Travis Mercado was named the inaugural women’s wrestling coach for Colorado Mesa on May 8, 2018.
Mercado has taken the fledgling program to national prominence, leading the program to three consecutive top-five finishes at the National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championships, including back-to-back fourth-place finishes in 2020 and 2021. He has coached the Mavericks to 16 All-American honors.
Prior to Colorado Mesa, he was the associate women’s wrestling head coach at NCAA Division II King University in Bristol, Tenn and turned them into a perennial power in the women’s wrestling community.
Prior to his time at King University, Mercado was a graduate assistant at the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Ky. He coached the Patriots to a fifth place finish at the NWCA National Duals and had four WCWA All-Americans.
He began his coaching career in his home state of California, leading the Covina High School boys' program for two seasons. The team featured approximately 40 males and six females.
Mercado earned his bachelor of science and master of science degrees from Cal State-Fullerton. He earned his bachelor's in kinesiology with a focus in sport studies in 2009 before earning his master's in kinesiology with a focus in sport psychology, coaching techniques and strength and conditioning.
Travis and his wife Jill live in Grand Junction with their daughter, Kennedy.
