CLEMSON – Robbie Campbell has made the 126-mile round-trip from Waterloo to Clemson five times now and feels certain that more such treks are in his future.

His 9-year-old daughter, Alexus, has been bitten and smitten by the gymnastics bug, courtesy of Clemson’s women’s gymnastics team.

The team may be in its inaugural season, but it has wasted little time in establishing a far-reaching fan base.

Including the Campbells.

“I just thought it would be something new and different and family friendly to take the kids to,” Robbie Campbell said. “I never expected the crowds that it has drawn and the overall happy atmosphere of every meet.”

Happy, to be sure.

But try riveting, electrifying and compelling as well.

Imagine a crowd numbering more than 8,500 converging for a party in Littlejohn Coliseum. And then a gymnastics meet breaks out.

Such has unfolded four times to date and the Tigers will host their final meet of the 2024 schedule on Friday. The opponent will be Air Force on Military Appreciation Day and Senior Night.

The team then will travel to UCLA – Clemson coach Amy Smith’s alma mater – on March 16 before capping its inaugural season at the ACC Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina, on March 23.

By any measure, the sport has proven a bona fide success and exceeded all expectations.

Gymnastics not only has vaulted its way into Clemson fans’ consciousness, but is threatening to be the second-most popular sport on campus, trailing only that team that occupies Memorial Stadium on autumn Saturdays.

In four home meets against William & Mary and ACC foes N.C. State, North Carolina and Pitt, the average attendance has been 8,477, with each of the league competitions unfolding before sold-out crowds. The Tigers are 7-3 this season, including a 4-2 record in the ACC.

So what’s not to like?

Each gymnast’s introduction reminds of something one might see in professional wrestling, complete with pyrotechnics, flashing lights, loud music, balloons and thunderous applause. Clemson cheerleaders and dance team rev up the crowd.

Once the competition begins, there continues to be cheering, clapping and shrieks of delight – and that’s just from the gymnasts’ teammates.

As the athletes work their way through the rotations of bars, vault, beam and floor, the tension builds and eventually peaks with the floor exercise, which unfolds directly in front of Clemson’s extremely vocal student section.

The ringleader of all this excitement is Smith, who is enthusiasm personified and a perfect fit for head coach of a fledgling program seeking to make a name for itself ahead of schedule.

Suffice to say she’s thrilled with the response her program has received.

“It’s so cool,” Smith said. “To start this program and have that level of support that quickly is unreal. It’s something we don’t take for granted.

“There are 80 other teams in the country that aren’t blessed to have 8,000 people in their first year. It typically takes time to get there … and we’re already there.”

A former All-American at UCLA who helped the Bruins to the NCAA title in 1997, Smith spent the past five seasons as coach at Utah State. Several of her gymnasts from Utah State followed her to Clemson, and the Tigers’ diverse team includes 18 athletes from 13 states, from Florida to California.

“I didn’t know if coming to Clemson would be an option,” said Molly Arnold, a redshirt sophomore from Bloomington, Minnesota. “But it was, and I’m glad I did. I know that all Clemson sports get a lot of support, but having sellout crowds has been pretty crazy. They show up, and it means a lot. We feed off the energy they bring.”

Lauren Rutherford, a junior from Roswell, Georgia, agreed.

“The support is unreal,” Rutherford said. “To have this many people in our inaugural year is amazing, honestly. It feels great to have little girls look up to us.”

Like Alexus from Waterloo, who saves her loudest cheers for Eve Jackson, a redshirt junior from Los Angeles.

“She definitely screams a lot and gets into it,” said her father, Robbie. “She has become a huge fan. We even bought her the (Clemson) youth leotard that she wears to dance class every week. She is loving it.”

Clemson gymnastics had 3,360 season ticket holders this season – the sixth-highest total in the nation. Season ticket requests for the 2025 season open on Friday.

Expect Alexus Campbell, with dad in tow, to be among the first in line.

Scott Keepfer covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at skeepfer@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ScottKeepfer

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson women's gymnastics soaring in popularity in its first season