McCall joins Lancer athletics staff
Published 2:47 pm Thursday, July 15, 2021
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With more than a decade of experience in college athletics, including time in the dugout as both a head softball coach and Division I assistant coach, Travis McCall will join the Longwood athletics department as assistant athletics director for facilities, event and project management, Athletics Director Michelle Meadows recently announced.
McCall comes to Longwood from USC Upstate where he served as an assistant coach for Longwood’s Big South softball rival for the 2020-21 year. With the Spartans, he worked alongside renowned USC Upstate head coach Chris Hawkins to coach the Spartans to a second-place league finish while managing numerous aspects of the program, including pitching, scouting, camps and clinics, game operations, academic performance and travel.
McCall’s jump from coaching into college athletics administration is the latest step in a varied career in college athletics, during which he has coached at the Division I and II levels while also gaining experience in facility management and sports information. His professional experience has spanned the Southeast with stops at Coker, Columbus State and King University.
In his role at Longwood, McCall will serve as a member of the athletics department’s external relations unit and oversee the operation of the university’s athletics facilities and game operations, as well as special projects.
“On behalf of Longwood University and Lancer athletics, we are thrilled to welcome Travis McCall and his family to Farmville,” Longwood Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Operations Katie Pate said. “From my first conversation with Travis, I heard my intuition loud and clear. He is the teammate we need to continue elevating the infrastructure of our external efforts. A former softball coach at the NCAA Division I and II levels, Travis’ shared perspective, respect and appreciation for the coaching profession is a priceless commodity.
“Additionally, it’s evident his dedication to growing our organizational standards and commitment to excellence comes from his passion for building and working with teams each and every day. Combined with his work ethic and affinity for exceptional relationship building, Travis was the clear choice in identifying a leader who believed in seizing every opportunity to celebrate the Longwood athletics experience. I look forward to our campus and community constituents, athletics department staff, and certainly our fans getting to know Travis and his leadership presence in the coming days.”
McCall’s career in college athletics includes a six-year stint as head softball coach at Coker along with time as an assistant coach at USC Upstate, Coker and Columbus State. At Coker, he amassed a record of 165-120-1 and took the Cobras to two NCAA Regionals along with three consecutive 30-win seasons.
His first foray into higher education administration also came at Coker where he served as director of outdoor facilities from 2014-20 and oversaw management and maintenance of the schools outdoor athletic facilities and playing surfaces.
“My family and I are thankful to have the chance to join the Longwood family,” McCall said. “I’m extremely excited and appreciative of the opportunity that Michelle and Katie have given me to join the administrative and external team. I look forward to continuing the growth of Longwood athletics. Go Lancers!”
Along with his day-to-day duties overseeing Longwood’s athletics venues – which include Willett Hall for basketball, Lancer Field for softball, Buddy Bolding Stadium for baseball, and the Longwood Athletics Complex for field hockey, lacrosse and soccer, McCall will also assist with athletics-specific planning in the Joan Perry Brock Center, the future home of Longwood basketball. That project, which began construction this past spring, is slated to be completed in 2023.
McCall holds both a Bachelor of Science in recreation and a Master of Business Administration from the University of West Georgia. He and his wife, Cassie McCall, have a 10-month-old daughter, Raylen Mae.