Tripp Patterson

Height:
6-1
Weight:
213
Class:
Senior
Letters:
3
Hometown:
Lenoir, N.C.
Prev School:
Air Force Academy

2015 at MERCER: Stepped into a starting role during junior season while playing in all 11 games … Made six starts on the year … Led the team with 70 total tackles (30 solo, 40 assisted) … Ranked third on the team with 4.5 tackles-for-loss … Tallied one sack and four pass break-ups … Had five or more tackles on seven occasions … Reached double-figure stops in three contests … Led the team in tackles three times … Also notched two quarterback hurries, one forced fumble and a blocked kick … Named Mercer’s Defensive Player of the Week for the Stetson game (Sep. 12) after tallying five tackles, one for loss, and two pass break-ups … Had a career-high 14 tackles to go along with a forced fumble against Wofford (Oct. 3) on his way to the team’s Game Ball Award … Recorded 10 tackle performances in back-to-back games against The Citadel (Oct. 31) and Chattanooga (Nov. 7).

2014 at MERCER: Played in all 12 games from his inside linebacker position with two starts on the season … Finished eighth on the team with 40 total tackles (16 solo, 24 assisted) … Had five or more tackles on three occasions … Ranked fifth on the squad with four tackles-for-loss … Led the team with three sacks … Tallied a season-high nine tackles, including two tackles-for-loss in his Mercer debut against Reinhardt (Aug. 28) … Recorded his first career sack and forced fumble in the Bears’ SoCon opener versus Furman (Sept. 6) … Posted 19 tackles over his final three games including a season-best 1.5 sacks in a win over Warner (Nov. 15).

HIGH SCHOOL: Attended Hibriten High School in Lenoir, N.C. … Earned four varsity letters in football, wrestling and track … Under head football coach Clay Lewis, Patterson recorded two 100-plus tackle seasons while helping his team to three 12-plus win seasons and a Western Division Championship … Earned a third-place finish at North Carolina’s state wrestling championships in the 225-pound weight class … Also finished third in the pole vault at the state track meet.

PERSONAL: Born July 27, 1993 to parents Verdell and Carla Patterson in Greenville, S.C. … Has two sisters, Ashleigh and Carly … Chose Mercer because of the strong academics and athletics … Plans to major in Sports Business.