Travis Ford (photo/SLU Athletics)

Travis Ford (photo/SLU Athletics)

Saint Louis University has named Travis Ford their new head coach of the Billikens’ men’s basketball program.  SLU Director of Athletics Chris May announced the hiring Wednesday night. Coach Ford will be introduced at a press conference at Chaifetz Arena on Thursday, March 31, at noon (CT).

“We are thrilled to welcome Travis and his family into the program,” May said. “Our vision for Billiken basketball is to be nationally competitive, and Travis shares in that vision. He has had success everywhere he has coached. Travis is an accomplished recruiter and program-builder and is highly respected throughout college basketball. We are excited about the future of our program with Travis as our head men’s basketball coach.”

“First and foremost, my family and I are excited to be a part of the Billiken program,” Ford said. “I look forward to working with Chris May and Dr. Pestello in making this one of the top programs in America. We are going to deliver a brand of basketball that is fun, exciting, aggressive and up-tempo – one that recruits will love playing and fans will love watching.

In 19 seasons as a collegiate head coach, Ford has a 345-257 record. He has had head-coaching stints at Oklahoma State (eight years, 2008-16), Massachusetts (three years, 2005-08), Eastern Kentucky (five years, 2000-05) and Campbellsville University. Ford has led his team to the NCAA Tournament six times. He has coached six players who have gone on to play in the NBA and five who have been named conference player of the year.

Ford spent eight seasons as head coach at Oklahoma State University and led the Cowboys to a 155-111 record and five NCAA Tournament appearances, including three in the last four years. Ford is familiar with the Atlantic 10 Conference, having spent three years as head coach at the University of Massachusetts. He also coach at Eastern Kentucky and Campbellsville University, an NAIA school in Kentucky.

Ford played at Kentucky, for three seasons (1992, 1993, 1994) after he transferred from Missouri in 1990.

Ford, 46, is a native of Madisonville, Ky. He and his wife, Heather, have three children: Brooks, Kyleigh and Shane. Ford earned a bachelor’s degree in communications at the University of Kentucky in 1994.

Story courtesy-SLU Athletics