Entering his fourth season at the helm of the UW-River Falls Falcons, Head Coach Jeff Berkhof has several key players back for the 2009-10 season and expectations are high.

It was just five seasons ago when the Falcons claimed the WIAC regular season conference championship. Berkhof was the top assistant at that time and after finishing his 12-year span as an assistant coach with the Falcons in 2006, was handed the reigns from Rick Bowen, the all-time winningest coach in UWRF basketball history.

The Falcons finished 11-15 overall in 2008-09. UWRF reached a season goal by earning a spot in the WIAC playoffs finishing in sixth place. The Falcons lost two WIAC games in overtime. The Falcons went on the road to UW-Whitewater in the WIAC playoffs and played well in a five-point loss.

With eight letter winners returning, including all five starters, the Falcons are looking for even more success in the upcoming season.

Berkhof was the interim head coach during the 2006-07 season. UWRF finished 10-16 overall and 5-11 in the WIAC with no seniors on the roster. The Falcons lost two WIAC games by one point (Eau Claire 63, RF 62; Platteville 65, RF 64) and four other games (conference and non-conference) by five points or less.

Berkhof had the interim title removed in April of 2007 and during the 2007-08 season the Falcons finished 9-16 and 3-13 in the WIAC.

Berkhof is no stranger to Falcon basketball. He is entering his 18th season in some capacity as a Falcon. Before joining the coaching ranks, Berkhof spent two seasons playing for the Falcons from 1992-94. During his senior season, he averaged 17.4 points per game; he was selected to the 1994 All-WSUC team and was chosen Co-MVP and Co-Captain by his teammates.

Before coming to UW-River Falls, Berkhof played two years at Worthington, Minn., Junior College. He holds the single game scoring mark at Worthington with 44 points scored in a Minnesota State Junior College Tournament game in 1992. In 1997, he was inducted into the Minnesota Junior College Athletic Hall of Fame. Prior to his time at Worthington JC, he attended South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D., and was a member of the SDSU football squad.

While an assistant to the men's basketball program, Berkhof was also the head women's golf coach at UW-River Falls from 2002-06. He was named the WIAC women's golf Coach of the Year in 2004 after leading the golf team to a third place finish in the WIAC meet.

The Hills, Minn., native received his masters of education degree in sport management at the University of Minnesota in 2005. He completed his bachelor of science degree at UW-River Falls with a major in physical education and a minor in athletic coaching in 1994.

Along with being the head men's basketball coach, Berkhof is an instructor in the health and human performance department at UW-River Falls.

Jeff and his wife, Jill, reside in Hudson. Jill is a UW-River Falls alumna and fifth grade teacher at Lake Elmo, Minn. They have one son, Benjamin, who turned five this past June.

Jeff Berkhof

Pedro Renta enters his fourth season as an assistant on the Falcon coaching staff.

Along with his on-the-floor coaching duties, Renta is involved with recruiting, game preparation, player development and coordinates the academic monitoring program. Renta started his coaching career with the Falcons as a volunteer assistant from 2000-2003. Following 2003, he spent time as the head coach at Ellsworth High School in Wisconsin. Renta, who has worked various basketball camps throughout the Midwest, also directs the Falcon summer basketball camps.

The Milwaukee native received his undergraduate degree from UW-River Falls in Spanish education with a minor in athletic coaching in 2001. Pedro and his wife Susan reside in Hudson. They have two sons; Mateo and Andre.

Contact Pedro Renta (Pedro.Renta@uwrf.edu)

Pedro Renta

Strength & Conditioning Coach

Carmen Pata began his coaching career at UW-River Falls in 2000 when he was hired as the assistant strength and conditioning coach. He held that position until 2005 when he was promoted to his current position as head strength and conditioning coach.

Pata received his B.A. degree in biology, chemistry and athletic coaching from UWRF in 2000 and is completing his M.A. degree in exercise science from Texas-El Paso. Pata is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and an active member of the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association. He has authored several articles related to strength and conditioning for the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association, Indiana Wishbone Coaches Association, and the American College of Sports Medicine. He also works with local high schools¹ sport performance programs and teaches about sport nutrition. Pata is still an active competitor in Olympic lifting, weightlifting, and strongman competitions.

Pata and his wife, Katie, reside in River Falls.