From NSU Sports Info.
Cedrique Flemming, Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations
TAHLEQUAH – Northeastern State baseball coach Travis Janssen has announced he has resigned from Northeastern State University effective July 17.
He will return to Jacksonville State University as an assistant coach with the baseball program. He served in the same capacity from 2005-11. The Gamecocks are members of the Ohio Valley Conference and compete at the NCAA Division I level.
“I am very thankful for the many positives that NSU and the Tahlequah community have given both myself and my family,” Janssen said. “I will have fond memories of NSU and am very grateful for the four years that I have served NSU.”
Janssen guided the RiverHawks to a 104-99 record during his time at Northeastern State. He led NSU to at least 25 victories in each of his four campaigns, marking the first such occurrence during NSU’s NCAA era (since 1996).
The team competed in the MIAA Championship all three years since joining the league prior to the 2013 campaign. The 2014 squad made a memorable run to the conference championship semifinals after posting two straight road wins over the top seed. Janssen also led NSU to winning records in three of his four seasons at the helm, which marked the most successful four-year stretch for the RiverHawks since 1999-02.
“Travis Janssen did an outstanding job revitalizing NSU baseball during his four seasons,” NSU Director of Athletics Tony Duckworth said. “This is best demonstrated by his program qualifying for the MIAA postseason the past three seasons. Travis was my first head coaching hire when I arrived in Tahlequah as Director of Athletics during the summer of 2011. He has made RiverHawks Nation proud of the numerous team and individual student-athlete accomplishments during his tenure. I know Coach Janssen will continue to make his mark in intercollegiate baseball, and I personally wish him and his amazing family nothing but the best in the future.”
Janssen’s 2015 team broke the school record for most strikeouts in a single season (25) and posted both the lowest team ERA (4.86) and opponent batting average (.277) in NSU’s NCAA era. The 2013 team led the nation in both home runs (69) and home runs per game (1.35), while finishing fourth nationally in slugging percentage (0.511) and in the top 30 in scoring (7.4), runs (376), doubles (104) and doubles per game (2.04).
Janssen has coached one MLB fifth round draft pick, one consensus All-American, 17 all-conference performers, five players who have gone on to the professional ranks, three all-region players and three gold glove recipients.
Follow the twitter handle @NSUCoachSearch for updates throughout the nationwide search for Janssen’s replacement.