THE OFFICIAL ATHLETICS SITE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA LIONS

UNA 2026: Appeared in and started all 59 games for the Lions --- One of two players to do so ... Named a First Team All-ASUN member alongside Dylan Coleman, the first pair to accomplish the feat ... Named to the ASUN All-Tournament Team after helping lead the Lions to the Championship game ... Broke the North Alabama all-time home run record against No. 3 FGCU in the ASUN Postseason Tournament in the seventh inning with his 18th of the year ... Led the team in batting average (.321), OPS (1.115), runs (54), doubles (16), home runs (18), total bases (138), slugging (.651), walks (53) and on-base percentage (.464) ... Broke the all-time record for games with reached base safely (56) and set a new all-time season high for games played (59) ... Broke the Division I records for slugging (.651) and runs scored (54) ... One of six players to have two or more home runs in a single game ... Hit the Lions lone grand slam to break the all-time team record for home runs in a season at 64 against Eastern Kentucky ... Was first in the ASUN for home runs (18), first in walks (53), second in OPS (1.115), third in slugging (.651), fourth in RBIs (57), fourth in on-base percentage (.464), sixth in doubles (16) and fifth in runs scored (54) ... Tied the individual game high for doubles (2), accomplished four times ... Led the team in sacrifice flies (4) ... Caught the fly ball and threw the base runner out at second to send North Alabama to its first ASUN Championship game appearance in school history.

UNA 2025: Appeared in 49 games with 46 starts for the Lions ... Batted .219 with 37 hits and 24 RBI's ... Slugged .432 and had an on base percentage of .342 ... Hit for 10 doubles, a team-leading eight home runs and a triple ... Hit two home runs against North Florida in a winning effort during the ASUN Tournament, 14-11.

WALLACE STATE CC 2023-24: Transferred to UNA from Wallace State CC in Hanceville, Ala., ... Coached by Randy Putman ... Appeared in 43 games and hit .224 for his sophomore season ... Hit eight home runs while earning 25 RBIs and 22 runs ... Slugged .491 with a .397 on-base percentage.

HIGH SCHOOL: Played at Decatur Heritage in Decatur, Ala., under head coach Steve Meek ... Catcher and outfielder for the Eagles ... Lettered in football.

PERSONAL: Birthday is May 15 ... Son of Jeff and Christi Rippen ... has one sibling. BATS LEFT, THROWS RIGHT.

STATS AT NORTH ALABAMA
Year        Avg         G-GS    AB    R      H    2B    3B    HR    RBI    BB    HP    SO    SB
2025      .219         49-46   169   24     37   10       1      8       24     28      4      75     5-5
2026      .321         59-59   212   54     68   16       0    18       57     53      7      66     2-2  
Career   .275     108-105   381   78   105   26       1    26       81     81     11    141     7-7