Dalen Ridgnal

Height:
6-7
Class:
Junior
Hometown:
Kansas City, Mo.
High School:
Lincoln Academy
Prev Team:
Cowley College

Final Bio (PDF)

• Let’s start with the correct pronunciation of his name(s) . . . it’s “day-lin” “ridge-uh-nuhl”. On the last name, think “original” without the “o”.

2021-22 Season Highlights:
• Earned playing time in 28 games, contributing 2.7 points and 2.9 rebounds in 10.3 minutes per outing.
• After averaging 2.1 ppg and 7.4 mpg in non-conference play, upped his contributions to 3.3 ppg and 12.7 mpg in SEC action.
• Active on the boards at Cincinnati, with five rebounds in seven minutes of action.
• Logged his first double-digit playing time – and doubled his previous high – with 14 minutes of action against Wofford.
• Following a season-ending injury to Jailyn Ingram against Jacksonville, responded with what were then career bests of six points, seven boards and 17 minutes in the Bulldogs’ next outing versus George Mason.
• Fell just shy of his first double-double with new career highs of 10 points and nine rebounds against Western Carolina...in just 12 minutes of PT.
• Missed the Texas A&M and Kentucky games due to COVID.
• Dressed out but did not see action at Mississippi State.
• In his first action of the 2022 calendar, chipped in five points and six boards in 13 minutes against Vanderbilt in Athens.
• Grabbed a game-high seven boards at No. 2 Auburn.
• Upped his season high for playing time by nine minutes during the Alabama game – from 17 vs. George Mason to 26 against the Tide.
• Recorded his first career start at LSU.

Cowley College Highlights:
• Coached by Tommy DeSalme at Cowley College, where he helped the Tigers compile a 50-11 record over two seasons.
• One of only two players to earn junior college All-America honors each of the past two seasons.
• With Ridgnal leading the way, the Tigers captured back-to-back conference titles, qualified for back-to-back national tournament appearances, won a region title for the first time in 64 years and finished as the 2021 national runner-up.
• In two seasons, started 47 of 60 games played and averaged a double-double of 18.6 ppg (1,118 points total) and 11.7 rpg (699 rebounds) while also collecting 120 steals, blocking 118 shots and dishing out 112 assists.
• Among Cowley’s career statistical leaders, wrapped up his career ranked No. 4 in rebounds and No. 9 in points.

2020-21 Season Highlights:
• Started all 29 games for the Tigers, who finished 24-5 overall and as runner-up in the NJCAA Tournament.
• Honored as Cowley’s Male Athlete of the Year for all sports.
• Tabbed first-team All-American, joining El Ellis of Tallahassee Community College as the only players to be named All-America in both 2019-20 and 2020-21.
• Selected as the MVP of the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division.
• Averaged 21.1 points and 12.8 rebounds per game and overall scored the most points (611) and grabbed the most boards (371) of any NJCAA player during the 2020-21 season.
• A highly efficient scorer, shooting 47.5 percent overall, 38.7 percent from 3-point range and 83.7 percent from the free throw line.
• Reached double figures in the scoring column in 27 games, with 18 20-point outings and a trio of 30-point outbursts.
• Notched 25 double-digit rebound counts, leading to 23 double-doubles.
• Poured in a career-high 36 points against Independence Community College and hauled down a career-most 20 boards versus Dodge City Community College.
• Scored 26 points, grabbed 13 boards and blocked seven shots in Cowley’s 105-101 upset of top-seeded Mineral Area College in the quarterfinals of the NJCAA Tournaments. The Tigers rallied from a 25-point, second-half deficit to top the previously undefeated Cardinals.

2019-20 Season Highlights:
• Started 18 of 31 games played and averaged 16.4 points and 10.6 rebounds per game for Cowley.
• Named third-team All-America, becoming Cowley’s first freshman to earn All-America honors since Sonny Maynard during the 1955-56 season.
• Tabbed Freshman of the Year for the Jayhawk Conference’s Eastern Division.
• Honored as a first-team All Region VI and All-Jayhawk Conference, as well as to the Region VI All-Tournament team.
• Helped the Tigers to a 26-6 record and the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division title before the season was suspended due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Cowley was ranked No. 16 nationally when the season ended.
• Finished the season ranked No. 8 in the nation in rebounding.
• Posted 26 double-figure scoring outputs, with 10 20-point showings, and 21 double-digit rebounding counts en route to 20 double-doubles on the season.

High School Highlights:
• Coached by Bryan Lippman and Omar Gonzalez at Lincoln Academy in Suwanee, Ga., as a senior during the 2018-19 season.
• Helped Lincoln compile a 22-5 record during the 2018-19 season.
• Teammates at Lincoln include four current D-I players: Georgia teammate Cam McDowell, as well as Frank Anselem (Syracuse), Elias King (Middle Tennessee) and Moulaye Sissoko (Dayton).
• Coached by Pete Campbell at Rockhurst High School in Kansas City as a sophomore and junior.
• As a junior, averaged 9.1 points and a team-high 6.8 rebounds per game to help Rockhurst compile a 22-6 record, a District title and the “Elite Eight” round of Missouri’s Class 5 State Tournament.
• As a sophomore, averaged 5.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game for the Hawklets, who finished 13-14.

Personal:
• Born January 1, 2001, Dalen’s aunt Charmain Ridgnal-Wright is his guardian and is majoring in Consumer Economics.
• Recipient of the William K. Holmes Scholarship for 2021-22.