University of Sioux Falls Athletics

Travis Traphagen enters his eighth season as the head coach of the University of Sioux Falls women’s basketball team.

In seven seasons at the helm, Traphagen has a .629 winning percentage with a 129-76 overall record, including back-to-back 20-win seasons in 2010 and 2011. In 2014-15, the Cougars had their best season at the NCAA DII level, going 17-10 overall and a program-best 13-9 in the NSIC for seventh.

Leading the veteran squad was guard Taylor Varsho (13.2 points per game, 6.3 rebounds per game, 3.9 assists per game in 2014-15) who led the Cougars in scoring and second in rebounds last year. Varsho, who was named the 2015-16 NSIC South Preseason Player of the Year and Sam Knecht (11.1 ppg, 7.8 rpg) were named to the All-NSIC second team.

The 2013-14 season saw improvement for Traphagen and USF in the second year in the NSIC, including an upset win over top-seeded and No. 13-ranked Wayne State in the quarterfinals of the NSIC tournament. The Cougars, who ended the season 14-15 overall, lost in the semifinal to eventual Central Region champion Concordia-St. Paul, but not before earning two victories in the conference tournament. Traphagen guided Sam Knecht to NSIC Freshman of the Year honors and senior forward Laura Johnson collected first-team All-NSIC accolades.

During the first season as a full-fledged member of the NCAA Division II and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, Traphagen guided the Cougars to a 12-15 overall record and a 9-14 conference record. The Cougars qualified for the NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament where they fell in the first round to MSU Moorhead. The Cougars averaged 67.3 points while holding their opponents to an average of 66.8 points per game. USF was extremely proficient from behind the arc making 189 three-point shots while shooting .338 which both ranked fifth in the NSIC.

Traphagen guided USF to a 23-3 record in 2011, losing two games by a combined score of two points. The Cougars proved they could compete in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference with wins over three current conference members, including their first win over Sioux Falls rival Augustana College since 1988.

The 2011 team’s win total was remarkable, but the way in which they won may have been more impressive. The Cougars won by 20 points or more 10 times last season to finish the year with a +16.8 scoring margin. During the 2010-2011 season, Traphagen coached the Cougars to a school record 27 wins en route to a NAIA quarterfinal appearance. Their historic season marked the program’s first NAIA tournament berth since 2003. USF also emerged as a conference contender in 2010-2011, finishing second in the Great Plains Athletic Conference, where they posted a 14-4 record, going 7-2 on the road. Traphagen mentored two first team, two second team and three honorable mention conference selections including, GPAC freshman of the year, Laura Johnson.

In the 2009-2010 season, Traphagen led USF to an 18-14 overall record, advancing to the second round of the GPAC tournament. The squad posted a 9-10 record in the always-competitive GPAC, finishing eighth in the final conference standings, and also accumulating a 10-3 record on their home court in the Stewart Center.

Traphagen led USF to an eight-win improvement in his first season as the head coach of the Cougar women’s basketball program. Sioux Falls’ 18 wins in the 2008-2009 were the most since the 2002-03 season, when the Cougars reached the NAIA final four. The Cougars’ success was not unnoticed nationally either, as the team ended the season receiving votes in the NAIA Division II Women’s Basketball Top 25 poll. From 2007-08, Traphagen served as the Cougars’ top assistant coach.

Before that he was the head assistant women’s basketball coach at Augustana College (S.D.) since 2001. In his six years at Augustana, besides his on-court duties, Traphagen coordinated recruiting for the women’s basketball program. Overall, Traphagen amassed a 111-69 record as an assistant coach at Augustana.

The Vikings’ program saw steady improvement during Traphagen’s time. Before his departure, the Viking women had three consecutive, 20-win seasons.During the 2006-07 basketball season, Traphagen helped the Vikings to a 25-7 record and a NCAA regional tournament appearance. Augustana also boasted a 20-game winning streak in 06-07 and was the No. 2-ranked team in the North Central Region.

Prior to joining Augustana, Traphagen served as a graduate assistant at Wayne State College in Wayne, Neb., where he earned a master’s degree in sports administration. Traphagen earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Black Hills State University.

Traphagen played college basketball for three years at Black Hills State, where he was a two-time all-conference selection, including team Co-Captain and Co-MVP during the 1999 season.

During Traphagen’s time, the Yellow Jackets won three consecutive South Dakota Intercollegiate conference championships. He currently holds the Yellow Jackets single season record for made 3-pointers (97) set during the 1997-98 season.

Traphagen and his wife, Ann, reside in Sioux Falls with their three children, Grayson, Riley, and Luke.