Ava Piedrahita, an All-American gymnast from Penn State, will join Clemson as part of the 2026 signing class and compete for the Tigers in the 2027 season, according to a May 6 announcement. Piedrahita brings experience from more than 45 meets and is recognized as a three-time All-Conference performer in the Big Ten.
Her addition is seen as significant for Clemson’s growing program. Piedrahita has achieved over 100 career routines scoring at least 9.800 and nearly thirty routines at or above a score of 9.900. She helped Penn State reach NCAA Regionals each season she competed.
Co-Head Coaches Justin Howell and Liz Crandall-Howell have put together a signing class that includes seven freshmen—Audrey Snyder, Sydney Snyder, Georgia “Yuri” Dunlap, Helen Geiger, Ella Oprea, Morgan Reihl, Makayla Torres-Melton—as well as Iowa State transfer Haylee Hardin and now Piedrahita. “We’re thrilled to welcome Ava to Tiger Town,” said Co-Head Coach Justin Howell. “Ava is an elite competitor with proven experience at the highest level. Her passion for excellence fit perfectly within the culture we’re building at Clemson, and we can’t wait watch her light up Littlejohn Coliseum.”
Before her college career began at Penn State, Piedrahita was a three-time regional champion and participated twice in the Nastia Liukin Cup where she finished third all-around in 2019. She also had two top-five finishes at Nationals.
Piedrahita’s senior year highlights include Second-Team All-Big Ten honors with standout performances such as scoring a season-best of 9.950 on uneven bars against Nebraska/North Carolina on March 13 and multiple vault scores above nine-point-nine throughout the year. In previous seasons she was named WCGA Northeast Region Co-Gymnast of the Year and First Team All-Big Ten while helping Penn State advance further into NCAA postseason competition.
As Clemson continues to build its gymnastics program with experienced transfers like Piedrahita alongside incoming freshmen talent, observers will be watching how these additions impact future team results.
