A longtime Clemson coach is set to retire.

The Clemson Insider can confirm that Clemson strength and conditioning coach Joey Batson is set to retire following the 2025 season.

We were told that Batson informed the team last week of his intention for this to be his final season.

Batson is entering his 29th year as the Director of Strength Training at Clemson and his 40th year as a strength and conditioning coach at the college level. He has served as a head strength and conditioning coach for 36 of his 40 years.

Batson was named Master Strength and Conditioning Coach by the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association in May of 2009 — the highest honor given in the strength and conditioning coaching profession.

Batson was familiar with the Clemson program before he started his career in a full-time capacity, having served as a graduate assistant in the Strength and Conditioning Department from 1985-88.

Prior to becoming Clemson’s Director in 1997, he served as the first full-time Director of Strength Training at Furman. In addition to his four years at Furman, he also worked as the first full-time Director of Strength and Conditioning at Bowling Green State University, and served a year at the University of South Carolina as Assistant Director of Strength and Conditioning.

As of the conclusion of the 2024 season and ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft, during his time as Clemson’s Director of Strength and Conditioning, Batson has coached 76 All-Americans; 247 All-ACC selections; 25 national award winners; 58 Strength and Conditioning All-Americans; 23 NFL first-round draft picks; 114 NFL Draft picks; 31 ACC yearly honorees and 15 Super Bowl champions. He has helped Clemson to 26 bowl games, 19 Top-25 finishes, eight Top-10 finishes, nine ACC Championships, nine ACC Atlantic Division Championships (plus additional championship game berths in division-less seasons in 2020 and 2024), seven College Football Playoff appearances, four National Championship Game appearances and two National Championships.

A Travelers Rest, S.C. native, Batson was a tight end at The Citadel in 1979 before transferring to Newberry College, where he was a two-year letterman and team co-captain during his senior season. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in physical education from Newberry and his Master’s degree in education from Clemson in 1988.