Touchberry takes over as Daniel athletic director

Central – There is seldom much turnover among the head coaches at Daniel

High School, and this year will be no exception.

However, there is a big change at the top of the totem pole. Longtime

athletic director Tommy Plumblee retired at the end of the 2023-24 school year.

He is being replaced by Ben Touchberry, who is also the returning boys

basketball head coach.

Touchberry’s team had a good season on the hardwood, finishing with a 20-9

record and reaching the second round of the AAA state playoffs.

Jeff Fruster returns as the football coach after leading the Lions to a perfect

15-0 season and its third AAA state championship in four seasons. Daniel has gone

52-1 over that period.

The boys soccer team won its second straight state title under head coach

Thomas Izaguirre. Daniel beat Waccamaw 1-0 in the state championship contest.

The Lions outscored the opposition 30-5 in their five playoff games.

The boys tennis team reached the championship match of the AAA state

playoffs for the second straight season. Jon Parker will return as the head coach.

Cosandar Griffin-Wilson returns as the girls basketball head coach after

leading the team on a magical playoff run. The Lady Lions reached the AAA upper

state championship contest before falling to Wren. They went 17-10 on the season

and won the Region 1 championship.

Ashley Perry is back as the girls cross country while Paul Dawson returns

to coach the boys team. Cora Wichelns will be back in charge of the softball

program, while Ashley Aman is the competitive cheer head coach. Chad Perry

will once again be the girls soccer coach, and Hayley Hoover returns as the

volleyball head coach.

Laura Henry is back as both the boys and girls swim coach, Andy Swords

is again in charge of the girls golf team, Jacob Wichelns returns as the girls track

and field head coach with Alvin Abrams handling the boys track and field team.

Craig Wells is once again the girls tennis coach, Ron Thomas is in charge of the

boys golf team and Andy Akers is the wrestling coach.

The Daniel athletic teams will be competing as members of the AAAA

classification this season following the South Carolina High School League’s

reclassification and realignment.

Daniel will be a member of Region 2 along with Berea, Blue Ridge,

Greer, Pickens, Seneca and Travelers Rest.