Travis Walden Named Pitching Coach At Texas Tech
July 24, 2003 | Baseball
July 24, 2003
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech Head Baseball Coach Larry Hays announced today the hiring of Travis Walden as the team's pitching coach. Walden replaces Greg Evans who left earlier this month for a position at Oklahoma State.
"I am extremely pleased with the new additions to our coaching staff," said head coach Larry Hays. "Travis Walden is a guy I have known and respected him for a long time and I think he will make a big improvement in our pitching staff."
Walden comes to Texas Tech after spending last season with the Southwest Texas Bobcats. While at Southwest Texas, Walden led the Bearkat pitching staff to a 4.47 staff ERA last season on a squad that finished the year with a 30-28 overall record. On that staff, was Brandon Hankins who earned ABCA First-Team All-Region honors as he went 8-1 on the year with a 2.10 ERA.
Prior to his one-year stint at Southwest Texas, Walden spent one season at Texas A&M where he served as the volunteer assistant. Before heading to the Div. I ranks, he spent six years as an assistant baseball coach at Monterey High School in Lubbock before moving to Abilene where he was an assistant at Hardin Simmons for two seasons. After his two seasons at Hardin Simmons, he served as a pitching coach in the Texas Rangers organization and later as the head baseball coach at Vernon Junior College for five years.
Walden graduated from Monterey High School in Lubbock where he helped lead the Plainsmen to the 1981 State Championship and later went on to Lubbock Christian University. While at LCU, Walden helped then LCU head coach Larry Hays win the 1983 NAIA National Championship. Following his tenure at LCU he played three seasons (1986-88) in the Philadelphia Phillies organization.
Joe Dillon, a first-team All-America pick for Texas Tech in 1997, has returned to the program where he will serve as the volunteer assistant for the 2004 season and will coach the infield.
"Joe Dillon is someone that all of our fans will immediately recognize because its hard to forget someone hitting 33 home runs in one year. Joe relates really well to our kids so I think that he will be a great fit."