Legendary Lexington High soccer coach plans to retire. Here’s what we know
The winningest high school girls soccer coach in South Carolina history will be hanging it up after this season.
Lexington’s Chris Fryland says the 2026 season will be his last as Wildcats’ head coach.
“I always said when it came more like a job than a passion then it was time to step down,” Fryland told The State. “I was thinking about it toward the end of last year, but then I decided over Christmas.
“I go back and forth some days because I still really enjoy the kids and everything about it. But I think I made the right decision.”
With Fryland’s impending retirement, that means the two winningest soccer coaches in SC high school history will no longer be coaching. Phil Savitz, the SC boys all-time winningest coach, retired after the 2024 season. Savitz coached for 45 yards and won 824 matches.
Fryland is entering his 27th season at the school and looks to add to his state-record 460 victories. He became the state’s all-time winningest coach, passing Tony Archenhold, in 2023 when he won his 429th match.
Fryland’s 460 wins rank 14th in the country for girls high school soccer coaches, according to the National Federation of High Schools’ record books.
“I guess it’s more just being here for such a long time and having consistently really, good players to be able to win with,” Fryland said of the state record. “To be able to win so many games at such a high level with those players made it a really, really, really fun process.”
Fryland, a New Jersey native, moved to South Carolina more than 30 years ago. He coached on the club level before becoming head coach at Camden High School in 1992. That stint didn’t last long as he moved to Virginia for a short period before returning to South Carolina.
Fryland became the Lexington boys junior varsity coach in 1999 before then taking over the girls program, where he is going into his 27th season. High School girls soccer was just getting started in SC when he took over Lexington with the first season coming in 1991.
During his tenure at the school, Fryland has led the Wildcats to 11 region titles, nine state semifinal appearances and three state title trips in 2007, 2016 and 2018. In 2016, Lexington went 25-0-2 and capped off the season by winning a memorable state championship match against Mann.
The Wildcats were ranked No. 5 nationally in USA Today/National Soccer Coaches Association polls that season.
Megan Classer scored in the 105th minute to give the Wildcats a 2-1 victory in sudden death.
“Everything kind of came together that year,” Fryland said of the championship season.
Now, Fryland hopes to make a title run in his last season as well as trying to soak in every moment during the season.
The Wildcats were ranked No. 9 in Class 5A Division I in the preseason SC Coaches polls. Lexington opened up its preseason on Friday against Fort Mill and will begin its season against Carolina Forest on Friday at the Michael Nash Tournament.
“I try to approach everyday like it is my last practice and go as hard as I can,” Fryland said. “But after our scrimmage against Fort Mill, I was thinking we have a chance to be pretty good this year. We graduated eight starters. … And the lower state is going to be really tough with Wando, River Bluff, James Island and West Ashley. But we have a chance to go pretty far.”
This story was originally published February 16, 2026 at 7:01 AM.
