to provide rules education. While this was the football program’s only violation in 2025 - and its first since 2023 - it served as a reminder that even a single click on social media can carry consequences in the tightly regulated world of NCAA recruiting.
Softball: Student Manager's Social Media Post Raises a Flag
Clemson softball ran into a similar issue, though this time it wasn’t a coach, but a student manager who caused the violation. During a recruit’s official visit, the manager posted a video of the prospect on social media - a clear no-go under NCAA rules, which prohibit publicizing a recruit’s visit.
The compliance staff acted swiftly, had the post taken down, and provided rules education to the softball staff to reinforce the boundaries around official visits and media.
Women’s Soccer: Off-Campus Contact Leads to Assistant’s Leave
In a more serious misstep, a women’s soccer assistant coach was placed on leave in 2025 after violating off-campus recruiting rules. The assistant had picked up current players from the airport and then brought them along to an in-person meeting with a recruit - a situation that created impermissible contact between enrolled athletes and a prospect.
According to NCAA guidelines, student-athletes can’t be used in recruiting efforts unless the interaction happens naturally and isn’t orchestrated by the staff. Clemson responded by placing the assistant on leave, banning the coaching staff from off-campus recruiting for two weeks, and again, delivering rules education.
Men’s Tennis: Prize Money Exceeded NCAA Limits
On the men’s tennis side, a player accepted prize money that went beyond what the NCAA considers “actual and necessary expenses.” While student-athletes are allowed to accept prize money under certain conditions, the key is that the amount can’t exceed what it cost the athlete to compete - and it can’t include expenses for anyone else, like a coach or parent.
The athlete was ruled ineligible until reinstated by the NCAA, repaid the excess funds to a local charity, and received rules education on the matter.
Women’s Track and Field: Two Separate Violations
The women’s track and field program had two separate issues in 2025.
First, a recruit and her mother were met at two restaurants located more than a mile from campus during an unofficial visit. The NCAA allows off-campus contact during unofficial visits, but only within a one-mile radius of campus. As a result, the coaching staff received a written warning, underwent rules education, and was barred from taking prospects off campus during unofficial visits for 30 days.
Second, a current athlete competed in a meet before being officially added to the team’s squad list. NCAA rules require that squad lists be finalized and submitted before the first day of outside competition. The head coach and an assistant - who handles athlete submissions - both reviewed and signed the list after the fact, and the head coach received a letter of admonishment.
Rowing: Early Email Contact Triggers Violation
Finally, the rowing program had a minor misstep when an assistant coach emailed a prospect before the NCAA’s allowed contact date. The entire rowing staff received rules education, and the assistant was barred from contacting the recruit for two weeks.
The Bigger Picture
All seven violations were categorized as Level III - meaning they were isolated, unintentional, and offered minimal competitive advantage. Still, they serve as a reminder of how fine the line can be in the NCAA rulebook, especially in an era where digital communication and recruiting overlap more than ever.
Clemson took corrective action in each case, from temporary bans to staff suspensions and education sessions. While none of these incidents are likely to raise red flags at the national level, they underscore the ongoing challenge for compliance departments across college athletics: keeping every staff member, from head coaches to student managers, aligned with a rulebook that’s always evolving.