Ep. 66: Mastering the Fundamentals: UT Dallas' Travis Graves on the Little Things that Win Big

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In this episode of the 2025 Coaching Changes Series, Robert speaks with Travis Graves, the second Head Baseball Coach in UT Dallas history. Graves discusses his extensive background, which includes playing in the College World Series for Southern Miss and winning a national championship as a coach at Eastfield Junior College.

Graves credits his success to a strong line of mentors, particularly former UT Dallas Head Coach Shane Shewmake, who founded the program and provided guidance during the transition.

As UT Dallas transitions to the Division II level in the highly competitive Lone Star Conference, Graves shares his philosophy for maintaining their winning tradition. He emphasizes the importance of mastering the "little things," whether it's an extra step on the lead, tagging up, or hitting the cut-off man. Graves is focused on recruiting "even-keel" players who prioritize accountability, body language, and team success over individual performance. He also stresses the value of a UT Dallas degree to recruits, knowing that "at some point baseball is going to end for you". Graves sets a lofty goal of finishing in the top five of the Lone Star Conference in their first year of eligibility.