Upcoming Event: Football versus Stetson on August 29, 2026 at 6 p.m.
/
6 p.m.
Football
vs Stetson
South Dakota State University Athletics
2026 Football Roster
Jersey Number 99
Dawson Ripperda
- Height:
- 6-4
- Weight:
- 255
- Position:
- Defensive End
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Larchwood, Iowa
- High School:
- West Lyon H.S.
- Major:
- Exercise Science/Pre-Physical Therapy
PRONUNCIATION
HONORS AND AWARDS
2025: Started all 14 games at defensive end and registered at least one tackle in every game ... ranked second on the team with 8.5 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks ... notched four tackles, including a half-sack, and recovered a fumble in double-overtime road win at Montana State (9/6) ... also recovered a fumble a week later versus Drake (9/13) ... came up with a sack, forced fumble and three total tackles at Youngstown State (10/4) ... tallied season-high 1.5 tackles for loss with a sack at Murray State (10/18) ... added sacks against North Dakota State (10/25) and North Dakota (11/22) in league play ... also forced a fumble and racked up three quarterback hurries in regular season finale at North Dakota ... recorded six tackles at South Dakota (11/8) ... turned in career-high nine tackles (six solo), including a pair of tackles for loss, in Football Championship Subdivision playoff game at Montana (12/6)
2024: Solidified a spot in the rotation at defensive end and appeared in 14 of the team's 15 games ... set single-game career highs with four total tackles and 1.5 sacks in Beef Bowl victory over Augustana (9/14) ... started a streak of four consecutive games with at least a half-tackle for loss versus Augustana ... registered three tackles in back-to-back games against Northern Iowa (10/5) and Youngstown State (10/12) to open Missouri Valley Football Conference action ... matched career high with four tackles, including one for loss) versus Murray State (11/2) ... recovered a fumble and recorded a pair of solo tackles in road win at North Dakota (11/9) ... opened postseason play with a half-sack against Montana (12/7) ... was credited with two solo stops in semifinal game at North Dakota State (12/21)
2023: Lettered during his first season as a Jackrabbit ... played in a reserve role in eight games, starting with season opener against Western Oregon ... was credited with lone tackle in home win over Montana State ... saw action in Football Championship Subdivision playoff games versus Mercer and UAlbany
BEFORE SDSU: Returned closer to home after spending his first collegiate season at Northern Illinois ... redshirted in 2022 ... played on West Lyon High School teams that reached the state championship game his sophomore and senior seasons, winning the state title in 2019 and finished as runner-up in 2021 ... two-time all-state honoree after recording 53 total tackles, including 14 tackles for loss and 7 sacks, as a junior, followed by a senior campaign in which he tallied 85 total tackles, 15.5 TFLs and 6.5 sacks ... also was an all-conference selection in baseball as a catcher and earned another varsity letter in track and field ... member of the National Honor Society
HONORS AND AWARDS
- Missouri Valley Football Conference Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award (2025)
- MVFC Honor Roll (2024, 2025)
2025: Started all 14 games at defensive end and registered at least one tackle in every game ... ranked second on the team with 8.5 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks ... notched four tackles, including a half-sack, and recovered a fumble in double-overtime road win at Montana State (9/6) ... also recovered a fumble a week later versus Drake (9/13) ... came up with a sack, forced fumble and three total tackles at Youngstown State (10/4) ... tallied season-high 1.5 tackles for loss with a sack at Murray State (10/18) ... added sacks against North Dakota State (10/25) and North Dakota (11/22) in league play ... also forced a fumble and racked up three quarterback hurries in regular season finale at North Dakota ... recorded six tackles at South Dakota (11/8) ... turned in career-high nine tackles (six solo), including a pair of tackles for loss, in Football Championship Subdivision playoff game at Montana (12/6)
2024: Solidified a spot in the rotation at defensive end and appeared in 14 of the team's 15 games ... set single-game career highs with four total tackles and 1.5 sacks in Beef Bowl victory over Augustana (9/14) ... started a streak of four consecutive games with at least a half-tackle for loss versus Augustana ... registered three tackles in back-to-back games against Northern Iowa (10/5) and Youngstown State (10/12) to open Missouri Valley Football Conference action ... matched career high with four tackles, including one for loss) versus Murray State (11/2) ... recovered a fumble and recorded a pair of solo tackles in road win at North Dakota (11/9) ... opened postseason play with a half-sack against Montana (12/7) ... was credited with two solo stops in semifinal game at North Dakota State (12/21)
2023: Lettered during his first season as a Jackrabbit ... played in a reserve role in eight games, starting with season opener against Western Oregon ... was credited with lone tackle in home win over Montana State ... saw action in Football Championship Subdivision playoff games versus Mercer and UAlbany
BEFORE SDSU: Returned closer to home after spending his first collegiate season at Northern Illinois ... redshirted in 2022 ... played on West Lyon High School teams that reached the state championship game his sophomore and senior seasons, winning the state title in 2019 and finished as runner-up in 2021 ... two-time all-state honoree after recording 53 total tackles, including 14 tackles for loss and 7 sacks, as a junior, followed by a senior campaign in which he tallied 85 total tackles, 15.5 TFLs and 6.5 sacks ... also was an all-conference selection in baseball as a catcher and earned another varsity letter in track and field ... member of the National Honor Society
Saturday, December 06
Saturday, December 06
Thursday, December 04
Tuesday, December 02
