Skip To Main Content

Upcoming Events and Recent Results

Western Illinois University Athletics

2018 Football Roster

Larry Dean
WIU Visual Productions Center
Jake Thompson
WIU Visual Productions Center
WIU Visual Productions Center
WIU Visual Productions Center
WIU Visual Productions Center
WIU Visual Productions Center

58 Riggs Baxter

  • Position Linebacker
  • Height 6-1
  • Weight 215
  • Class Senior
  • Hometown Thorntown, Ind.
  • Highschool Western Boone

Biography

JUNIOR (2017): Played in all 12 games…finished with 33 tackles (13 solo)… 3.0 TFL… one forced fumble… one interception for three yards…recorded five tackles and shared on a TFL at Tennessee Tech… assisted a tackle at Northern Arizona… recorded first career interception and made two tackles at Coastal Carolina… three tackles vs. South Dakota… made two tackles at Northern Iowa and North Dakota State… compiled seven tackles with one for a loss against Missouri State… three tackles against South Dakota State…collected three tackles at Illinois State…Registered two tackles and a forced fumble at Indiana State…finished the season at Weber State with 3 tackles (1 solo) and 0.5 for loss.


SOPHOMORE (2016): Honorable Mention Academic All-MVFC... MVFC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award... MVFC Honor Roll... Voted team captain for special teams... started in all 11 games at linebacker... made 52 tackles, 3.5 for a loss and broke up six passes... two tackles at Eastern Illinois... four tackles versus Northern Arizona and broke up a pass... season-high six tackles at Northern Illinois and broke up a pass on the final play of the game to secure the win... matched his season-high of six tackles at South Dakota State... three assisted tackles and a key pass break-up near the endzone against Indiana State... again equaled season-high of six tackles and broke up a pass at Missouri State... improved on his season-high when he recorded seven tackles against North Dakota State (five solos)... matched his season-high of seven tackles at South Dakota (six solos), including one for a loss... five tackles, including one for a loss, versus Illinois State... three tackles and a pass break-up against UNI... at Southern Illinois made three tackles and broke up a pass.

CAREER-HIGH TACKLES: 13 at North Dakota State (11/7/15)

FRESHMAN (2015): MVFC Honor Roll... Played in 12 games and started four of the final five games… 39 tackles (28 solos)... 3.0 tackles for a loss and one sack... recorded a tackle in his collegiate debut as a true-freshman vs Eastern Illinois… made four tackles at Illinois, including a shared one for a loss… solo tackle for loss at Coastal Carolina… two solo tackles versus Southern Illinois… assisted tackle against South Dakota… played at UNI… quarterback hurry against Youngstown State… made his first collegiate start at North Dakota State... recorded a career-high 13 tackles at NDSU… shared team-lead with eight tackles at Indiana State, including his first collegiate sack (10 yards)… finished the South Dakota State game with eight tackles… solo tackle and forced fumble at Dayton… played at Illinois State in the FCS Playoffs.

HIGH SCHOOL: Lettered in football, basketball and track… School career leader in receptions (146) and touchdown receptions (28)… three-time First Team All-Sagamore Conference… Class 3A Associated Press Honorable Mention All-State… First Team All-State by the Indiana Football Coaches Association… Second Team All-Indianapolis by American Family Insurance… Fourth Team All-State in basketball by Hoosier Basketball Magazine… Top 100 Showcase honoree by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association… four-time Sagamore Conference track champion as a freshman (long jump, 800 meters, 4x400 relay, 4x800 relay)… ended his career with 155 solo tackles and 63 assisted… 10 tackles for loss, seven forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, 26 passes deflected, eight interceptions and two sacks… on offense totaled 2331 receiving yards, 966 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground… ended his career with 47 total touchdowns… football team won the conference title in 2012 and the track team captured the conference championship in 2011… played football for coach Justin Pelley.
 
PERSONAL: Born in Danville, Indiana… went on a service trip to Ethiopia to aid an orphanage… No. 1 sports highlight was scoring three touchdowns to help beat arch-rival Lebanon… former football coach Jed Richman has been a major influence, “He was the one who gave me the vision that I could be a Division I football player.”… most admires coach Jamie Comer, “He helps me in the entire football process because he went through it, and he helps develop my abilities in weights.”… enjoys hunting, fishing and exercising… favorite professional team is the Washington Redskins… favorite musician is Keith Urban… son of Jeff and Joanie Baxter.
 
MAJOR: Engineering Technology

Statistics

Season:
2018

Season Statistics

Season Statistics

No statistics available for this season.

Career Statistics

There are no statistics available for this player.

Historical Player Information

  • 58

    2015Freshman

    Linebacker
    6'1" 200 lbs
    58
  • 58

    2016Sophomore

    Linebacker
    6'1" 207 lbs
    58
  • 58

    2017Junior

    Linebacker
    6'1" 215 lbs
    58
  • 58

    2018Senior

    Linebacker
    6'1" 215 lbs
    58