Perhaps no other athlete in Lafayette
sports history did as much on the field of play
to bring the College national recognition as
did Tracy Tripucka. Tripucka, the youngest
inductee ever to enter the Hall of Fame at age
29, ushered in the Leopards' bright basketball
era of the 1970's in spectacular fashion.
A native of Bloomfield, NJ, Tripucka scored 1,973 points
in just three varsity seasons, shattering the
previous Lafayette career mark by more than 700
points. A slender 6-5 180-pound forward,
Tripucka led his teammates to two consecutive
Middle Atlantic Conference West Section
championships, and climaxed his great career by
helping Lafayette gain a memorable 72-71 victory
over nationally-ranked Virginia in the opening
round of the 1972 NIT. In his final two seasons of
basketball, Tracy was a major factor in Lafayette's
drive to prominence in the east, leading the
Leopards to a combined 38-15 record under
former coaches Hal Wissel and Dr. Tom Davis.
