The anticipation ended this past week when APSU announced and introduced the Governors eleventh Head Baseball Coach, Travis Janssen.
According to Athletic Director Ryan Ivey, there were nearly 100 applicants. These applicants were narrowed down to 12 phone interviews and then down to six interviews on campus.
Janssen, a hometown native of Manhattan, Kan., earned his undergraduate degree from Kansas State University in 1996.
Throughout his playing career, Janssen was an All Region selection at Butler County and has played at New Mexico State.
While playing with New Mexico State, Janssen was a third-team National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association All America selection.
He played with the Adirondack Lumberjacks in the Northeastern Independent League for a year.
Janssen started his coaching career at Kansas State as a student assistant, then moved to Butler County, Kan. where he also was the Florida Marlins’ associate scout.
The University of Arkansas was Janssen’s next stop as a volunteer assistant coach from 1998-2001. He also coached for Northwestern State and Hawaii.
Janssen’s next coaching job was assistant coach at Ohio Valley Conference contender Jacksonville State in Jacksonville, Fla. from 2006-2011. Primarily coaching third base and infielders, Janssen helped lead Jacksonville State to two OVC championships.
The head coaching job was vacant at Northeastern State and Janssen received his first head coaching job. Prior to Janssen’s tenure, Northeastern won only six games all season. After his arrival, the team won a total of 25 games during the season. Since joining their league in 2013, the Riverhawks advanced to the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association’s Championship tournament.
“We are excited to welcome Travis and his wonderful family to Clarksville and APSU,” Ivey said. “Throughout the search process, his name continually came up from very well-respected and successful people in the baseball community. He has a vision for the Governors baseball program that will take us to the next level.”
