One of the best distance runners Salem Community High School has ever produced, 1993 graduate Travis Fredericks concluded his high school career with the Wildcats at the Class AA state meet in both track and cross country.

Fredericks was selected to the Southern Illinois Coaches Association All-South Team three straight years beginning with his sophomore season in 1990 followed by return berths in 1991 and 1992. Fredericks also received Salem’s team Most Valuable Player Award in each of those three seasons. Fredericks had to settle for a runner-up finish at the North Egypt Conference Meet held at Salem’s Bryan Park during his senior season in 1992. That setback came to Jason Zieren of Carmi, who later went on to win the Class A state championship and starred at the University of Illinois.

Fredericks led Salem to a Class AA regional championship by winning the individual title with a time of 16:41. While the Wildcats were unable to advance to state as a team, a seventh place finish by Fredericks at the sectional race in a time of 15:47 earned him a trip to the state race as an individual. Fredericks was 54th at state with a time of 15:42.

Twice Fredericks competed at state in track. As a junior in 1992 he was a member of the sectional champion 4 x 800 meter relay team that qualified with a time of 8:06.1 That team posted an 18th place finish at the state race. Fredericks got back to state as a senior in 1993 when he won the sectional championship in the 3200 meters and finished 13th in that event at the state race. Fredericks received the team Most Valuable Player Award in track during his senior season in 1993.

Fredericks continued his running career at the University of Southern Mississippi where he lettered in track and cross country in all four years he was at the school.