Travis Walker Named New Mustangs Baseball Coach
October 26, 2015 (Independence, IA) – The Independence Community School District (ICSD) is pleased to introduce Travis Walker as the new Varsity Baseball Head Coach.
Walker graduated from Independence High School in 1994 and participated in baseball, football and basketball throughout his high school career. He lettered for three years in baseball and was part of teams that won 28 games (1993) and 30 games (1994) in a season. During his senior year in baseball, Walker was a First Team All WAMAC conference selection at catcher and a Second Team All-District selection. Walker states, “I was fortunate enough to play for Head Coach Pat Murphy and can count
him as a friend and mentor to this day.”
Pat Murphy, the current head softball coach at the University of Alabama, coached the Independence Mustangs baseball team from 1992 through 1995. Since his time at Alabama, Coach Murphy has lead Alabama to the 2012 National Championship, 10 Women’s College World Series berths, five SEC regular season titles, five SEC Tournament titles and 17 straight NCAA Tournament bids. Regarding the hiring of the new Mustangs baseball coach, Murphy says, “I am so happy that former Mustang great, Travis Walker, has decided to take over the baseball program. With the new school in place and the new baseball stadium coming soon, Indee baseball will have the best facilities in the state of Iowa”.
After high school, Walker attended Waldorf College where he was a two year starter on the baseball team. Walker was nominated for an Academic All American honor for his contributions on the field and in the classroom, and graduated Cum Laude in 1996. In 1996 he enrolled at UNI with the goal of obtaining a bachelor’s degree and walking on the varsity baseball team. Walker competed through the fall of 1996 as a walk-on for the UNI baseball team, but came up just short of making the final cut. He graduated in May of 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in criminology.
After graduating from UNI, Walker has worked for Central Iowa Juvenile Detention Center in Eldora. Starting as direct care staff for delinquent juveniles, Walker is now the Operations Director and has held this position for the past 14 years.
In 2004, the legendary Ed Thomas hired Walker as Head Baseball Coach at Aplington-Parkersburg High School. In his time at Aplington-Parkersburg, he compiled a 136-181 (.430) record with an 8-12 post season record, while twice playing in the district finals. His 136 wins at Aplington-Parkersburg are the most all-time wins of any head coaches in Aplington-Parkersburg baseball history. Walker lead Aplington-Parkersburg to the school’s first ever NICL Conference Championship in 2013.
Travis and his family currently live in Parkersburg, Iowa where they have lived for the past ten years. His wife Sherri is a PK-2 elementary principal in the Maquoketa School District in her first year in the position. They have three children: Kayleigh (16), Eva (7) and Stella (5). Walker, who still has family in Independence, has expressed a strong interest in returning home. Walker states, “I am very excited about the opportunity to coach at my alma mater, a school with a very rich baseball tradition. I value individuals and teams who exhibit high levels of character, attitude and competition.”
In the spring of 2016, ICSD will open their new baseball and softball fields located on ICSD’s single campus. Walker add, “The commitment to constructing a new baseball/softball facility in Independence is far above the norm in high school athletics in Iowa and I can’t tell you how excited I am to be a part of it. I do not take this opportunity lightly as I’m being entrusted with a great responsibility to the athletes, parents, school and community. I will do everything in my power to ensure Independence Baseball meets the high expectations that have been established by this commitment to elite facilities.”
With Walker’s enthusiasm, credentials and deep roots to Independence, the ICSD is excited to have him help lead the Mustangs baseball team.
###
Media Contact
Fusion Forward
319.334.9300