Gabriel led the 2008 Falcons to a 29-13 overall record and the second best single season win total in Falcon history. The Falcons finished 8-8 in WIAC play and placed fifth in the final conference standings. At the WIAC Tournament, UWRF came within one game of claiming the tournament title. They became the only team in WIAC playoff history to beat the No. 1, 2, 3 and 4 seeded teams.

Under Gabriel the Falcons opened the 2008 season with six straight wins. After a loss in the team’s first game at the Rebel Spring Games in Florida, the Falcons reeled off 15 straight wins. The 15 straight wins set a school record.

She coached five players who earned All-WIAC recognition in 2008. Emily Howlett became the first Falcon to be named to the NFCA All-America team. Earlier in the season Howlett was named to the NFCA All-Great Lakes Region squad and the WIAC position Player of the Year. Howlett is the first Falcon to win the position Player of the Year award.

Under Gabriel’s tutelage the Falcons set a school record with a .318 batting average. UWRF also set single season records for hits (361), home runs (32), slugging percentage (.458) and strike outs (290), and tied the single season school record for runs scored (223) and shutouts thrown (11).

Gabriel was an assistant coach with the Falcons for five seasons before becoming head coach. She also coached at St. Mary's, Minn., University for two years where the Cardinals were co-MIAC champions in 2001 and placed second in 2002. In 2001 the Cardinals placed fourth in the NCAA National Tournament. She has also coached at the high school and traveling levels in Hudson, Hastings, River Falls and Forest Lake, Minn.

Gabriel competed with the Falcons from 1994-96. The 1994 team won the WIAC title and competed in the NCAA Div. III playoffs. The 1994 team also had the second highest grade point average in the nation.

She earned her undergraduate degree from UWRF in accounting in 1996 and her M.S.E. degree (social studies) from UWRF in 2000. She is currently teaching social studies at Hudson High School. She is married to Barry Gabriel and they have a daughter, Sydney, 5, and a son, Caden, 2. They reside in Hudson.

Jody Gabriel

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