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Todd Tripucka (born 1954)

Former college basketball standout for Lafayette[69]

What is Todd Tripucka (born 1954) known for?

Born in Bloomfield, New Jersey on September 16, 1954, Todd Tripucka is a well-known American former basketball player best recognized for his impressive college career at Lafayette College during the 1970s. A proud alumnus of Bloomfield High School, Todd’s basketball journey took off stellarly from his school years.

While playing for the Lafayette Leopards, he led the team to an outstanding 58-22 overall record, and even took them to a memorable appearance in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). Tripucka’s exceptional skills and performance on the court also earned him some prestigious titles. He was twice selected as a first-team all-East Coast Conference (ECC) player, and in senior year 1975-76, he was honored as the ECC Player of the Year.

In the same season, Tripucka made a school-record by averaging 26.1 points per game, which was the seventh-best in all of NCAA Division I men's basketball. His single-game record of scoring 42 points against Saint Joseph's still stands as the fourth-best effort in the school’s history. Other single-season school records include his points in one season (679) and field goals attempted (520).

Though he went undrafted in the 1976 NBA draft, Tripucka left a lasting legacy at Lafayette, finishing his career with 1,445 points, which until the 2015-16 season, was the ninth-most at the institution. Recognizing his contributions and accomplishments, Lafayette inducted him into their Hall of Fame in 1989.

Born into a family of athletes, Todd is the son of Frank Tripucka, an American college and professional football player known for his time at Notre Dame and various football leagues including the National Football League, the Canadian Football League, and the early American Football League. Todd's brother, Kelly Tripucka, was a former basketball star for Notre Dame and the National Basketball Association (NBA). In addition, Todd is the uncle of football players Shane Tripucka and Travis Tripucka, and professional lacrosse player Jake Tripucka, all of whom are well-established in their respective sports.

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