Assistant Coach Travis Hanson to Return.

St. Louis Cardinals 2005 Minor League Player of the Year to Tutor Hitters

Knights assistant coach Travis Hanson is returning for a second summer in Corvallis. Hanson worked with hitters and infielders last season and was also Coach Knight's first base coach.

Travis is expected to focus on hitters this summer and will be the team's hitting instructor.

"Having Travis back is huge for the Knights organization. He is a difference maker, is well respected by the players and an outstanding role model for our student-athletes," said team president Dan Segel. "Coach Knight and I are absolutely ecstatic he's returning this summer."

Under Hanson's tutelage last season, the Knights' defense set a West Coast League single-season team fielding percentage record (.975) and Corvallis led the league in hitting with a team batting average of .279.

"I can't wait to help again this summer," said Coach Hanson. "The Corvallis Knights are an outstanding organization that shares my passion for developing young players both on and off the field."

Travis added, "I love giving back to the program that gave me so much as a player. I learned alot from Coach Knight last summer and am excited to work with and learn from our new coaches this season."

Hanson played six years in the minor leagues in the St. Louis Cardinals organization including his final two seasons at AAA Memphis as the Redbirds starting third baseman. He was the Cardinals 2005 Minor League Player of the Year.

Travis played collegiately at University of Portland and with the Knights in 2001-2002. The sweet-swinging left-handed hitter from Port Orchard, Washington still holds the single-season at bats record for the Knights with 227 in 2001. Hanson was selected in the 9th round of the 2002 MLB June draft by St. Louis.

The Knights' second year coach formally retired from pro baseball in 2008. After helping out during fall practice at UP, Travis and his wife Lauren moved to Eugene, Oregon when Lauren accepted the women's soccer associate head coaching position at the University of Oregon.

Travis coached at Marist High School last spring and then launched his collegiate coaching career with the Knights in the summer.

He is currently assisting at Marist this spring while taking MBA courses at the UO's Warsaw Sports Marketing Center.

Lauren and Travis are expecting their first child in May. As a result, Coach Hanson will only be available at home games.

Travis is also interning with the team as part of his MBA program and will be working on developing special programs and new entertainment intiatives.