Andrea Wepner '96 was a two-sport star at Ripon College, excelling in both softball and basketball. A three-time All-Conference selection on the softball field, she still appears in both sports' career record books, 25 years after her graduation. Wepner, who is originally from Ripon, Wis., was inducted into the Ripon College Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013.
"I was an athlete looking to get an unknown college education," Wepner said. "I had uncertainties in what my career path would be, but something I didn't expect was that participating on Ripon's basketball and softball teams would end up being the defining aspect of my education."
As Ripon's starting catcher all four years, Wepner posted a career batting average of .380, which was a school record at the time of her graduation, and currently ranks third in program history. She also graduated with school records in Runs Batted In (71), doubles (18), triples (6), home runs (4), and walks (38), all of which still rank in the top 10 in program history.
Wepner wasted no time making an impact on Ripon's softball team, batting .403 in 22 games as a freshman. That marked the first of two seasons in which Wepner batted over .400, with the other coming as a junior when she recorded a career-high batting average of .486.
"I have so many amazing memories from my playing days and they all revolve around my group of teammates," Wepner said. "Not only did we practice together, but we also ate meals, hung out, and took classes together."
Wepner had the good fortune of having two great sets of teammates, as she also excelled on the basketball court. Appearing in all but four games during her entire career, Wepner finished with 248 career assists, which ranked second in program history at the time of her graduation and still ranks sixth, 25 years later. She also scored 506 career points, while shooting 71 percent from the free throw line.
"Road trips to games, making clutch free throws, hitting momentum changing 3-pointers, and throwing passes that made Coach (Julie) Johnson cringe and my teammates look good are some things that I absolutely loved about my experience at Ripon College, but the lifelong friendships I made will forever be the base of all of my favorite memories."
Possibly the best memory Wepner had was playing an integral role as a senior on Coach Johnson's first-ever Midwest Conference championship in 1996. That team finished with a 20-5 record, going 12-2 in the MWC, which helped Ripon advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.
Wepner also had the unique opportunity to play for Coach Johnson in two different sports, as she also served as the Head Coach of Ripon's softball team during that era.
"All of the coaches at Ripon College were very supportive, but there was no coach or mentor quite like Julie Johnson. She was a significant force in molding my character for the future," Wepner said. "Coach Johnson was a kind, wise, fierce, funny and incredible person who had an immeasurable impact on my life and a day doesn't go by that I don't think of her and wonder how I would be as a person if she never came into my life. Her influence went far beyond the court and guided my growth in relationships and my personal confidence. It didn't matter if I made a mistake or saved the game in the final seconds, her confidence in me was unwavering. For all of this, and so much more, I'm forever grateful for the time I had with her."
An Education, Health, and Exercise Science major at Ripon College, Wepner would later serve as an assistant on Johnson's coaching staff from 2001-05, helping the Red Hawks win two more conference championships, advancing to the NCAA Tournament in both seasons. She currently works as a Service Coordinator at St. Francis Children's Center in Whitefish Bay, Wis.
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