ATHLETIC HONORS
• Three career double-doubles
• 81 Career Wins (7 shy of school record)
• 112 Games Played (1 shy of top 10 in school history)
ACADEMIC HONORS
• Spring 2014 Athletic Director’s Honor Roll
• Graduated with a degree in economics
2015-16
Finished career by starting 20 of 30 games, averaging 5.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game (17th in the Sun Belt) in 25.8 minutes per contest . . . Blocked 24 shots with 22 steals, shooting 59.1 percent from the floor.
Scored a career game with a double-double of 14 points and 13 rebounds against Georgia Southern, going 6-of-7 from the floor . . . Earned first start of the season at Ole Miss, finishing with seven points on 3-of-4 field goals . . . Just missed a double-double with nine points and seven rebounds in 38 minutes against IUPUI . . . In early season games at Texas State and at home against Troy and South Alabama, recorded eight rebounds in each game . . . Just missed a double-double with eight points and 11 rebounds at Arkansas State in his 100th career game.
2014-15
Averaged a career-high 4.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, shooting 57.4 percent in 20.8 minutes per contest . . . Blocked 17 shots and swiped 22 steals, playing in 33 games and making 14 starts.
Recorded first start of the season against Green Bay, collecting first career double-double with career-highs of 11 points and 11 rebounds . . . Scored 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting with eight rebounds in regular season opener against Tennessee Temple . . . Came off the bench to play 25 minutes at No. 14 Iowa State, scoring six points and pulling down seven rebounds . . . Played 28 minutes, scoring eight points and grabbing eight rebounds against Western Carolina in CBE Hall of Fame Classic . . . Finished with 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting and grabbed three rebounds at UL Lafayette . . . Played career-high 40 minutes in double overtime game against Texas State, scoring six points and grabbing nine rebounds . . . Finished with eight points on 3-of-3 shooting in the third round of the NCAA tournament against No. 6-seed Xavier.
2013-14
Appeared in 28 games as a sophomore, averaging 0.8 points and 1.9 rebounds per game, while shooting 66.7 percent from the floor . . . Averaged 8.3 minutes per game and blocked eight shots.
Scored a season-high eight points in 16 minutes of action in the NIT Season Tipoff opener against McNeese State, going 2-of-3 from the floor and 4-of-6 from the free throw line, pulling down a career-high eight rebounds . . . Scored six points and grabbed three rebounds against Canisius, making first career start . . . In 10 minutes against UALR, pulled down five second-half offensive rebounds and helped spark the defense to hold the Trojans without a field goal for 10 minutes . . . Grabbed five rebounds in the regular season finale against Western Kentucky.
2012-13
Made 20 appearances as a freshman, scoring nine points and grabbing 14 rebounds, while averaging 5.4 minutes per game . . . Played a season-high 16 minutes, scoring six points on 2-of-2 shooting with two free throws against East Carolina . . . Played four minutes in his collegiate debut against No. 8 Duke . . . Played 12 minutes, grabbing a season-high three rebounds against Louisiana Tech . . . Finished with three points and two rebounds in nine minutes against UNCW.
PREP
A four-year starter for coach Allen Whitehart at Buford High School, earned AJC and GACA First Team All-State honors following both his junior and senior seasons . . . Named Class AA Region 6 Player of the Year after leading Buford High School to the second round of the state playoffs . . . Member of the Atlanta Tip-off Club Metro Atlanta Player of the Year Watch List and Atlanta Tip-off Club All-Metro Team following both his junior and senior seasons . . . During his senior year, led the Wolves to a 22-8 record, while averaging 13.7 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.5 blocks per game . . . Shot 60 percent from the floor during his senior season.
Three-time All-Region 6-AA honoree, as well as three-time Gainesville Times All-Area honoree . . . Earned Gwinnett Tip-Off Club All-County honors in 2010, 2011 and 2012 . . . Named to the 2012 GACA All-Star Team . . . Was a 2012 Gwinnett Super Six team member, while also being recognized as a Score 44 Hoops honoree.
Finished his career at Buford with 1,423 points and 1,005 career rebounds, while earning the Buford HS Hustle Award for the 2009-10 season and the Buford HS Coaches Award for 2011-12 . . . Was the team’s leading scorer during his final three seasons and leading rebounder.
Led Buford to a runner-up finish during his junior season in the state championships as the Wolves finished 24-9. . . Also played football during both his freshman and sophomore years, including leading his squad in touchdown receptions during this sophomore season.
PERSONAL
Full name is Taylor Jonathan Shipes . . . Born on Aug. 25, 1993 in Downers Grove, Ill. . . . Parents are Laurel Hudgens-Shipes and Rocky Shipes . . . Several members of his family have played sports collegiately, including his great grandfather Ira (Southern Illinois), grandfather Don Hudgens (Indiana and Wheaton College), mother Laurel Hudgens (Kentucky) and father Rocky (The Masters College).
