SPORTS REPORT
Q&A with Steve Trachier With more than a decade of service to Texas Wesleyan Athletics, Steve Trachier announced his retirement in April. As athletic director, Trachier successfully guided the department through major milestones, including moving to one of the most competitive conferences in the NAIA and the revival of Texas Wesleyan football. In Trachier’s four years as women’s basketball head coach, the Lady Rams had a two-time NAIA All-American and eight All-Conference players. In the 2019-20 season, he led the team to its best conference record (12-8) since joining the Sooner Athletic Conference in 2013. In his seven years as athletic director, the Rams had 100 NAIA Scholar-Athletes – 55 percent of the school’s 182 total Scholar-Athletes at the time. In 2014-15, the Rams notched a school record 26 Scholar-Athletes, and in 2015-16, the department totaled a school record 10 NAIA Scholar-Teams. TXWES Athletics also saw 51 AllAmerican selections and 198 All-Conference athletes in his tenure as athletic director. Wesleyan sports spoke with Trachier about his time at Texas Wesleyan.
Q: You’ve been in multiple roles within Texas Wesleyan Athletics for over a decade, what are some of your favorite moments, both as the athletic director and a coach? As an AD, it would have to be the growth of the department. We added women’s golf, men’s and women’s tennis, and football. We almost doubled the number of student-athletes in that time frame. Another moment would have to be watching the 2017 NAIA Men’s Basketball National Championship Game in Kansas City, and following the 2019 NAIA Men’s Golf Championship run. Those are special moments. As a coach, it would have to be the process, getting to know the players and seeing them reach and conquer their goals. Q: During your tenure as athletic director, Texas Wesleyan Athletics produced 100 NAIA Scholar-Athletes. How important is that focus on education in your opinion, and what kind of growth and success have you seen in student-athletes as a result? Our core business is education. I tell kids all the time if you aren’t here for school, you aren’t here for the right reason. I’m proud that the university as a whole has put
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Wesleyan | FALL 2021
a tremendous effort into continuing to find ways to work together to help students reach their full potential. When the SAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll comes out every year, we’re at the top or close to it. That has been a great thing to have happen, and something we want to continue year in and year out. I’m proud of the women’s basketball program being named an NAIA Scholar-Team the last two seasons, and the Lady Rams are expecting that same honor this year as well. Almost half of the team maintained a 4.0 GPA in the 2020 fall semester. Q: What will you miss most about your time at Texas Wesleyan? The people. The students, the staff. The best feature of coaching is the relationships formed in the profession. Lifelong bonds are created with players, coaches and staff. People you never forget. I’m incredibly thankful to President Slabach for giving me this opportunity; he is the best leader for our university right now, and one of the best people I’ve ever worked for. I’m also thankful for Ricky Dotson and Kevin Millikan for their leadership – I will always remember my work colleagues and count them as friends.
