Travis Wells, a two-time Virginia Sportscaster of the Year, has been named assistant athletics director for strategic communications at Virginia Tech, athletics dirctorWhit Babcock announced Monday.
Among his duties. Wells will serve as the primary communications contact for Virginia Tech football, among other duties.
“Travis will be a great addition to our team,” Babcock said. “He has a wealth of knowledge and experiences from nearly three decades in local media that will serve our department well. Travis has an array of skills that will make him a valuable asset to Virginia Tech. I’m extremely grateful for the time and effort our search committee devoted to identifying Travis. I look forward to welcoming him and his family to Blacksburg,” Babcock said.
Wells arrives in Blacksburg following a lengthy career in local sports television that spans parts of three decades. His career includes stops at TV stations in Charlottesville, Bristol, and at WDBJ in Roanoke for the last 20 years. He has served as the station’s sports director since 2008.
During his time at WDBJ, Wells helped produce Virginia Tech Sports Today for 10 years, in conjunction with LEARFIELD, the university’s media rights partner.
He spearheaded the station’s multi-faceted coverage of ACC football and basketball, and anchored WDBJ’s popular high school football program – Friday Football Extra – for nearly 15 years. He was named Virginia Sportscaster of the Year in 2015 and 2016 by the National Sports Media Association.
In addition to his on-air duties, Wells filmed and edited video for broadcasts and posted content to wdbj7.com, as well as the station’s social media platforms. Wells has emceed numerous events over his tenure and has fully embedded himself within the greater Roanoke and New River Valley areas.
“I’m honored to join the Virginia Tech athletics department, and I am looking forward to being a part of the Virginia Tech community,” Wells said. “I have a deep understanding of and appreciation for the rich history and tradition of Virginia Tech athletics. The university’s strong academic reputation, along with its record of sustained athletic success, was among the many factors that made this opportunity appealing to me.”
Wells is a Roanoke native and a 1995 graduate of Radford University where he played basketball and earned a degree in communications and media studies.
“There is no one better equipped to tell the Virginia Tech story than Travis,” Babcock pointed out. “He has built and maintained relationships with student-athletes, coaches, and administrators throughout his media career. His track record of service and leadership will serve him well in this role.”
Wells, and his wife, Chandra, are the parents of Meredith and Brayden. Their family lives in Daleville, Va.