Missouri State

GINO TRAVLINE
Football, 1973-76
Inducted February 10, 1990

A native of Gary, Indiana, Gino Travline was a four-year football letterman at SMSU from 1973 to 1976 and he finished his career with 2,286 yards rushing, still fifth best on the all-time SMSU list. He had 20 rushing touchdowns. A regular for the Bears most of his last three seasons as a running back, Travline finished sixth in the league in rushing and gained all-MIAA second team selection as a sophomore in 1974, with a year highlighted by a two-touchdown effort against Emporia State, a three-TD game against Northeast Missouri, and a 94 yard kickoff return in the final minute that won for the Bears at Northwest Missouri. Travline turned in a banner year for the Bears of Coach Don Cross in 1975, rushing for 1,181 yards to become the first single season 1,000 yard rusher in SMSU grid history. He easily led the league in rushing and gained unanimous all-conference first team selection, also setting a single season record with 240 carries for the Bears. He averaged 107.4 yards a game to finish 12th in Division II rushing stats. Travline had six 100 yard games in 1975 and scored three touchdowns each against Missouri Southern and Northeast Missouri. Coach Rich Johanningmeier took over the SMSU coaching reins in 1976 and Travline finished second on the team in rushing in a year in which he was hampered by injuries but was still able to record the fourth three touchdown game of his SMSU career in the season opener against Emporia State.