ON TRIPUCKA: One of the team's top defensemen ... Was the starting long snapper on the football team in the fall ... Has gained a lot of confidence ... Improved his stick skills ... In very good shape ... Has the ability to play the big guy who's going to bang guys off the corner ... Will be counted on to bring us positive energy either off the bench or as a starter ... Great athlete, who played football, basketball, and lacrosse in high school ... Son of former college basketball and NBA All-Star Kelly Tripucka.

• PRONOUNCED: trip-PEW-kuh

AS A SENIOR IN 2011:
• Fourth-year defenseman, contributing on various defensive schemese including man-down defense as a senior.
• Played in all 14 games with one start, contributing to solid defense with 8.37 GAA. Has 10 groundballs and two caused turnovers.
• Great defense in fourth quarter and OT of UMass' CAA Semifinal win at Penn State (5/4) with two key groundballs.
• First start of year on Senior Night vs. Delaware (4/29).
• Tremendous defense with four groundballs in 3OT win over Drexel (4/16) as UMass held Dragons scoreless for final 26:28 of the game.
• Starting long snapper on UMass football team, will play his senior season with the Minutemen in the fall.

AS A JUNIOR IN 2010:
• Played in 13 games, starting 12 times.
• Started last 10 games in row on close defense.
• Had 17 groundballs and four caused turnovers.
• Three groundballs in win over #10 Georgetown (4/24).
• Career-high five groundballs vs. #13 Harvard (3/13).
• Scooped two groundballs vs. Hartford (2/20).

AS A SOPHOMORE IN 2009:
• Played in all 15 games on the season (starting five times), recording 15 groundballs and five caused turnovers.
• Started last four games of regular-season.
• Scooped three groundballs, caused two turnovers in holding Princeton's (5/10) Chris McBride pointless in NCAA First Round.
• Second start at Fairfield (4/21) and was key on defense.
• Great defense in 12-6 win over St. John's (4/4).
• Was part of UMass defense that held #11 Harvard (3/7) to only three goals.
• Started first-career game vs. Yale (2/28).
• Career-high four groundballs and two caused turnovers came in season-opener vs. Sacred Heart (2/14).

AS A FOOTBALL PLAYER IN 2008: Served as starting long snapper for all kicks and punts on 2008 Minutemen.

AS A FRESHMAN IN 2008: Reserve defenseman who played in four games in first collegiate season ... Played in his final game at #1 Syracuse (4/26) ... Saw action vs. Loyola (3/22) ... Had first groundball vs. Albany (3/11) ... Debuted at man-down defense at Yale (3/2).

BEFORE UMASS: Defender played for Tim Flynn at Mountain Lakes High ... a member of the 2004-05 Morris County champion and Group 1 State finalist team, the 2005-06 Morris County finalist, Group 1 State champion, and Tournament of Champions finalist team, and the 2006-07 Group 1 State champion and Tournament of Champions champion team ... earned New Jersey First-team All-Area and Second-team All-State honors senior year ... was also selected to the Gibbs All-Star team and to tryout for the USA Under-19 lacrosse team ... named to New Jersey All-Area team and Garden State All-Star team junior year ... earned the most improved freshman award ... was an academic honor roll student all four years ... earned athletic honor award for lacrosse, football, and basketball in freshman, sophomore, and junior years.

PERSONAL: Travis Bond Tripucka ... son of Kelly and Janice Tripucka ... has one brother, Jake (17) and one sister, Reagan (10) ... born May 3, 1989 in Charlotte, N.C. ... his uncle, Mark, was a UMass football quarterback from 1971-1974 ... his father, Kelly, played basketball for Notre Dame, was a 10-year NBA pro with the Pistons, Hornets and Jazz and is now a television broadcaster for the New York Knicks ... his grandfather, Frank, played football for Notre Dame and was 15-year pro ... majoring in Sociology.

Career Statistics
Year	GP/GS	G	A	Pts.	Shots	EMG	GB	CT	Pen
2008	4/0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1/0:30
2009	15/5	0	0	0	0	0	15	5	3/3:00
2010	13/12	0	0	0	2	0	17	4	4/3:30
2011	14/1	0	0	0	0	0	10	2	5/5:00
Totals	46/18	0	0	0	2	0	43	11	13/11:30