The Fort Lewis College Athletic Department will be under new leadership in September. Skyhawks Director of Athletics Travis Whipple is stepping down at the end of August to become Southwest Minnesota State University’s Vice President of Athletics.
“It's been an incredible honor to serve at Fort Lewis College during such a transformational time,” Whipple said in a press release put out by FLC on Tuesday. “The campus and community embraced our family from day one, and we will always be grateful. This journey has been a true team effort, and FLC will forever hold a special place in our hearts.”
Whipple, a Woodbury, Minnesota, native, said he chose to move on from FLC to Southwest Minnesota State University because of the opportunity to work in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, the same conference he competed in as a student-athlete for the Winona State University men’s basketball team.
It was also an opportunity for Whipple and his wife, Kim, to go back to the state they grew up in, he said.
Located in Marshall, Minnesota, Southwest Minnesota State University has strong Division II basketball programs, with the men’s team making it to the NCAA tournament in 2024 and 2025 and the women’s team making it in 2025.
Whipple led the Skyhawks to four Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference team titles and the Skyhawks were top 10 in Division II attendance in 2023-2024 and top 15 in 2024-2025.
One of the crowning achievements of Whipple’s tenure was the opening of the $6 million CommonSpirit Sports Performance Center in the spring.
Whipple wasn’t afraid to making coaching changes. He hired 10 head coaches during his three years at FLC.
FLC will launch a national search for a new athletic director later this month, according to FLC’s press release. FLC’s Associate Athletic Director for External Relations, Shawn Jakubowski, will serve as the interim athletic director.
“I’m honored to serve as interim athletic director during such an exciting time for Skyhawk Athletics,” Jakubowski said in the press release. “I’m committed to supporting our coaches, staff, and student-athletes as we continue building on the strong foundation in place.”
bkelly@durangoherald.com
