Irmo High School Explained

Irmo High School
Motto:	"In Ourselves, Our Future Lies"
Streetaddress:	6671 St. Andrews Road
City:	Columbia, South Carolina
Zipcode:	29212
Country:	United States
Type:	Public high school
Principal:	Kaaren W. Hampton
Enrollment:	1,216 (2021-21)^[1]
Grades:	9 - 12
Staff:	101.20 (FTE)
Ratio:	12.02
District:	Lexington & Richland County School District Five
Nickname:	Yellow Jackets
Colors:	Black and yellow gold ^[2]
Athletics Conference:	AAAA  - Region 4
Newspaper:	The Stinger

Irmo High School is a public high school in Columbia, South Carolina, United States. Irmo High School falls under the administrative jurisdiction of District 5 of Lexington and Richland Counties. It is an International Baccalaureate school.^[3]

Athletics

Irmo's sports teams compete as the Yellow Jackets and participate in Class 4A SCHSL.^[4] The school has won 66 team state championships.^[5]

Although Irmo had been the "Yellow Jackets" for many years, in 1978 a new logo was introduced. Prior to 1978, Irmo used a yellow jacket image for a logo similar to most schools that are known as yellow jackets.

Details by sport:

• Football: The Irmo Yellow Jacket football team won a state championship in 1980.^[6]
• Boys soccer: The Yellow Jackets have won 15 state championships and appeared in 25 state championship games since 1978.^[7]
  • State championships: 1978, 1979, 1982, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2013^[7]
• Boys basketball: The Irmo boys' basketball team won state championship in 1991, 1994, 1995, 2011, 2013, and most recently 2023.^[8]
• Boys tennis
  • Champions (10): 1983, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2001^[9]
• Girls tennis:
  • Champions (8): 1990, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2004 ^[10]
• Baseball:
  • Champions (3): 1985, 1987, 1998 ^[11]
• Girls basketball
• Boys cross country
  • Champions (5): 1977, 1978, 1979, 1992, 1998 ^[12]
• Girls cross country
  • Champions (6): 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 ^[13]
• Boys golf
  • Champions (5): 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1987^[14]
• Girls golf
  • Champions (1): 1999^[15]
• Girls soccer
• Girls swimming
  • Champions (3): 1998, 1999, 2000^[16]
• Boys track and field
• Girls track and field
  • Champions (2): 1997, 1999 ^[17]
• Volleyball
  • Champions (2): 1998, 1999 ^[18]
• Wrestling
  • Champions (1): 1980 ^[19]

Marching band

The Irmo High School marching band won 5A SCBDA Marching Championships in 1991 and 1994 - 2003.^[20]

Feeder patterns

The following middle schools feed into Irmo High School:^[21]

• Crossroads Intermediate School
• Irmo Middle School

Notable alumni

• André Bauer, 87th Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina from 2003 to 2011
• Nick Emmanwori, college football safety for the South Carolina Gamecocks^[22]
• Richard Evonitz, American serial killer, known for murdering three teenage girls in Spotsylvania County, Virginia^[23]
• Lilian Garcia, ring announcer, singer and podcaster^[24]
• Leeza Gibbons, American talk show host^[25]
• Trajan Jeffcoat, NFL defensive end for the New Orleans Saints^[26]
• Savannah McCaskill, professional soccer player^[27]
• BJ McKie, professional basketball player^[28]
• Zach Prince, professional soccer player^[29]
• Elton Pollock, college baseball coach
• Donna Rice Hughes, activist, author, speaker and film producer
• Courtney Shealy, Olympic gold medalist in women's swimming at 2000 Summer Olympics^[30]
• Devontae Shuler, professional basketball player^[31]
• Catherine Templeton, attorney and South Carolina politician
• Bobby Weed, golf course designer^[32]
• Delbert Wilkes Jr., professional wrestler known as "The Patriot"^[33]
• David A. Wright, businessman, politician, and energy policy advisor^[34]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Irmo High. National Center for Education Statistics. March 1, 2022.
2. Web site: Irmo High School. 2024-03-20. South Carolina High School League. en-US.
3. Web site: Irmo High School. International Baccalaureate Organization. October 26, 2017.
4. http://schsl.org/
5. Web site: Palmetto's Finest Record Book. January 24, 2014. South Carolina High School League.
6. Web site: Football 1916-2008. January 24, 2014. South Carolina High School League. PDF. 16. October 6, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131006120524/http://www.schsl.org/2008/pf%2008%20Football.pdf. dead.
7. Web site: Boys Soccer 1976-2009. PDF. January 24, 2015. South Carolina High School League.
8. Web site: Boys Basketball 1916-2009. January 24, 2015. South Carolina High School League. PDF. https://web.archive.org/web/20110723153830/http://www.schsl.org/2008/pf%2008%20Basketball%20Boys.pdf. July 23, 2011. dead.
9. Web site: Boys Tennis 1960–2009. January 24, 2015. South Carolina High School League. PDF.
10. Web site: Girls Tennis 1960-2008. January 24, 2015. South Carolina High School League. PDF.
11. Web site: Baseball 1919-2009. January 24, 2015. South Carolina High School League. PDF.
12. Web site: Boys Cross Country 1970-2008. January 24, 2015. South Carolina High School League. PDF.
13. Web site: Girls Cross Country 1976-2008. January 24, 2015. South Carolina High School League. PDF.
14. Web site: Boys Golf 1946–2009. January 24, 2015. South Carolina High School League. PDF. September 24, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924095158/http://www.schsl.org/2008/pf%2008%20Golf%20Boys.pdf. dead.
15. Web site: Girls Golf 1999-2008. January 24, 2015. South Carolina High School League. PDF.
16. Web site: Girls Swimming 1998-2009. January 24, 2015. South Carolina High School League. PDF.
17. Web site: Girls Track and Field 1975-2009. January 24, 2015. South Carolina High School League. PDF.
18. Web site: Volleyball 1969-2009. January 24, 2015. South Carolina High School League. PDF.
19. Web site: Wrestling 1970–2011. January 24, 2015. South Carolina High School League. PDF.
20. Web site: SCBDA Marching Champions – South Carolina Band Directors Association . 2021-12-29 . en-US.
21. Web site: MARCHING BAND HONORS & AWARDS. January 24, 2015. Irmo High School. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303185227/http://www.irmoband.org/mb_honors.htm. March 3, 2016. dead.
22. https://gamecocksonline.com/sports/football/roster/player/nick-emmanwori/ Nick Emmanwori - University of South Carolina Athletics
23. News: Jim, and Kari Pugh . Hall . The making of a murderer . Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star . 2004-06-14 . dead . https://archive.today/20130123103540/http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2004/062004/06142004/1348736/index_html . 2013-01-23 . mdy-all . 2023-01-09 .
24. https://latintrends.com/lilian-garcia-the-latin-diva-of-wrestling/ Lilian Garcia: The Latin Diva of Wrestling
25. https://www.lexrich5.org/site/Default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=2711&PageID=18150&ViewID=6446ee88-d30c-497e-9316-3f8874b3e108&FlexDataID=36077 Irmo High alum Leeza Gibbons Brings Celebrity Apprentice Winnings Back Home
26. Web site: Trajan Jeffcoat . April 27, 2024 . Sportskeeda.
27. Nickles, Lynn. (October 2018). Made in Cola Town: Savannah McCaskill. Columbia Metropolitan. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
28. Cruse, Josh. (June 15, 2012). Legends of the Midlands - Columbia Star. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
29. (Jan 13, 2012). Bilodeau, Kevin. Former Cougar Zach Prince returns to the Charleston Battery. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
30. https://swimswam.com/courtney-shealy-hart-inducted-to-irmo-high-school-athletics-hall-of-fame/ Courtney Shealy Hart Inducted Into Irmo High School Athletics Hall of Fame
31. Suss, Nick. (March 22, 2019). Homecoming king: Ole Miss PG Devontae Shuler returns to hometown for NCAA Tournament. Clarion Ledger. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
32. http://teetimes.info/golf-architectsdesigners-bobby-weed/ Golf Architects/Designers: Bobby Weed - Tee Times
33. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/thestate/name/delbert-wilkes-obituary?id=12435265 Delbert Alexander "Del" Wilkes Jr. (1961 – 2021) – Newberry, SC
34. https://psc.sc.gov/about-us-0/past-commissioners/chairman-david-wright-district-2 Chairman David A. Wright, District 2