Southern Miss will be looking for a new assistant coach, now that Travis Creel has officially been announced as the head man at Jacksonville State.
Creel is taking over as the Gamecocks’ head coach after seven seasons at Southern Miss, where he served as recruiting coordinator, hitting coach, and infield coach under the leadership of both Scott Berry and Christian Ostrander. During his time in Hattiesburg, Creel helped the Golden Eagles reach the NCAA Tournament six times, including two super regional appearances, multiple conference championships, and more than 220 victories.
His offensive units consistently ranked among the nation’s best. In 2025, Southern Miss won 47 games and set a school record with 106 home runs while leading the Sun Belt in batting average, hits, and home runs. The Golden Eagles advanced to the championship round of the Hattiesburg Regional and finished among the nation’s leaders in multiple offensive categories.
“I am incredibly honored and grateful for the opportunity to lead the Jax State baseball program,” Creel said. “This is a program with a proud tradition, outstanding facilities, tremendous support, and a clear commitment to winning at the highest level. My family and I are excited to become part of the Jax State community. We look forward to building relationships with our players, alumni, and supporters while pursuing championships and representing this university with pride.”
Creel spent his playing days at Southern Miss, where he was a standout infielder and member of the black and gold’s 2009 College World Series team. Before returning to his alma mater as a coach, he spent three seasons at Louisiana Tech, where the Bulldogs won 109 games and established the program’s best three-year stretch in nearly four decades. Before Louisiana Tech, he helped lead Jones College to the 2016 NJCAA National Championship as an assistant.
Since entering the coaching profession, Creel has developed 18 MLB Draft selections since 2021. He becomes the sixth head coach in Jacksonville State baseball history and takes over for Steve Bieser, who was poached by Grand Canyon. Bieser established a strong culture within the Gamecock program. Jacksonville State was one of the most consistent hitting teams in the country, earning the 2026 Conference USA Tournament Championship and an appearance in the Hattiesburg Regional.
As for Southern Miss, Ostrander has not named a new assistant to fill Creel’s shoes at this time.
