White Knoll football coaching leaving for job at new SC school. What we know
After building White Knoll into a state championship contender, Nick Pelham will get a chance to start a high school football program from scratch.
Pelham was named the first coach at Lake Wylie High School in Clover. The hire was approved at a school board meeting on Wednesday morning. He informed his team of the decision earlier on Wednesday.
Lake Wylie will open ahead of the 2026-27 academic year. It is not known what classification the school will be, but that will be announced Friday when SC High School League announces its 2026-28 realignment classifications.
Pelham, who is originally from Michigan, had a successful run at White Knoll over the last five years. The team went 38-24 overall in that span, and Pelham led the Timberwolves to a Region 4-5A title and first trip to the Class 5A championship in 2023.
During that 2023 season, White Knoll knocked off Dutch Fork in the regular season, ending the Silver Foxes’ streak of seven straight region titles. Dutch Fork defeated White Knoll a month later in the state championship game.
The Timberwolves advanced to the Class 5A Division II Lower State final in 2024 and made it to the third round of the playoffs this year, losing to Irmo each of those games.
White Knoll’s 29 wins over the past three years are the most in a three-year span in school history.
“We were clear from the start- Lake Wylie football is going to be tough, disciplined, and built to compete. Nick Pelham is the coach to make that happen. He demands accountability, brings a physical brand of football, and isn’t afraid to set high standards from day one,” Lake Wylie High School Athletic Director Steven Peeler said in a school release. “Coach Pelham knows how to build a program the right way, and he will establish a culture of physicality, toughness, and pride that our players and community can stand behind,”
Before White Knoll, Pelham was the defensive coordinator at Dutch Fork and part of the Silver Foxes’ state record five-straight state championships.
SC Football Coaching Openings
School — Former Coach — New Coach
Chapin — Ryan Cole — TBA
Colleton County — Adam Kinloch — TBA
Conway — Josh Pierce — TBA
Lake Wylie — (School opens in 2026) — N/A — Nick Pelham
Liberty — Paul Sutherland — TBA
McCormick — Leroy Collier — TBA
May River — Richard Bonneville — TBA
Ninety-Six — Matthew Bennett — TBA
North Myrtle Beach — Greg Hill — TBA
St. James — Tommy Norwood — TBA
Union County — Quinnon Isom — Bryan Robinson
Wagener-Salley — Blaze Gillespie — TBA
Whale Branch — Willie White (interim) — TBA
White Knoll — Nick Pelham — TBA
This story was originally published December 17, 2025 at 12:00 PM.
