July 2, 2023
Kent Ripplinger, 1991 graduate of Mayville State University and head coach of the Grand Forks (N.D.) Red River High School girls basketball program, was named the high school female coach of the year in the state by the North Dakota Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association (NDAPSSA).
The Red River Roughriders were named the high school female team of the year by NDAPSSA. The team won the North Dakota Class A state championship this spring for the first time since 1988.
The Riders’ 25-2 season was capped by defeating North Dakota’s top three ranked teams in the state tournament, defending champion Minot, West Fargo, and the previous season’s state runner-up, Bismarck Century. Red River’s defense was the best in the state, limiting opponents to under 43 points per game.