A familiar face to Emporia High and Emporia State will lead the Spartans beginning this fall.
Approved by the USD 253 Board of Education during their meeting Wednesday night, Daniel Goodman is Emporia High’s next football coach. Goodman, a 2010 alum of Emporia High, played center for Bill Lowe before playing for Emporia State coach Garin Higgins. Goodman said this is a full circle moment after being at Emporia State for 13 of the past 15 years as a player and a coach.
Goodman was a four-year letterman at center for the Hornets and was an All-MIAA selection during his junior and senior seasons. Goodman started at center for the Hornets in 2013 when the Hornets made the NCAA Division II playoffs. After his playing career, Goodman was a graduate assistant for Higgins in 2015 and 2016 and coached tight ends. Goodman then spent two years at North Dakota State, where he was a defensive quality control assistant and was a part of two NCAA FCS National Championship teams. Goodman returned to Emporia State in 2019 to coach centers and guards, and has also coached running backs, stinger backs, and served as special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator. Goodman said he’s learned a lot with the different positions he’s coached and now can incorporate them into his new position.
Higgins said he’s excited for Goodman to get this opportunity to lead the Spartans.
Emporia High athletic director Beau Welch said Goodman is a good fit to lead the Spartans.
Goodman replaces Kaden Glinsmann, who resigned after two seasons with an 0-18 record. Emporia High will be looking to snap a 19-game losing streak dating back to the Spartans’ last win, an 83-64 victory over Highland Park on October 28, 2022. Goodman will also teach physical education and weights at EHS, will lead the Spartans when they open up the 2025 season at home against Pittsburg on September 5.
Goodman is not the only coach whose hirings were approved Wednesday night. Two new golf coaches have been hired to replace Rick Eckert. Caleb Short has been named the next girls golf coach at EHS. This will be Short’s first head coaching position at EHS, and he currently serves as an assistant boys basketball coach under Lee Baldwin. PJ Marstall has been named the next boys golf coach. Marstall is currently Eckert’s assistant and is a familiar face to EHS, serving as a longtime assistant football coach and interim head coach during the 2013 football season. Welch said both coaches are good additions to the athletic department.
Eckert will step down after the Class 5A State Tournament after 26 years of coaching.
