Pending board approval, Triad High School has selected Travis Cross as its next head baseball coach, bringing a familiar leader back to the forefront of the Cardinals’ program.

Cross is no stranger to Triad baseball. He served as an assistant coach and interim head coach during the 2024 season before returning as an assistant in 2025. Most recently, he spent the 2026 season as an assistant coach and pitching coach at Hilliard Darby High School.

Now, Cross will take over the Cardinals baseball program ahead of the 2027 season, bringing nearly two decades of coaching experience and a deep understanding of the game.

A 2003 graduate of Urbana High School, Cross continued his baseball career at Urbana University, where he earned a degree in Sports Management. His coaching journey began with the Springfield Green Sox from 2007-08 before spending five seasons as an assistant coach at Urbana High School from 2008-13.

After stepping away from coaching for several years, Cross returned to the dugout with Triad in 2024. His previous experience within the program and familiarity with its players and culture made him a strong candidate to lead the Cardinals moving forward.

Cross plans to build the program around a team-first approach that emphasizes pitching, defense and disciplined play. His vision includes developing dominant pitching staffs and elite defensive units while stressing offensive fundamentals such as working counts, getting on base, aggressive base running and executing situational baseball.

At the foundation of his program will be four key principles: toughness, hard work, consistency and mental strength.

In addition to his coaching background, Cross has been an associate at Walmart for the past 25 years. He resides in Urbana with his wife, Ashley, and their three children, Konnor, Alivia and Averee.

The Triad Athletic Department expressed excitement about welcoming Cross and his family back to Cardinal Nation as he prepares to lead the next chapter of Triad baseball. With strong ties to the program and a clear vision for success, Cross hopes to help the Cardinals continue to grow and compete at a high level in the seasons ahead.