GASTONIA, NC – Francis Marion University senior left-handed pitcher Tripp Triplett has been named the winner of the Builder Services of North Carolina Conference Carolinas 2026 Elite 26 Award for the sport of baseball. The award was presented on Thursday evening at the league tournament championship site.

A native of Lake Lure, N.C., Triplett holds a perfect 4.00 grade point average as a business administration major. He is the second Francis Marion baseball player to earn the academic accolade in program history, joining Cory Poulsen, who earned the honor in 2023.

Triplett has made four relief appearances out of the bullpen this season for the nationally-ranked Patriots.

The Elite 26 Award honors Conference Carolinas student-athletes with the highest cumulative grade-point average at their respective championship site. The award is modeled after the NCAA's Elite Scholar-Athlete Award.

Triplett is a product of R.S. Central High School.

He becomes the fourth Patriot to win an Elite 26 Award this school year, joining men's cross country runner Kyle Elliott, women's volleyball outside hitter Madilyn Gartner, and softball right-hander pitcher/first baseman Jenna Walling.


       Tripp Triplett