Hall of Fame
Adrian McDaniel is a graduate of Central State University. While attending Central State, he was a three-sport student athlete. Adrian played football and ran indoor & outdoor track. Adrian was part of six NAIA Division I National Championships as a player and as a graduate assistant coach. It all started with football as part of the 1990 and 1992 National Championship teams. While running indoor track, he was part of the 1993 and 1994 National Championship teams. He was also part of the 1993 Outdoor National Championship team.
He started as a cornerback on the 1992 National Champion football team, which beat Gardner Webb to win the title that season.
As a track runner, he ran the 60 meter indoor and the 100 m, 200 m and 4x100 m outdoor events. Adrian ran first leg on two 4x100 National Champion relay teams. He was part of the first team to break the 40-point mark with a time of 39.93.
As a graduate assistant coach, he helped coach the defensive backs to a National Championship in 1995. He was also a graduate assistant coach for the men and women's track teams in 1995.
After graduation, Adrian taught and coached at Wilbur Wright Middle School as a Math and Science teacher. He also coached football, basketball and track.Â
After leaving Ohio, Adrian returned to his hometown in Rockville, Maryland. Adrian started teaching and coaching once again at Gaithersburg High School in Gaithersburg, Maryland. He is the Head Girls Varsity Basketball Coach, Head Track and Field Coach and Assistant Football Coach.
He coached the Gaithersburg Lady Trojan basketball team to a back-to-back Maryland 4A State Championships with a combined record of 52-0. He was named the National Regional Coach of the Year by NFHS in 2012. He was named The Gazette Coach of the Year in Maryland in 2011 and 2012. McDaniel has also been recognized by the City of Gaithersburg, the Maryland Government, and the County Council of Montgomery County for his accomplishments as a coach.
While coaching track, he led his team to one Maryland 4A State Title and two runner-up finishes.
As a coach, McDaniel has helped more than 25 athletes get athletic and academic scholarships to college. Because of his passion for working with youth, he became involved as a volunteer coach for the Firebirds Youth Track Team. Over the years, he has worked with hundreds of young athletes, teaching them the track and field concepts. He is currently the Head Coach of the Firebird Organization, which has been in existence for more than 30 years.
