Minooka graduate Travis Murray was a three-sport athlete in high school.

But he never boxed.

After putting on the gloves as a freshman at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Murray capped his career by becoming the first national champion at the school.

"Travis is a trailblazer for the United States Coast Guard," said USCG boxing coach Tom Barrile. "Our boxing program has been up and coming, and Travis has been a leader for us."

Murray, a Cadet 1st Class, won three bouts in as many days at the National Collegiate Boxing Championships staged at the University of Maryland.

"It was a very exciting week for me," said Murray. "I got a lot of gifts, including a belt similar to a WWF championship belt, after I won the title."

"Travis is the best conditioned boxer that I have ever worked with and I have been been the boxing coach here since 2003," noted Barrile. "Travis just overwhelmed his opponents and that speaks volumes about his conditioning. Nobody that he boxed could keep up with him. He is so fundamentally sound."

"I had never boxed until I got to college," said Murray. "My high school did not offer it (the sport) and I grew up in an area that did not emphasize boxing. But my captain of our boxing team at the Coast Guard got me interested. He was in my company. After talking with him, I went out and bought some wraps (worn under the gloves for additional protection for the fighter's hands) and started practicing. I started out working on the heavy bag and I was sold on it."

The son of Robert and Barbara Murray of Shorewood, Travis started out as a 175-pounder.

"Boxing offered me something new and gave me a different outlet," he said. "I had two fights my freshman year and went 1-1. My loss was to a guy who is currently the WEC champion. Getting to the bouts was a big deal because with me being in Connecticut [the academy is located in New London] and it was eight hours to Pennsylvania where I fought."

Murray went 5-2 as a sophomore, advancing to the NCBA championships staged in Reno, Nev., after qualifying as a wild card in regional action.

"I pulled off an upset, being the No. 2 seed in an early bout and making it to the semifinals before I lost to a guy from Penn State, who went on to win the national title," said Murray.

Murray was honored as an All-American for his finish.

"That put me on the radar and gave me more opportunities," Murray added. "I finished 7-2 as a junior even though I spent the months of January through early May at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, which is the premier boxing school in the country [as part of an exchange program between the services.] I made it to Nationals and lost in the championship bout to a guy from West Point."

"He cut his weight to 165 his junior season and dropped down a class," said Barrile. "Making weight was something new to Travis, because he had never boxed before. I made the decision that he could cut the weight because Travis actually would weight in at 168 or 169 for most of his fights. He would make weight easily and then it would be nothing for him to go out and box a guy that weighed 10 or 12 pounds more than him because your weight is established once you weigh in. I didn't think that making 165 would be an issue for Travis."

After once again being named an All-American as a junior, Murray took advantage of his runner-up finish at the Nationals in Reno to expand his horizons.

"Since I did so well as a junior, I was even more on the radar," Murray explained. "I ended up getting a chance to box at the New York Athletic Club in New York City and the Washington Athletic Club. I won both those matches, ending the year undefeated at 9-0."

That success led him to the Nationals which were staged at the University of Maryland in May.

"I had three fights in three nights," Murray said. "I beat a guy from the Naval Academy (Jake Tenorio by a 5-0 score) in the quarterfinals, a guy from the University of Nevada (Jacob Munson-Decker 5-0) in the semifinals and then a boxer from West Point (Will Myers 4-1) in the championship match."

"Some boxers have extraordinary power or extraordinary hand speed," said Barrile. "Travis is very good in both areas but he boxes at a pace that no one else could keep up with. I compare it to being a miler in track. A lot of people can keep up with a good runner for three laps but it's the fourth lap where they fall behind. It was that way at the Nationals. After two rounds, Travis just had more left in the gas tank."

Murray got his inspiration for joining the military from his older brother, Geoff.

"He was three years ahead of me and he decided to go to West Point (the Army)." said Travis. "I was thinking about West Point . I went out to visit him while also visiting the Naval Academy and the Coast Guard. I finally decided to go to the Coast Guard because I just felt they offered different and better opportunities. You are active 24-7 and I wanted to do something with drug intervention."

Murray was a point guard in basketball at Minooka High School, ran the 800 in track and played football.

"I was a quarterback my freshman and sophomore years but then I converted to linebacker when I moved up to the varsity," said Travis.

He played for Mike Briscoe as a junior and then Bert Kooi as a senior.

"Mr. Kooi gave me a lot of help getting into the service," Travis said. "He wrote essays for me and also helped me with different (athletic skills) tests on which I had to reach certain scores. I really want to give credit to my brother. He opened some doors for me, introducing me to the military life. He is currently serving in Afghanistan. He is been a role model for me and I am very proud of him."

Travis graduated from the Coast Guard on May 20 and then took advantage of 30 days of leave to travel around Europe.

He traveled out to Alameda (Calif.) three weeks ago, going on active duty as a Boarding Officer on a high endurance cutter.

"We will be out to sea for three months and then be back in port," Travis related. "Our primary responsibility is drug intervention. We will be doing this for two years. After serving here, we will be going south to Mexico and South America before we go north and patrol the Bering Sea and the area near Russia."

"And I don't want to forget to thank Tom Barrile, who coached me all four years at the Coast Guard," said Murray. "He was always there for me when I needed him and he was definitely a role model for me."