RIPON, Wisconsin – Six members will be welcomed into the Ripon College Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday night, June 23, at the 1851 Awards Dinner Program. The induction comes as part of the College's Alumni Weekend festivities in Great Hall of the Harwood Memorial Union on the campus of Ripon College.
Jacob L. Gahart,
Taylor T. Koth,
Michelle M. Matter,
Stephanie Rieuwpassa Willms and
Adam D. Sellner, all from the Class of 2013, and
Kirk D. Wilderspin, Class of 1999, comprise the Red Hawks' 2023 Hall of Fame class.
Gahart is one of Ripon's most accomplished kickers. Upon graduation, he held 10 school records, including career field goals and most field goals in a single season. In 2011, he added a record for the longest field goal in school history and tied the record for most field goals made in a single game. He was Academic All-Midwest Conference three times, earned a spot on the Beyond Sports College Network (BSN) All-American first team in 2011 and was a Fred Mitchell Award finalist in 2011 for the nation's most outstanding collegiate kicker among FCS, Division II, Division III, NAIA and NJCAA football programs.
Koth became the sixth player in Ripon men's basketball history to earn Midwest Conference Player of the Year honors by winning the award in 2013. He was named a third-team All-American by the NABC after scoring 24 points per game as a senior, the fifth-highest mark in Division III. Upon graduation, he ranked seventh in school history for career points, second in rebounding, ninth in free throw percentage and eighth in points per game. He was also a 2013 Jostens Award finalist, given to the most outstanding men's and women's Division III basketball players of the year. As a baseball team member for three seasons, Koth played a key role on three NCAA Division III conference championship teams and was a Gold Glove winner for the Central Region in 2013.
Matter is one of the greatest long-distance runners in school history and holds three of the top 10 times for the school in cross country. She was a four-time All-State performer, earning first-team honors three times, including a second-place overall finish at the 2012 Wisconsin Private College Championships. Matter was an Academic All-American in both cross country and track during her senior season and qualified for the NCAA Division III National Championships twice in her career – once in each sport. Matter was the 2013 Midwest Conference MVP after a championship performance in the outdoor steeplechase. Today, she holds indoor track records in the mile, 3000m and 5000m, and outdoor records in the 3000m steeple and the 3000m. Matter also is the 6K record holder in cross country.
Rieuwpassa Willms is arguably the best pitcher in Ripon College softball history. She was a two-time Midwest Conference Pitcher of the Year and four-time All-Midwest Conference selection. She holds the record for the most career strikeouts with 498 – second-most in MWC history at the time – and holds three of the top four single-season strikeout totals. She also has the record for most innings pitched in a game. At the plate, she holds the school record for career doubles. She was a 2011 MWC Championship and NCAA Tournament team member, helping Ripon earn its first three NCAA playoff wins in program history. She also was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Region second team in 2011.
Sellner is just one of two Ripon student-athletes in men's track and field program history to earn All-American honors more than once. In the hammer throw, he qualified for the NCAA Division III National Championships twice, placing sixth in the country in 2012 and seventh in 2013. He was a four-time conference champion in the hammer throw, a two-time conference silver medalist in weight throw and a three-time Academic All-American. Ten years after graduation, he still holds the MWC and school records in the hammer throw.
Wilderspin was named to the NCAA Division III All-Region team in 1999 and received All-Midwest Conference honors in 1996, 1997 and 1999. His appearances, innings pitched, wins, strikeouts, complete games and shutouts continue to rank among the program's best. In football, he was named an All-Midwest Conference performer in 1996 (first team) and 1997 (second team). He also led the squad in rushing in 1995, 1996 and 1997.
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