Travis, a catcher from Canton, Ohio, batted .293 with two doubles, six runs scored, and 12 RBI in 23 games as a senior at Canton South High School. He earned varsity letters as both a junior and a senior on the team.

“Greg fills a need for some catching depth that we desperately need,” said MVNU coach Keith Veale, who has posted a 676-331 record in 20 seasons at the helm of the Cougars. “He has nice size behind the plate and provides a good target to throw to. The critical piece for catchers at the college level is the ability to control the running game. We believe Greg has the potential to do that. With a little work on technique and strength, he will be an asset behind the plate. His arm strength is good and he enjoys playing the game. He is excited to come to MVNU and we are glad he has chosen to do so.”

In addition to playing baseball for Canton South High School, Travis was a member of the Canton South EE team in 2006 and 2007 that won a divisional championship and was district runner-up. He was a member of the regional and divisional championship Canton South Men’s Club team in 2008, and he played on the American Legion Post 166 team in 2009 that won the district championship and finished third in the state tournament and also third in both the Beast of the East Tournament and the Indiana Bulls Tournament. He threw out 18 runners while catching this summer.

“There are several reasons why I chose MVNU,” said Travis of his college choice. “I wanted to attend a university that would allow me to be in an environment that would keep a strong impact of God in my life during all of my college years. When I went on my campus visits, MVNU is the only place where I felt truly comfortable.”

MVNU is an NAIA school that competes in the American Mideast Conference. The Cougars posted a 35-21 overall record in 2009 and advanced to the semifinals of the National Christian College Athletic Association National Tournament. The team also qualified for the NAIA playoffs for the 19th time in the past 20 seasons. Over the years, MVNU has had 13 players drafted by Major League teams including Tim Belcher, who was the top pick overall in the 1983 draft. Seven other former players have signed free agent contracts to play professional baseball.