A switch: Mains now leads KCHS boys hoops
KNOXVILLE — Knoxville Catholic High School didn’t have to look far before announcing Travis Mains as its new boys basketball head coach last week.
Mains led the KCHS Lady Irish to back-to-back Division II-AA state titles in 2022-23 and 2023-24 in his five seasons as head coach, while also guiding the Catholic girls to the state title game in 2021 and state semifinal berths in 2022 and earlier this month.
Mains’ overall record with the KCHS girls was 102-59, and stands at 235-112 overall as a high school head coach.
A native of Gray in Upper East Tennessee near Johnson City, Mains’ coaching experience includes his alma mater, Daniel Boone High School from 2013 through 2018, where he led the girls’ varsity team to their first-ever Division AAA State Tournament appearance. Mains compiled an overall record there of 133-63.
In his last season, the Blazers finished with a record of 30-5. He then stepped away to coach his daughter — soon-to-be 2024 Tennessee Miss Basketball Sydney Mains at KCHS — at the travel ball level.
His experience also includes time as an assistant for the boys’ high school programs at Sullivan South and Daniel Boone.
Mains and his wife, Missey Mains, both played basketball at King University, where Travis led his team to the NAIA National Tournament in 1998.
He finished his playing career at King ranked 11th all-time in scoring while amassing more than 500 rebounds. Mains also was an Honorable Mention All-American in his final season with the Tornado.
