Travis Hinkle

Travis Hinkle enters his fourth season as the head volleyball coach at Fairmont State. Hinkle was named as the head coach of the Falcons volleyball program on July 30, 2021.

Fairmont State posted an 18-15 overall record for the 2023 season as the team went 8-6 in conference contests. The team achieved another trip to the MEC Volleyball Tournament where it fell in the semifinal match. Four Falcons were named to All-MEC teams with Josie Skinn leading the way with a First Team selection. Joining her were Joey Borelle (Second Team), Emma Ludwig (Honorable Mention) and Ellie Zuro (All-Freshman Team). Josie Skinn was also named AVCA All-American Honorable Mention and to the AVCA All-Region First Team.

In the 2022 season, Coach Hinkle and his team earned a 29-6 overall record and a 13-4 record in MEC play. Under Hinkle's direction, the Fighting Falcons achieved the highest winning percentage in school history (.829). The team qualified for a trip to the MEC Volleyball Postseason Tournament and earned a bid to the 2022 NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Tournament. It was Fairmont State's first regional tournament appearance since 2016. Many of his players took home MEC and regional honors. The team was headlined by 2022 MEC All-Conference First Team honorees, Nyla Birch and Bryce Knapp. Keara Lewis (MEC Second Team) and Joey Borelle (MEC Honorable Mention and MEC Freshman Team) added to the list of outstanding athletic performances for Hinkle’s 2022 squad.
 
Knapp and Birch were selected to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II All-Region Team, which was voted on by head coaches in the Atlantic Region. Knapp earned first-team honors while Birch garnered honorable mention recognition. Four of Hinkle’s student-athletes collected 2022 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District® NCAA Division II Women's Volleyball Team honors. Madison Chapman, Bryce Knapp, Emma Ludwig and Amelia Moore landed on the list for their efforts in the classroom and on the court.

In the fall of 2021, Hinkle coached the Falcons to a record of 21-10 and 11-5 in Mountain East Conference play in his first season at the helm of the program. Fairmont State entered postseason play as the No. 2 seed in the MEC North. Four student-athletes were recognized by the MEC, as Liliana Keber (First Team), Julia DiPaola (First Team), Keara Lewis (Honorable Mention), and Karli Edwards (Freshman Team) were selected for their outstanding play in 2021.

DiPaola was also honored as the 2021-22 Jasper H. Colebank winner which is given as the top honor for a Fairmont State University student-athlete. DiPaola was named to the AVCA Division II All-Atlantic Regional Team in 2021.

Kelsey Moeller joined her fellow teammate, Julia DiPaola, in recognition at the 60th Annual Fighting Falcons All-Sports Reception, as Moeller was named the recipient of the Eston K. Feaster Award. The Eston K. Feaster Award is presented annually to the male and female senior student-athletes who have maintained the highest grade point average among all letter winners.

At the completion of the 2023 season, Hinkle’s career record stands at 129-81 and he has recorded a conference record of 58-23. He currently serves as the chair of the Mountain East Conference Head Coaches Committee and is a member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association. Hinkle was one of three Mountain East Conference coaches selected to the 2022 NCAA Division II Identity Head Coaches workshop at the NCAA Headquarters in Indianapolis.

Hinkle arrived at Fairmont State following a three-year stint as head volleyball coach at Notre Dame College (Ohio).
 
In 2018, Hinkle inherited a Notre Dame program that finished 10th or worse in the MEC standings during four of its five seasons in the league and led the program to a trio of MEC Tournament berths during his first three seasons in South Euclid. During his inaugural campaign in 2018, Hinkle led the Falcons to a 16-17 record and earned a quarterfinal appearance in the MEC Tournament.
 
That season, he coached Notre Dame's first-ever All-American and Academic All-American (Mary Kate McHugh). Notre Dame had seven players earn postseason All-MEC honors during Hinkle's tenure from 2018-2020.
 
During Hinkle's second season in 2019, Notre Dame College broke a number of school records, including wins (23), MEC wins (9) and home wins (10). Notre Dame also set new single-season marks as a NCAA Division II program in kills, kills per set, assists, assists per set, aces, aces per set, digs, digs per set, block assists, points and points per set. Notre Dame finished the 2019 season with a 23-12 record.
 
Notre Dame had never earned back-to-back MEC Tournament berths prior to 2018 and 2019.
 
COVID shortened Notre Dame's 2020 season. However, the Falcons qualified for the MEC Tournament this past spring and had one outside hitter earn All-MEC postseason honors.
 
Prior to joining the Notre Dame program in 2018, Hinkle spent six seasons as the assistant volleyball coach at West Liberty University. Hinkle was instrumental in West Liberty making five-straight MEC Tournament appearances from 2013-17.
 
During his final two seasons on the hilltop, Hinkle helped the Hilltoppers to two-consecutive 20-win seasons. WLU also advanced to the MEC Tournament finals in 2017 prior to Hinkle's departure for Notre Dame.
 
Hinkle began his coaching career as an assistant volleyball coach at West Virginia Wesleyan in 2008 and 2009. He returned to West Liberty as an Admissions Counselor following his short tenure at Wesleyan. He joined the WLU volleyball staff in 2012.
 
He graduated from West Liberty University with a degree in Business Administration/Sport Management in 2007.
 
Year School Overall Record Conference Record Notes
2018 Notre Dame 16-17 8-8
2019 Notre Dame 23-12 9-7
2020 Notre Dame 4-7 4-6 Played in Spring Due to COVID-19
2021 Fairmont State 21-10 11-5
2022 Fairmont State 29-6 13-4 NCAA Atlantic Region Appearance
2023 Fairmont State 18-15 8-6
Record at FSU) 68-31 (.687) 32-15 (.681)
Career Record 111-67 (.624) 53-36 (.596)