Devon Ripley and Shannon Graves Earn GBC April Athletes of the Month Honors
PIKE CREEK, Del. – Sophomore Devon Ripley of the men’s golf team and junior Shannon Graves of the softball team have been named Goldey-Beacom College male and female athletes of the month for the month of April. Both of these athletes put up impressive numbers and performances this past month.
Ripley had an impressive month of April during which the Lightning took third place at the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament and qualified for the NCAA Regionals for the seventh time in the program’s 10 year existence.
The Camden, Del. native shot a one-round score of 80 to tie with fellow sophomore Michael Coppa for third place at the Philadelphia University Tri-Match at the Ace Club on Apr. 9. Then he took sixth place at the CACC Tournament by shooting a 153 (76, 77) at Whitermarsh Valley Country Club.
With his team needing one last quality performance before the NCAA selection committee determined the Regional field, Ripley led the Lightning to an impressive third place finish at the River Hawk Invitational hosted by UMass Lowell at Meadow Creek Golf Course. He was the top Lightning finisher, placing 8th overall with a two-round score of 159.
Graves was an offensive force in the leadoff spot for the Lightning during the month of April. The Glassboro, N.J. native led the team in batting average (.353), hits (24), runs scored (15) doubles (5) and stolen bases (7). She was also second in total bases with 29.
She started the month off red-hot with a 4-for-5 game at the plate in the first of two games at Concordia and also scored two runs. Then starting with a doubleheader at Phila U. where the Lightning split games with the Rams, Graves hit safely in seven straight games up until Apr. 14.
The streak ended with Graves getting a hit in her only at-bat of game one against conference foe USciences. She would come around to score the only run of the game in the bottom of the eighth inning and give GBC a 1-0 victory.
Graves would go on to have three more multi-hit games, including two hits at Bloomfield, two hits against Holy Family and a 3-for-3 game against Georgian Court.
Previous Winners:
March 2011: Wes Hood, Heather Draper
February 2011: Darnell Cephas, Devonne Richardson
January 2011: Azeez Ellegood, Arielle Alford
December 2010: Terrence Parkes, Ashley Rosario
November 2010: Sam McDuffie, Irene Hudson
October 2010: Stewart Reich, Kelly Williams
September 2010: Ricky Jackson, Laura Cure
April 2010: Michael Coppa, Cailin Cavanaugh
March 2010: Devon Ripley, Lauren Witzke
February 2010: Sam McDuffie, Devonne Richardson
January 2010: Terrence Parkes, Janae Weldon
December 2009: Kyle White, Jacinda Jones
November 2009: Ben Kinley, Elizabeth Williams
October 2009: Chris Steele, Vanessa leon Velasquez
September 2009: Angel Rodriguez, Luciana Pereira
