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Bellarmine University Athletics

2023-24 Women's Basketball Roster

Brian Tirpak
John Sommers II
Brian Tirpak
Brian Tirpak
Brian Tirpak
John Sommers II
John Sommers II
John Sommers II
John Sommers II
Brian Tirpak

44 Gracie Merkle

  • Position Center
  • Height 6-6
  • Class Sophomore
  • Major Elementary Education
  • High School Bullitt East
  • Hometown Mt. Washington, KY
  • Parents Lorie and John Merkle

Biography

2023-24 – Sophomore
Medical redshirt.

2022-23 – Freshman
Named ASUN Freshman of the Year…Recognized as second-team ASUN All-Conference and was a unanimous selection to ASUN All-Freshman Team…Set new conference record with nine ASUN Freshman of the Week accolades…Acknowledged as ASUN Player of the Week on three occasions…Led team in scoring (15.1), rebounding (11.0), blocked shots (2.3), field-goal percentage (.702), field goals made (191), free-throw attempts (140) and free throws made (87)…Led the nation in field-goal percentage...Ranked first in ASUN in rebounding, field-goal percentage and double-doubles (19), was second in blocks and was third in scoring…Set new program records for FG percentage and total rebounds (340) while ranking second all-time in total blocks (72)…Averaged team highs of 16.8 points, 12.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks while shooting 70.4 percent in ASUN play…Appeared in all 31 games with 27 starts and ranked third on team in minutes at 26.5 per game…Led team in rebounding on 21 occasions and in scoring 17 times…Posted eight games of at least 20 points and 12 rebounds…Scored in double figures in 23 games, including 16 outings with 15 points or more and 11 with at least 20 points…32-point performance on 13-for-14 shooting against Eastern Kentucky on Jan. 11 was ASUN’s second-highest individual scoring outing of season…Rebounded in double figures on 19 occasions, including seven outings of 15 rebounds or more…Set single-game program record and delivered ASUN’s individual high for season when she grabbed 24 rebounds against Jacksonville on Jan. 21 and tied for league’s second most on season with 23 boards against Simmons on Dec. 1…Collected multiple blocks in 22 games, including 10 with at least three swats or more…Set single-game program record and achieved ASUN’s highest individual tally of season after blocking nine shots in the Simmons contest…Amassed at least 10 field goals made in eight games while setting a new program record for makes without a miss after going 11-for-11 against Lipscomb on Feb. 4…In conference play from Jan. 5-21, had stretch of scoring at least 20 points in five of six games and also hauled in at least 12 rebounds five times during that span.

BEFORE BELLARMINE: Played high school basketball at Bullitt East in Kentucky and joined program’s 1,000-point and 500-rebound clubs…Was a 2022 Kentucky Miss Basketball and Gatorade Player of the Year candidate after averaging 18.6 points and 10.0 rebounds per game as a senior…Recognized as three-time All-State, two-time 6th Region Player of the Year and two-time Bullitt County Player of the Year…Played in Kentucky-Indiana All-Star game and recorded 43rd double-double in series history with 14 points and 12 rebounds in addition to five blocks…Posted state’s top field-goal percentage in 2021 and 2022…Rated as No. 2 player in Kentucky for Class of 2022 by Prep Girls Hoops Kentucky and as No. 2 regionally in 2021 by the Rick Bolus High Potential Blue Chip Recruiting Service…Named 2021 Courier Journal Player of the Year and to 2021 and 2022 LIT All-Tournament Teams along with 2021 Queen of the Commonwealth All-Tournament Team…Selected to 2020 Kentucky Girls Future Stars Team…Earned the 2021 Bunny Daugherty Defense Award…Honored on 2022 All-Tournament Team at Kentucky Sweet Sixteen as team finished as state runner-up…Team also made Sweet Sixteen in 2020 and 2021, advancing to Elite Eight in former year…Team captured three consecutive regional titles from 2019-22 and won the regular-season Louisville Invitational Tournament titles in 2021 and 2022…Played travel ball for Indiana Elite Venom.

Statistics

Season Statistics

Season Statistics

No statistics available for this season.

Career Statistics

There are no statistics available for this player.

Historical Player Information

  • 44

    2022-23Freshman

    Center
    6'6"
    44
  • 44

    2023-24Sophomore

    Center
    6'6"
    44