{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox college coach | name = Steve Traylor | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1951|2|15}} | birth_place = Ohio, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | alma_mater = | player_sport1 = Football | player_years2 = 1969–1972 | player_team2 = Otterbein | player_sport3 = Basketball | player_years4 = 1969–1973 | player_team4 = Otterbein | player_sport5 = Baseball | player_years6 = 1970–1973 | player_team6 = Otterbein | coach_sport1 = Baseball | coach_years2 = 1974–1976 | coach_team2 = Otterbein (asst.) | coach_years3 = 1981–1988 | coach_team3 = Florida Atlantic | coach_years4 = 1989–1999 | coach_team4 = Duke | coach_years5 = 2000–2007 | coach_team5 = Wofford | coach_sport6 = Men's basketball | coach_years7 = 1976–1979 | coach_team7 = Greensboro College | overall_record = ''Baseball'': 776-668-3<br/>''Men's basketball'': 30-40 | bowl_record = | tournament_record = ''Baseball''<br/>NCAA D1: 0-2<br/>SoCon: 5-3<br/>ACC: 6-22<br/>NCAA D2: 0-3 | championships = ''Baseball''<br/>SoCon Tournament (2007) | awards = ''Baseball''<br/>ACC Coach of the Year (1992) | coaching_records = }} '''Steve Traylor''' (born February 15, 1951) is an American former college baseball and basketball coach. In basketball, he was the head coach of Greensboro College. In baseball, he was the head coach at Florida Atlantic, Duke, and Wofford. Traylor had 776 career wins and led both Florida Atlantic and Wofford to their first NCAA tournaments.
==Playing career== Traylor played football, basketball, and baseball at both Westerville South High School and Otterbein College. At Otterbein, Traylor was a team captain and all-conference player in all three sports. After graduating from Otterbein in 1973, he attended Buffalo Bills training camp but was cut.<ref name=woffretire>{{cite web|title=Traylor Retires|url=http://www.wofford.edu/newsroom/content.aspx?id=28298|website=Wofford.edu|access-date=August 5, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140811170853/http://www.wofford.edu/newsroom/content.aspx?id=28298|archive-date=August 11, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=otterbeinhof>{{cite web|title=Hall of Fame: Steve Traylor '73|url=http://www.otterbeincardinals.com/hof.aspx?hof=42&path=&kiosk=|website=OtterbeinCardinals.com|access-date=August 5, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150424100258/http://otterbeincardinals.com/hof.aspx?hof=42&path=&kiosk=|archive-date=April 24, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Coaching career==
===Baseball===
====Otterbein==== While working on his graduate degree at Ohio State University, Traylor served as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Otterbein, from 1974 to 1976. He then coached basketball for three seasons before returning to baseball.<ref name=woffretire />
====Florida Atlantic==== In 1979, Traylor got his first baseball head coaching job when Florida Atlantic (FAU) hired him to start their baseball program. The Owls, then an NAIA program, went 15-16 in their first season (1981). They then made the NAIA Tournament in 1982 and 1983, advancing to the District Championship in 1982 and as far as the Area Championship in 1983.<ref name=fauhist />
The Owls moved to the NCAA for the 1984 season, competing in Division II. In their first game as an NCAA member, they defeated Florida, 4-3; overall, the team went 40-15 in 1984. In 1985, the program made the NCAA tournament for the first time. There, it was swept by Florida Southern in the best-of-five South Regional.<ref name=fauhist /><ref name=d2rb /><ref name=25yearsfau>{{cite news|last1=Cooney|first1=Kevin|title=25 Years of FAU Baseball|url=http://www.collegebaseballinsider.com/05Journals/kc050116.html|accessdate=August 7, 2014|work=CollegeBaseballInsider.com|date=January 16, 2005}}</ref><ref name=awaitsbid>{{cite news|last1=Hill|first1=Bob|title=Florida Atlantic Awaits Division II Playoff Bid|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1985-05-07/sports/8501180158_1_fau-espn-collegiate-baseball-college-baseball|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140811073534/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1985-05-07/sports/8501180158_1_fau-espn-collegiate-baseball-college-baseball|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 11, 2014|accessdate=August 7, 2014|work=Sun-Sentinel.com|date=May 7, 1985}}</ref><ref name=acceptsbid>{{cite news|last1=Teitelbaum|first1=Mike|title=FAU Accepts Division II Bid|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1985-05-09/sports/8501180479_1_fau-ncaa-division-ii-tough-region|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140811074259/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1985-05-09/sports/8501180479_1_fau-ncaa-division-ii-tough-region|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 11, 2014|accessdate=August 7, 2014|work=Sun-Sentinel.com|date=May 9, 1985}}</ref><ref name=85regs>{{cite news|last1=Otterson|first1=Chuck|title=Florida Southern Walks by Owls|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1964&dat=19850516&id=QcEqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ss4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=4341,4820341|accessdate=August 7, 2014|work=The Palm Beach Post|date=May 16, 1985}}</ref>
FAU had five straight 40-win seasons from 1982 to 1986. In Traylor's seven years as head coach, the program went 268-105-2.<ref name=fauyearly />
During Traylor's tenure, six Owls were selected in the Major League Baseball draft, including Jeff Forney, a first-round pick in the June secondary draft in 1985, and Mike Ryan, a seventh-round pick in 1984.<ref name=faudraft>{{cite web|title=MLB Amateur Draft Picks Who Came from "Florida Atlantic"|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/?query_type=came_from&came_from=Florida+Atlantic&|website=Baseball-Reference.com|accessdate=August 7, 2014}}</ref>
====Duke==== Following the 1987 season, Division I Duke hired Traylor to replace Larry Smith. After three losing seasons in his first four, the Blue Devils had seven straight 30-win seasons from 1992 to 1998; Traylor was named the ACC Coach of the Year in the first of these seasons. Duke's deepest run in the ACC tournament, which at the time included each member of the conference, came in 1997. They received the seventh seed after a 31-23 (9-14 ACC) regular season. After losing to second-seeded Florida State in the opening round, Duke beat sixth-seeded Virginia and top-seeded Georgia Tech before being eliminated by a second loss to Florida State.<ref name=accmg /><ref name=larrysmith>{{cite news|last1=Israel|first1=Joel|title=Trombley Settles in with Twins After Inauspicious College Career|url=http://www.dukechronicle.com/articles/1997/06/12/trombley-settles-twins-after-inauspicious-college-career|accessdate=August 7, 2014|work=DukeChronicle.com|date=June 11, 1997}}</ref><ref name=leavesfau>{{cite news|last1=Camillone|first1=Jude|title=Traylor to Leave FAU|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1987-07-29/sports/8703030235_1_fau-baseball-coach-mehl|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714213912/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1987-07-29/sports/8703030235_1_fau-baseball-coach-mehl|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 14, 2014|accessdate=August 7, 2014|work=Sun-Sentinel.com|date=July 29, 1987}}</ref><ref name=bentleyfsu>{{cite news|last1=Schamdtke|first1=Alan|title=Bentley Completes the Task|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1997/05/15/bentley-completes-the-task-fsu-bedevils-duke-4-2/|access-date=August 7, 2014|work=OrlandoSentinel.com|date=May 15, 1997}}</ref>
Duke had 25 MLB Draft selections in Traylor's 12 seasons. 1996 third-round pick Scott Schoeneweis was his highest. Schoeneweis, along with Mike Trombley, John Courtright, Quinton McCracken, Ryan Jackson, and Chris Capuano, went on to play in Major League Baseball.<ref name=dukedraft>{{cite web|title=MLB Amateur Draft Picks Who Came from "Duke University (Durham, NC)"|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/index.cgi?key_school=ab7868a7&exact=1&query_type=key_school|website=Baseball-Reference.com|accessdate=August 7, 2014}}</ref>
In 1999, Duke went 24-31 and finished last in the ACC. Traylor was fired after the season. His overall record at Duke was 356-286-1.<ref name=accmg /><ref name=firedduke>{{cite news|last1=Morgan|first1=Neal|title=Traylor Fired After 12 Years, Hillier Named New Head Coach|url=http://www.dukechronicle.com/articles/1999/06/10/traylor-fired-after-12-years-hillier-named-new-head-coach|accessdate=August 7, 2014|work=DukeChronicle.com|date=June 9, 1999}}</ref><ref name=mcnally>{{cite news|last1=Manuel|first1=John|title=Duke's Sean McNally Resigns|url=http://www.baseballamerica.com/college/dukes-sean-mcnally-resigns/|accessdate=August 7, 2014|work=BaseballAmerica.com|date=May 30, 2012}}</ref>
====Wofford==== Traylor became Wofford's head coach for the 2000 season. His highest win total came in 2003, when the Terriers went 26-31 and tied for sixth in the Southern Conference (SoCon). In 2007, Traylor announced his retirement in the closing weeks of the regular season, citing a desire to spend more time with his family. The Terriers tied for last in the conference but made the conference tournament in a season in which the entire SoCon qualified. There, it beat Furman in a play-in game, then defeated College of Charleston, UNC Greensboro, and The Citadel twice to win the tournament. In doing so, it won the SoCon's automatic bid to the program's first NCAA tournament. In the Columbia, SC Regional, Wofford went 0-2, losing games to host South Carolina and second-seeded NC State.<ref name=soconmg /><ref name=d1rb /><ref name=ncaas07>{{cite news|last1=Scoppe|first1=Rick|title=Terriers Help Coach Traylor Go Out Fighting|url=http://www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20070604/SPORTS0102/706040326/Terriers-help-coach-Traylor-go-out-fighting|accessdate=August 7, 2014|work=GreenvilleOnline.com|date=June 4, 2007}}</ref><ref name=retirewoffordmay17>{{cite news|title=Wofford's Traylor Announces Retirement|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2007-05-17-1365122356_x.htm|accessdate=August 7, 2014|work=USAToday.com|agency=Associated Press|date=May 17, 2007}}</ref><ref name=07socontourney>{{cite news|last1=Fitt|first1=Aaron|title=Delaware, Wofford Going for Broke|url=http://www.baseballamerica.com/college/delaware-wofford-going-for-broke/|accessdate=August 7, 2014|work=BaseballAmerica.com|date=May 26, 2007}}</ref>
===Basketball=== Traylor served as Greensboro's head men's basketball coach for three seasons (1976 to 1979). During his tenure, the Pride went 30-40. His best season was his first, in which the team went 17-7. Traylor was also Greensboro's athletic director during his time there.<ref name=otterbeinhof /><ref name=greensboroyearly />
==Head coaching record== Below is a table of Traylor's yearly records as a collegiate head baseball and basketball coach.<ref name=fauhist>{{cite web|title=Florida Atlantic University Baseball Records: History|url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/fau/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/History.pdf|publisher=Florida Atlantic Athletic Communications|access-date=July 12, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714121805/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/fau/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/History.pdf|archive-date=July 14, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=d2rb>{{cite web|title=2014 NCAA Division II Baseball Championship Record Book|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/baseball_champs_records/2013/d2/d2.pdf|website=NCAA.org|access-date=July 12, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714171421/http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/baseball_champs_records/2013/d2/d2.pdf|archive-date=July 14, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=fauyearly>{{cite web|title=Florida Atlantic University Baseball Records: Year-by-Year Results|url=http://www.fausports.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/fau/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/YearByYearResults|website=FAUSports.com|publisher=Florida Atlantic Athletic Communications|access-date=July 12, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714155409/http://www.fausports.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/fau/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/YearByYearResults|archive-date=July 14, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=accmg>{{cite web|title=2013 ACC Baseball Media Guide|url=http://raycomsports.com/sports_labs_docs/m-basebl/2012-13_m-basebl_13accbaseguide.pdf|publisher=Atlantic Coast Conference|access-date=August 5, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809072529/http://raycomsports.com/sports_labs_docs/m-basebl/2012-13_m-basebl_13accbaseguide.pdf|archive-date=August 9, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=soconmg>{{cite web|title=2014 Southern Conference Baseball Media Guide|url=http://issuu.com/soconsports/docs/2014_socon_baseball_media_guide|publisher=Southern Conference|access-date=August 5, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020223447/http://issuu.com/soconsports/docs/2014_socon_baseball_media_guide|archive-date=October 20, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=d1rb>{{cite web|title=2014 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship Record Book|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/baseball_champs_records/2013/d1/d1.pdf|website=NCAA.org|access-date=July 12, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606211826/http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/baseball_champs_records/2013/d1/d1.pdf|archive-date=June 6, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=greensboroyearly>{{cite web|title=Men's Basketball Season by Season (1966-present)|url=http://www.greensborocollegesports.com/sports/mbkb/GC_MBBall_Records_-_12-1-11.pdf|website=GreensboroCollegeSports.com|publisher=Greensboro Sports Information|access-date=August 5, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809220929/http://www.greensborocollegesports.com/sports/mbkb/GC_MBBall_Records_-_12-1-11.pdf|archive-date=August 9, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
===Baseball=== {{CBB yearly record start | type = coach }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subhead | name = Florida Atlantic | conference= Independent – NAIA | startyear = 1981 | endyear = 1983 }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1981 | name = Florida Atlantic | overall = 15–16 | conference = | confstanding = | postseason = }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1982 | name = Florida Atlantic | overall = 42–14 | conference = | confstanding = | postseason = NAIA District Tournament }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1983 | name = Florida Atlantic | overall = 49–14 | conference = | confstanding = | postseason = NAIA Area Tournament }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subhead | name = Florida Atlantic | conference= Division II Independent | startyear = 1984 | endyear = 1987 }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1984 | name = Florida Atlantic | overall = 40–15 | conference = | confstanding = | postseason = }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1985 | name = Florida Atlantic | overall = 44–15 | conference = | confstanding = | postseason = NCAA Regional }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1986 | name = Florida Atlantic | overall = 44–10 | conference = | confstanding = | postseason = }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1987 | name = Florida Atlantic | overall = 34–21–2 | conference = | confstanding = | postseason = }} {{CBB yearly record subtotal | name = Florida Atlantic | overall = 268–105–2 | confrecord = }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subhead | name = Duke | conference= Atlantic Coast Conference | startyear = 1988 | endyear = 1999 }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1988 | name = Duke | overall = 10–35 | conference = 3–16 | confstanding = 8th | postseason = ACC tournament{{efn|name=accall|In this season, all members of the Atlantic Coast Conference qualified for the postseason baseball tournament.}} }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1989 | name = Duke | overall = 20–23 | conference = 2–14 | confstanding = 8th | postseason = ACC tournament{{efn|name=accall}} }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1990 | name = Duke | overall = 28–25 | conference = 4–15 | confstanding = 7th | postseason = ACC tournament{{efn|name=accall}} }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1991 | name = Duke | overall = 24–27 | conference = 6–15 | confstanding = 7th | postseason = ACC tournament{{efn|name=accall}} }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1992 | name = Duke | overall = 38–16 | conference = 12–12 | confstanding = 5th | postseason = ACC tournament{{efn|name=accall}} }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1993 | name = Duke | overall = 39–19–1 | conference = 11–13 | confstanding = 6th | postseason = ACC tournament{{efn|name=accall}} }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1994 | name = Duke | overall = 33–20 | conference = 16–8 | confstanding = T–2nd | postseason = ACC tournament{{efn|name=accall}} }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1995 | name = Duke | overall = 30–27 | conference = 4–20 | confstanding = T–8th | postseason = ACC tournament{{efn|name=accall}} }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1996 | name = Duke | overall = 39–18 | conference = 9–14 | confstanding = 7th | postseason = ACC tournament{{efn|name=accall}} }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1997 | name = Duke | overall = 33–25 | conference = 9–14 | confstanding = 7th | postseason = ACC tournament{{efn|name=accall}} }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1998 | name = Duke | overall = 38–20 | conference = 8–15 | confstanding = 7th | postseason = ACC tournament{{efn|name=accall}} }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1999 | name = Duke | overall = 24–31 | conference = 4–18 | confstanding = 9th | postseason = ACC tournament{{efn|name=accall}} }} {{CBB yearly record subtotal | name = Duke | overall = 356–286–1 | confrecord = 88–174 }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subhead | name = Wofford | conference= Southern Conference | startyear = 2000 | endyear = 2007 }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 2000 | name = Wofford | overall = 16–38 | conference = 7–22 | confstanding = 11th | postseason = }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 2001 | name = Wofford | overall = 17–31 | conference = 9–17 | confstanding = 9th | postseason = }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 2002 | name = Wofford | overall = 26–31 | conference = 14–16 | confstanding = T–6th | postseason = SoCon tournament }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 2003 | name = Wofford | overall = 9–40 | conference = 7–22 | confstanding = 11th | postseason = }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 2004 | name = Wofford | overall = 17–30 | conference = 8–22 | confstanding = 10th | postseason = }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 2005 | name = Wofford | overall = 17–37 | conference = 7–23 | confstanding = 10th | postseason = }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 2006 | name = Wofford | overall = 20–37 | conference = 5–22 | confstanding = 10th | postseason = SoCon tournament{{efn|name=soconall|In this season, all members of the Southern Conference qualified for the postseason baseball tournament.}} }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = conference tournament | season = 2007 | name = Wofford | overall = 30–33 | conference = 8–19 | confstanding = T–9th | postseason = NCAA Regional }} {{CBB yearly record subtotal | name = Wofford | overall = 152–277 | confrecord = 65–163 }} {{CBB yearly record end | overall = 776–668–3 }}
===Basketball===
{{CBB yearly record start | type = | conference = | postseason= }} {{CBB Yearly Record Subhead | name = Greensboro | conference= Dixie Conference – DIII | startyear = 1976 | endyear = 1979 }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1976–77 | name = Greensboro | overall = 17-7 | conference = 10-4 | confstanding = | postseason = }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1977–78 | name = Greensboro | overall = 7-17 | conference = 4-11 | confstanding = | postseason = }} {{CBB yearly record entry | championship = | season = 1978–79 | name = Greensboro | overall = 6-16 | conference = 3-11 | confstanding = | postseason = }} {{CBB yearly record subtotal | name = Greensboro | overall = 30-40 | confrecord = 17-26 }} {{CBB yearly record end | overall = 30-40 }}
==Hall of Fame inductions== Traylor is a member of several Halls of Fame: Westerville South High School Athletics, Otterbein Athletics, FAU Athletics, and FAU Baseball.<ref name=woffretire />
==Notes== {{Notelist}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{navboxes|list= {{Florida Atlantic Owls baseball coach navbox}} {{Duke Blue Devils baseball coach navbox}} {{Wofford Terriers baseball coach navbox}} {{Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Coach of the Year navbox}} }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Traylor, Steve}} Category:1951 births Category:Living people Category:American men's basketball players Category:Baseball coaches from Ohio Category:Baseball players from Franklin County, Ohio Category:Basketball coaches from Ohio Category:Basketball players from Ohio Category:Duke Blue Devils baseball coaches Category:Florida Atlantic Owls baseball coaches Category:Greensboro Pride men's basketball coaches Category:Ohio State University alumni <!-- Master's --> Category:Otterbein Cardinals baseball coaches Category:Otterbein Cardinals baseball players Category:Otterbein Cardinals football players Category:Otterbein Cardinals men's basketball players Category:Players of American football from Franklin County, Ohio Category:Sportspeople from Westerville, Ohio Category:Wofford Terriers baseball coaches Category:20th-century American sportsmen