ELKINS, W.Va. -- Davis & Elkins Director of Athletics Patrick Snively has announced the hiring of D&E Alum Brett Ripley as Head Baseball Coach.
 
Ripley returns to D&E from West Virginia Wesleyan where he has held a variety of positions in and out of athletics over the past sixteen years.
 
"We are extremely fortunate to find a coach of Brett's quality and character in our own backyard," said Director of Athletics Patrick Snively. "He is going to quickly connect with our current and incoming players, our campus community, and prospective student-athletes. I am especially excited about the enthusiasm he has for connecting the alums with the team."
 
"I would like to thank President Wood, Director of Athletics Patrick Snively and the search committee for the opportunity to lead the baseball program at my alma mater," said Ripley. "I'm excited to return to Davis & Elkins College and help develop a great group of young men in the classroom, in the community and on the field. This program and institution have always held a special place in my heart and I look forward to building long lasting relationships with our players, alumni, campus community and the Elkins community."
 
At West Virginia Wesleyan, Ripley most recently served as senior associate director of admissions. He has worked in this role throughout his sixteen years at the institution.
For seven seasons, Ripley served as associate head coach at Wesleyan. During this time, Ripley served as interim head coach on a pair of occasions.
 
In the five seasons prior to his experience as associate head coach, Ripley served as assistant coach at Wesleyan and was also head men's golf coach for two years.
 
Ripley worked as a graduate assistant at Wesleyan for two seasons to begin his collegiate coaching career.
 
Ripley also had a pair of seasons coaching American Legion baseball.
 
Ripley earned a degree in Sports Management from D&E in 2006 and an MBA from West Virginia Wesleyan in 2008.
 
While at D&E, Ripley earned D&E's Student-Athlete of the Year Award in his senior year. As a senior, he was also D&E's male representative as WVIAC Student-Athlete of the Year, won the WVIAC's Shannon Stewart Heart & Hustle Award, and earned the Health, Sport, and Movement Science Department Academic Achievement Award.
 
Coach Ripley lives in Buckhannon with his wife Leah and daughters Kinsley and Chesney.
 
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT BRETT RIPLEY:
Brett Ripley is a detailed, team-first, committed professional and one of the best employees I've ever worked with. As a leader he demands the best effort from others but always provides compassionate guidance and feedback and clearly sets the example with his own actions. Above all, Brett understands what it is to lead a team and to be a part of a team and is the ideal person to positively influence the lives of students at Davis and Elkins College on the field and beyond."
-John Waltz – VP for Enrollment Management at West Virginia Wesleyan
 
"I'm so excited as a baseball alum to see Brett Ripley be named the head baseball coach at Davis & Elkins. I had the opportunity to not just be his teammate but also start our college coaching careers together. Brett, as all of our alumni, wants the best for Davis & Elkins College and from working with him I know he will put everything he has into bringing Davis & Elkins back to being the program we are proud to have played for. Brett will develop great baseball players and great young men and he will have the support of myself and the rest of our great baseball alumni."
-Eric Lassiter – Head Baseball Coach Windermere High School/D&E Baseball Alum
 
 "I couldn't be happier for Brett and Davis & Elkins Baseball. No one is more deserving of this opportunity than Brett and this is a no brainer hire for the Senators. Brett is a proven recruiter in the state of WV and will do a phenomenal job in growing and building the Senator program his way. I can't wait to compete against him in the MEC and wish him all the best!"
-Ryan Lewicki – Head Baseball Coach, Wheeling University/Former Player and Assistant Coach for Coach Ripley

*photo credit John Calvert