SPOTLIGHT: Jackson

When Jackson Gibree (’26) arrived at Lipscomb, he saw an opportunity to bring renewed energy to the student section in support of athletics, sparking excitement throughout the Bison Herd.

During QuestWeek, he attended a Lipscomb volleyball match against national power Stanford. Even though Allen Arena was packed for this highly anticipated matchup, Jackson says, “You could hear a pin drop.” He wanted to bring more energy to support the Bisons and used social media to rally other students.

Because of these efforts, more students began showing up for the Battle of the Boulevard in volleyball and men’s soccer as well as other athletic events. The athletics department reached out and wanted to collaborate. Other student leaders joined the effort, and the Lippy Lunatics student section was born.

The culmination was a packed house in Allen Arena for the Battle of the Boulevard in men’s basketball. An electric crowd helped the Bisons pull out a victory at the last second. The Lippy Lunatics rushed the court after the game to celebrate the victory. “Everybody went nuts, stormed the court. That was probably the highlight of my year,” Jackson recalls.

Even coaches from other schools have been impressed with the energy and support the Lippy Lunatics bring to the game. After a volleyball match against Ole Miss, one of the opposing coaches told Jackson how much fun the environment at Lipscomb was. “I wish our students were as loud as y’all because y’all made a difference in the game,” Jackson remembers the coach telling him. “We did not expect that coming in here. That was fun to play in front of.”

It’s only natural that Jackson would want to generate fan interest among the student body to support his peers who wear the purple and gold. The tight-knit community at Lipscomb was one of the distinguishing features that stood out to him during the college search. When he arrived on campus, Jackson immediately felt the difference compared to other schools he visited.

“I got on campus and I felt like I was supposed to be here,” Jackson says. “It was one of the easiest decisions I think I’ve ever made.”

“This place is like a family,” he says. “People here obviously care about each other. I don’t feel like anybody gets lost here. I feel like everybody has a purpose and a place on this campus.”

And the Lippy Lunatics contribute to the family feeling and welcoming spirit of the Lipscomb community.

“The whole goal of Lunatics is to create a place where everybody feels welcomed and everybody feels like they can be a part of something because it's really easy to get involved. You just show up to a game and end up in the stands.”

And it doesn’t hurt that as a sports fan and former athlete himself, Jackson says the Bisons compete to win in every sport. “If you want to come to Lipscomb, now is the time because the sports are at the top of their game—every single team.”

A Fan of Lipscomb in Every Way

• 17 NCAA Division I Teams

The Lipscomb Bisons compete in the ASUN Conference, and they excel on the court, field and pitch as well as the classroom. For the two consecutive years and eight times in program history, Lipscomb has won the ASUN Conference Academic Trophy for the highest percentage of student athletes with a GPA of 3.0 or better.

• Lippy Lunatics

Lippy Lunatics is the official student organization driving the student section for Lipscomb athletics, engaging the student body to create a fun and energetic atmosphere on game day to benefit everyone—and give the Bisons a competitive advantage. "It creates an environment that people want to be a part of."

• Creating Community on Campus

Part of Jackson’s motivation for helping create Lippy Lunatics was to invest in a campus community where everyone can belong, build relationships and be part of something bigger than themselves. “The biggest thing is the relationships. The relationships are what make the college experience, the people you meet, the people you hang out with.”

 

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