Nick Thoen '03 is arguably the greatest catcher in the history of the Ripon College baseball program. An All-Region and First Team All-Conference selection during each of his final three seasons, the Prescott, Wis. native was selected as the 2002 Midwest Conference Player of the Year at the conclusion of his junior season. Thoen, who helped lead Ripon to a pair of conference championships and three NCAA Tournament appearances, was inducted into Ripon's Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.
"Playing baseball at Ripon College meant the world to me as it has made me into the person I am today," Thoen said. "I learned so many valuable lessons that have helped me both in my career and personal life, while the relationships I made with my teammates and coaches continue to this day."
Thoen's impact on the Ripon baseball program can still be felt, as his name remains near the top of the school record book, nearly 20 years after his graduation. His 41 career home runs rank second in school and conference history, just one shy of the record, which is held by Thoen's lifelong friend and teammate and fellow Ripon Hall of Famer, Nick Johnson '03. Thoen also still ranks third in program history for runs batted in (166), fourth in total bases (319), eighth in runs (119), and 10th in hits (165).
"When Thoen decided to attend Ripon College to play for the great Gordie Gillespie, they didn't just get the best catcher and one of the best players in Ripon history, but they also got one of the greatest people I've met in my entire life," said Johnson, as the presenter at Thoen's Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
Not only was Thoen one of the team's most feared hitters at the plate, but he was also possibly the best defensive catcher Ripon's baseball program has ever seen.
"Nick Thoen had the best throwing arm of any catcher I coached in my 36 years at Ripon College," legendary baseball coach Bob Gillespie said. "Thoen and Johnson played on the same high school baseball team, so what a recruiting trip that was when my father Gordie returned home from seeing their Prescott team play."
As someone who was along for Thoen's entire baseball journey since they were kids, Johnson agrees with Coach Gillespie's assessment.
"A great catcher makes his pitchers better, which is exactly what Thoen did. He always seemed to call the right pitch, while demanding perfection from our pitching staff and completely shutting down opposing teams with his defense so much so that they refused to even attempt to steal on him because of his arm strength. Our pitching staff was always allowed to throw any pitch at any time because Thoen never allowed a passed ball," Johnson said. "He could also hit the ball extremely well, which is what separates him from being a great catcher to being one of the greatest players in Ripon College history. Thoen hit in the heart of the order for four seasons and destroyed opposing pitching."
After splitting time behind the plate during his freshman season, which ended in an MWC Championship for the Red Hawks, Thoen stepped into a featured role as the unquestioned starter behind the dish entering his sophomore campaign. That season saw him hit .322 with team-highs of nine home runs and 45 RBI, garnering his first of three consecutive First Team All-Conference selections as the Red Hawks won the MWC Championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the program's third consecutive year.
"We lost a close, hard-fought battle in our first game of the NCAA Division-III Regional Tournament that year, so had to win out in order to stay alive in the double elimination format. We would ultimately make it back to the championship game against St. Thomas (Minn.) for an opportunity to earn a berth to the D-III World Series," Thoen recalled. "That championship game was tight throughout and despite that fact that we lost, I'll never forget the back-and-forth play and intensity of that specific game. St Thomas would end up winning the D-III World Series that year after we pushed them to the limit at Regionals."
After that season, Thoen's career really took off. As a junior, he batted a career-high .421 with 16 home runs, which still stands as a single season school and conference record and ranked second in Division-III that year. His 55 RBI and .849 slugging percentage that season both rank third in program history, while his 107 total bases still ranks sixth for a single season. That helped him become the sixth of eight consecutive Ripon players to win the MWC Player of the Year award.
After missing the NCAA Tournament for the first and only time of his career in 2002, Thoen and his teammates returned with a vengeance for his senior season, going 32-6 for what is the highest single season winning percentage in program history, with yet another appearance in the NCAA Tournament. That season, Thoen hit 12 more home runs, while recording 52 RBI, both of which rank in the top 10 in program history for a single season.
During his four-year career, Ripon won an eye-popping 110 games, while losing just 43. As a player, Thoen carried on the winning tradition that Bob and Gordie Gillespie had built at Ripon College, while continuing to carry Gordie's winning legacy with him long after he has graduated.
"Coach Gordie has been the most influential person that I've ever met. He truly cared about his players on and off the field and to this day, I can still remember when I first went to Ripon on a recruiting visit and Coach Gordie was showing me around the campus," Thoen said. "At one point, he grabbed my hand in excitement and was holding it up high while essentially dragging me around the athletic facilities. He was truly the most sincere and genuine person that I've ever met and he had a major impact on the lives of myself and countless others."
Thoen currently lives in his hometown of Prescott with his wife Katie and their two children, Gavin (15) and Isabel (12). He serves as a Unit Manager for Travelers Insurance.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CLICK HERE to view and read all of Ripon's archived '100 For 100' profiles, which will have each profile added to it once it is posted online.
