Travis Steele Wants To Bring Xavier The Last Two Percent

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Travis Steele has been around long enough to know how far the Xavier University program has come since the days of Bob Staak and Pete Gillen.

Through the progression of Staak, to Gillen, to Thad Motta, to Sean Miller, who brought the thirty something coach to Xavier, to Chris Mack, the Xavier basketball program has clawed and scratched its way to the pinnacle of success. Steele had a front row seat as the native of Indiana, has been an assistant coach at Xavier for the past 10 years.  One year under Sean Miller and the last nine under Chris Mack.

Mack left the team last week for a high profile job with the University of  Louisville, Steele became the successor, inheriting a team that won the regular season Big East title and was the number one seed in the NCAA tournament's West Region this past season.

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Steele was chosen for the job of taking Xavier that last step to a Final Four appearance and perhaps a National Basketball Title.

"We had an unprecedented number of candidates from across the country that expressed interest in this job," Xavier Athletic Director, Greg Christopher said. "We had a great group of candidates.  We knew a lot about Travis, very detail oriented, great at relationships, he's responsible a lot for the roster we have today and he has a really impressive offensive mind.  The second core issue was evaluating our direction.  Do we want to stay the course?  Or go in another direction?  Do you believe in where this program is?  The two percent concept that he brought up, really resonated with us."

Steele keeps continuity within the program.

Sophomore guard Quentin Goodin makes it clear.

"He knows what he's talking about.  Whenever you go to him for advice he is straight forward.  He's not going to lie to you," Goodin said.  "I feel that he already knows where we've been.  He's been through our six-game losing streak last year, then the Elite Eight.  He's also been here when we won the Big East.  He's been at both ends.  He helped us grow as players.That made him the best choice."

Sophomore center Tyrique Jones had this to say.

"He brings a lot of energy," Jones said.  "He will make sure we have the same energy."

Steele had 1,100 text messages but answered those in order of priority.  It is the focus on those priorities that he believes will get Xavier to that final summit.

"When I met with Mr. Christopher in San Antonio, I talked about the two percent," Steele said.  "Obviously, we have a great program and great product.  But first I want to talk about the first 98 percent, what got us here.  A lot of people putting their sweat, tears and blood and sacrifice for this program.  It's about the former players, I see Joe Sunderman and Byron Larken out there.  We've had terrific players, terrific teams and terrific coaches here.  We've had a lot of terrific coaches.  I want to thank those guys for getting us to this point.  Xavier is about doing both.  We've graduated 106 seniors in a row that dates all the way back to 1986.  We also made 12 out of the last 13 NCAA tournaments. Only eight teams in the country can say that.  I even coached a former Xavier player Stan Burrel.  I coached him in high school, in AAU and agreed to bring him to Xavier for an unofficial visit.  Stan is a special kind of guy.  He works really hard.  I remember sitting with him and Sister Rose Ann Fleming in her office.  She promised him that if he came to Xavier University that he was going to get a degree.  I knew right then that this was the right place for Stan."

"That leads us to the next two percent which is what I want to talk about," Steele said.  "Where do we gon from here?  How do we get to that two percent?  It is like climbing a mountain.  I feel that is what Xavier has done for a long time.  We are going upwards.  Every coach has made Xavier a better place than it was before.  That is my responsibility.  It is a huge responsibility that is on my shoulders.  We all have embrace that, former players included.  The city of Cincinnati, the alumni, the community,  we all have to do it together.  One game isn't going to define us.  It is the holistic approach.  We want to graduate players.  We want the over all development of our student athletes.  We want to do things the right way.  That's a non negotiable.  We want to be compliant in everything that we do.  We want to compete for Big East regular season championships; Big East tournament championships and obviously the elephant in the room.  Go where Xavier has never been before in the NCAA tournament.  We as a whole need to do it together, hand in hand.  We have made Xavier's Cintas Center one of the toughest places to play in entire country.  We have to continue that.  Which leads me to the future."

Steele thinks there is enough talent in this area of the country to sustain the growth of Xavier's program.

"We have to evaluate student athletes that fit our culture," Steele said.  "They should value education and value championships.  I am going to use the "breadbasket philosophy".  I drew a five hour radius around the city of Cincinnati.  There is enough talent within this area to build Big East championships and National Championships.  We are going to find the best student athletes that we can find to make you guys proud."