A former adjunct wrestling coach at Wade Hampton High School in Greenville County, South Carolina, has been arrested and charged with a serious child sex crime, sending shockwaves through the local school community.
Steven John McCollister, 61, faces a charge of third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor following a months-long investigation by the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigation Triggered by Family Member’s Discovery
The case came to light on February 11, 2026, when a relative of the juvenile victim discovered what investigators described as inappropriate messages between McCollister and the victim. That family member immediately reported the information to law enforcement, setting the investigation in motion.
According to the sheriff’s office, the incidents occurred on multiple occasions between November 2023 and March 2024.
One of the most alarming details to emerge from the arrest warrant revealed that at least one of the incidents took place inside the school’s locker room when McCollister and the victim were alone together.
McCollister had served as an adjunct wrestling coach at Wade Hampton High School for well over a decade, having been employed by Greenville County Schools from November 1, 2010, until February 11, 2026, the same date the investigation was launched.
The school district said it took immediate action the moment the allegations were brought forward and notified law enforcement without delay.
To avoid compromising the ongoing investigation, the district held off on communicating publicly about the matter until law enforcement cleared the way for disclosure.
McCollister has since been arrested and released from custody.
School Community Notified as Investigation Continues
Wade Hampton High School Principal Justin Ludley sent a message to parents informing them of the charges and the steps taken by the district.
In his statement, Ludley confirmed that McCollister had not been employed by Greenville County Schools since February, when the allegations first surfaced. He emphasized that student safety remains the top priority and urged anyone who may have been a victim of a crime to contact school administration or law enforcement directly.
The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office has stated that investigators believe there may be additional victims connected to this case. Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office at 864-467-4121 or Crime Stoppers of Greenville at 864-23-CRIME.
The public tip line remains open as detectives continue working to determine the full scope of McCollister’s conduct during his time as a coach.
The case has drawn attention to the vulnerability that students can face when trusted figures in school settings abuse their access and authority. McCollister’s role as a coach gave him direct and often unsupervised access to young athletes, a dynamic that investigators say he allegedly exploited over a period of several months.
Greenville County Schools has cooperated fully with the sheriff’s office throughout the investigation and continues to do so as the case moves forward.
The district has not released additional details beyond what was shared in the principal’s letter to parents, citing the ongoing nature of the personnel and law enforcement matter.
The investigation remains active, and further developments are expected as authorities pursue all available leads.
