Everett Wood '89 is the first four-time All-Conference selection in Ripon College baseball history and is one of the greatest pitchers in the annals of the Midwest Conference. With a career record of 26-10, Wood graduated as the all-time winningest pitcher in school history. Those 26 wins stood as a school record for 12 years, and currently ranks fifth in the MWC record books. Wood was inducted into Ripon's Athletics Hall of Fame in 2004.
"Woody was the first pitcher I ever recruited at Ripon College," legendary baseball coach Bob Gillespie said. "If he had pitched for our great teams in the late 90s and early 2000s, he would have never lost a game."
In addition to his career win total, Wood graduated as the school record holder for games started (40), innings pitched (241.0), strikeouts (187), and complete games (30), all of which still rank in the top three in school history. His 30 complete games ranked second in NCAA Division-III history at the time of his graduation.
Wood also recorded three shutouts during his career, which ranked second in school history at the time of his graduation, and currently ranks fifth. He also still ranks among the top 10 in MWC history in games started, complete games, wins, and innings pitched, despite graduating 32 years ago.
All of those stats and accolades are great, but it's how Wood capped off his career that will stand the test of time. As a senior, Wood led Ripon to the 1989 MWC Championship, marking the program's first conference title in 15 years, setting the tone for the next three decades, which saw the program win 14 more conference championships in the following 26 years.
During that senior season, which marked the third consecutive year in which the Redmen finished first in the MWC North Division, Wood went 8-2 with a team-best 2.06 Earned Run Average and 52 strikeouts as Ripon compiled a 17-12 record. His eight victories that season established a new school single season record, which stood for 12 years, and still ranks second in program history.
That followed a junior season that saw Wood record a single season record of 10 complete games, which is still tied for second in program history and ranks fourth in MWC history, as Ripon went 8-4 in the conference. As a sophomore, Wood led the team with 53 strikeouts in 57 innings, while recording an ERA of 3.54 and two shutouts, as Ripon finished the season with a 14-11 record. The only year that the Redmen didn't finish first in the MWC North Division during Wood's career came during his freshman campaign, which ended with him going 4-2 with 42 strikeouts in 42 innings, and compiling an ERA of 3.44.
After graduating from Ripon College in 1989, Wood went on to earn his Law Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1992. A member of Milwaukee and American Bar Associations, State Bar of Wisconsin, and Metropolitan Builders Association, Wood has 29 years of legal experience. He practices construction law in Milwaukee, Wis. at Davis and Kuelthau SC, focusing on Real Estate Law (Construction Law).
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