Falcon Sports Archive

Lisa Bartsch
G, 5-10, Sophomore
Vernon Center, Minn.
Lake Crystal-Wellcome-Memorial High School

Lisa Bartsch returns to the UWRF basketball team after a very busy year. Lisa spent a semester at the University of Northern Colorado, a semester studying abroad in Belize, and a summer teaching English in Japan. Lisa is in her third year of college but only her second year of basketball eligibility. She was on the River Falls basketball team her first year in school before deciding to venture off for awhile. After a year away from basketball Lisa has a little catching up to do but will contribute some quality minutes at the wing position. Her ability to drive to the hoop and pull up just short will come in handy along with her nose for the ball coming off the boards.

Bartsch Facts
Parents: Dave and Lynn Bartsch
Major: Health & Human Performance
Minor: Spanish

Year	G	FG	FGA	PCT	3FG	FGA	PCT	FT	FTA	PCT	REB	AVE	A	ST	TO	BS	PTS	AVE
1999-00	20	22	54	.407	0	0	.000	20	23	.870	21	1.1	9	10	13	4	64	3.2

Christi Crews
P, 6-0, Freshman
Waltham, Minn.
Hayfield High School

Christi Crews joins the UWRF basketball team from Hayfield High School in Minnesota. At 6'0" Christi will add some much needed height to the post position for the Falcons. She will be looked to for some help defending bigger post players and getting after rebounds. As Christi makes the transition from high school to college ball she will spend a lot of time in 2001-02 getting stronger and more physical in the paint. She's getting tougher and more aggressive each day. Christi is learning college ball quickly and will be seeing more court time as the season continues. Expect Christi to be a big part of Falcon basketball as her career at UWRF progresses.

Crews Facts
Parents: Ray and Sue Crews
Major: Social Work

Lindsay DeLany
P, 5-9, Freshman
Escanaba, Mich.
Escanaba High School

Lindsay DeLany joins the UWRF Falcons from Escanaba, Mich. Although Lindsay is far from home, it is evident that she is feeling more and more at home on the court in River Falls each day. Lindsay's family is very familiar with the WIAC as her brother attended UW-Stevens Point and they are originally from Wisconsin before relocating to Escanaba. Lindsay came to River Falls for the outstanding elementary education program. At only 5'9" in the post Lindsay brings a mix of strength and intelligence into her play. She continues to work on her perimeter shots to add a dimension to her game that will open up more opportunities for her in the paint. It might take Lindsay a little time to adjust to basketball in the WIAC but her fire and determination will get her where she needs to be to contribute to the Falcons’ success.

DeLany Facts
Parents: Mike and Debbie DeLany
Major: Elementary Education
Minor: Coaching

Stephanie Dura
P, 5-10, Sophomore
Peshtigo, Wis.
Peshtigo High School

Stephanie Dura will spend her 2001-02 season as a red-shirt. Her second semester this year will be with the study abroad program in Scotland. After very limited minutes in 2000-01, Stephanie will hopefully make the most of her year away from competing by practicing and preparing for next season.

Dura Facts
Parents: Leonard and Laurie Dura
Major: Health & Human Performance
Other: Stephanie is also on the UWRF Track Team

Year	G	FG	FGA	PCT	3FG	FGA	PCT	FT	FTA	PCT	REB	AVE	A	ST	TO	BS	PTS	AVE
2000-01	7	0	4	.000	0	0	.000	0	0	.000	1	.1	0	0	2	0	0	0.0

Erin Effle
P, 5-10, Freshman
Rochester, Minn.
John Marshall High School

Erin Effle joins the Falcons from John Marshall High School in Rochester, Minn. Erin is one of the best athletes on the Falcon roster this season. At 5'10" in the post she is deceptively strong in the paint. Her quickness and jumping ability give her an edge against bigger opponents. Erin is getting more comfortable shooting from the perimeter each day and is working to developing more versatility in her game. Erin will see a lot of court time this season and is expected to play a big role in the Falcons success throughout the year. As she continues to improve and steps up to college basketball, expect Erin to become a very good player at UWRF.

Effle Facts
Parents: Jim and Kathy Effle
Major: Biology
Minor: Chemistry
Awards: Big Nine All-Conference: junior and senior seasons

Nicole Harberts
G, 5-10, Junior
Rochester, Minn.
Mayo High School

Nicole Harberts enters her junior season looking for a new set of challenges. Nikki would like to spend this year on the basketball court, unlike her 2000-01 season. After a knee injury in the first game of the year she returned to play only 13 of the Falcons 26 games. Averaging just over 10 minutes a game, Nikki provided some much needed depth upon her return. After knee surgery last spring Nikki begins the 2001-02 season stronger and more determined than ever. As a 5'10" wing she looks forward to adding to the Falcons rebounding from the perimeter. Nikki's middle game is looking good with her ability to pull up and knock down the 15-foot jumper and her defense continues to improve each day as she can defend equally well in the paint or on the perimeter.

Harberts Facts
Parents: Paul and Lynette Harberts
Major: Biology / Pre-Medicine
Minor: Double minor in Chemistry and French
Other: Nikki also plays softball at UWRF

Year	G	FG	FGA	PCT	3FG	FGA	PCT	FT	FTA	PCT	REB	AVE	A	ST	TO	BS	PTS	AVE
2000-01	13	14	33	.424	0	3	.000	10	18	.556	30	2.3	1	4	7	2	38	2.9
1999-00	10	7	13	.538	0	1	.000	3	7	.429	5	0.5	1	1	0	1	17	1.7
Totals	23	21	46	.456	0	4	.000	13	25	.520	35	1.5	2	5	7	3	55	2.4

Jennifer Kuc
G, 5-3, Freshman
Holcombe, Wis.
Lake Holcombe High School

Jennifer Kuc joins the Falcons from Holcombe High School in Lake Holcombe, Wis. Her freshman year will be spent as a red-shirt season as she works on her game and focuses on getting healthy and stronger to compete at the college level.

Kuc Facts
Parents: Howard and Laurie Hennekens
Major: Health & Human Performance
Minor: Coaching
Awards: East Lakeland All-Conference: junior and senior seasons

Melissa McKernon
P, 5-10, Senior
Owatonna, Minn.
Owatonna High School

Melissa McKernon enters her senior season ready to take a leading role for the Falcons. In the 2000-01 season she finished in the top 10 in the WIAC in four separate categories. Melissa's 12.5 points per game, 5.8 rebounds a night and shooting just over 40% from the floor (including 37% from behind the 3-point line) earned her a spot on the All-WIAC team. She proved to be a tough match-up for the opposition as she can score equally well from inside or outside, and crashes the boards hard on both ends of the floor. In the 2001-02 season the Falcons are expecting even more consistency from Melissa. Her scoring prowess will be a step up from last season and her senior leadership and determination will prove tough on the boards and defensive end of the floor.

McKernon Facts
Parents: Mike and Ann McKernon
Major: Double major in Business Administration and Management Information Systems
Awards: 2001-02 First Team All-WIAC

Year	G	FG	FGA	PCT	3FG	FGA	PCT	FT	FTA	PCT	REB	AVE	A	ST	TO	BS	PTS	AVE
2000-01	26	114	288	.396	37	101	.366	61	88	.693	161	6.2	62	27	83	5	326	12.5
1999-00	24	77	178	.433	17	52	.327	36	57	.632	107	4.5	27	22	50	5	207	8.6
1998-99	18	13	26	.500	5	10	.500	7	19	.368	27	1.5	5	7	8	1	38	2.1
Totals	88	204	492	.414	59	163	.362	104	164	..634	295	3.4	94	56	141	11	571	6.5

Abby Nelson
G, 5-7, Senior
Apple Valley, Minn.
Apple Valley High School

Abby Nelson returns to the point guard position after starting all 26 games last season. Throughout the 2000-01 season, Abby had the responsibility of running the show for the Falcons and tallied a huge 36 minutes a game as the team's sole true point guard. She led the WIAC in assists with a 5.4 per game average and still managed to add over 9 points a game. Abby had an outstanding year shooting from the field (44%), behind the 3-point arc (48%), and at the free throw line (76%). Abby's senior season should prove to be one of her best. She's looking to score more than ever and has an even stronger sense of the floor and her teammates after logging plenty of minutes in summer leagues.

Nelson Facts
Parents: June Nelson and Storme Nelson
Major: Health & Human Performance
Minor: Double minor in Coaching and Outdoor Activities

Year	G	FG	FGA	PCT	3FG	FGA	PCT	FT	FTA	PCT	REB	AVE	A	ST	TO	BS	PTS	AVE
2000-01	26	68	153	.444	32	66	.485	77	101	.762	103	4.0	31	25	28	4	210	8.0
1999-00	25	21	55	.382	5	13	.385	15	19	.789	33	1.3	24	11	61	1	62	2.5
1998-99	11	4	12	.333	1	4	.250	1	3	.333	4	0.4	11	2	8	0	10	0.9
Totals	62	93	210	.443	38	83	.458	93	123	.756	140	2.3	66	38	97	5	282	4.5

Darcy Olsen
G, 5-3, Freshman
Rosemount, Minn.
Eastview High School

Darcy Olsen enters her first year with the Falcons from Eastview High School in Rosemount, Minn. As an All-State Honorable Mention and All-Conference player at Eastview, Darcy learned the ropes at the point position well enough to step into a crucial role for the 2001-02 Falcons. She will be seeing plenty of minutes at the point and will be expected to be a major contributor immediately. Whether she contributes with scoring, passing, or simply running the show and taking care of the basketball there is no question she'll be looked to very early in her tenure at UWRF. As Darcy continues to learn the college game she will prove to be a very solid player in the Falcon line-up.

Olsen Facts
Parents: Jeff and Claire Olsen
Major: Health & Human Performance
Awards: Lake All-Conference, All-State Honorable Mention: senior season

Sarah Pollock
G, 5-6, Senior
Durand, Wis.
Durand High School

Sarah Pollock started every game for the Falcons in the 2000-01 season. She averaged 32 minutes a game and finished in the top 20 in the WIAC in both scoring and rebounding. Sarah scored 9.8 points and collected 4.7 rebounds per game last season and is expecting to improve in both those areas again this year. She shot over 80% from the free throw line and should be getting back to the stripe this season with improved strength and confidence driving to the hoop. Sarah will miss the first part of her senior season with a nagging foot injury but will be extremely fired up to play once she gets the green light to join the 2001-02 Falcons on the court.

Pollock Facts
Parents: John and Debbie Pollock
Major: Elementary Education
Minor: Double minor in Spanish and Language Arts

Year	G	FG	FGA	PCT	3FG	FGA	PCT	FT	FTA	PCT	REB	AVE	A	ST	TO	BS	PTS	AVE
2000-01	26	89	204	.436	20	54	.370	58	71	.817	122	4.7	53	14	53	1	256	9.8
1999-00	25	18	50	.360	2	3	.666	38	44	.864	32	1.3	10	4	21	1	76	3.0
1998-99	10	3	8	.375	0	0	.000	4	4	1.00	11	1.1	1	2	2	0	10	1.0
Totals	61	110	262	.419	22	57	.386	100	119	.840	165	2.7	64	20	76	2	338	5.5

Lindsay Rasmussen
P, 5-10, Freshman
Baldwin, Wis.
Baldwin-Woodville High School

Lindsay Rasmussen enters her first season with the Falcons from Baldwin, Wis. At Baldwin-Woodville High School Lindsay was an All-Conference player in the post. She will spend part of her freshman year at UWRF working to make the transition from playing in the post to playing on the perimeter facing the hoop. Lindsay has been working very hard and making great strides in her ability to compete at the collegiate level in the WIAC. She's a good athlete and rebounds as hard as anyone. Her transition to the perimeter keeps her working at the Falcons offensive and defensive schemes, but expect Lindsay to contribute on the court at game-time as she continues to make strides.

Rasmussen Facts
Parents: Dave and Sheryl Rasmussen
Major: Elementary Education
Minor: Mathematics
Awards: All-Conference: senior season

Amber Sickels
G, 5-8, Freshman
Albert Lea, Minn.
Albert Lea High School

Amber Sickels enters the UWRF line-up from Albert Lea, Minn.. Amber has experience at the point and wing positions in high school but will see a majority of her minutes at the wing for the Falcons. Her athleticism and ability to score equally well with her perimeter shot or drive to the hoop should prove to be an asset for the team offensively. Her tenacity defensively and determination on the boards will also be extremely valuable throughout the season. As her freshman season progresses, expect Amber to step up and be a major contributor on both ends of the floor. Her work ethic is tough to match and she's very determined to learn the college game. With improved confidence and experience on the court, Amber will be a very good player with the Falcons.

Sickels Facts
Parents: Nancy and Donnie Sickels
Major: Elementary Education
Minor: Double minor in Coaching and Early Childhood Education
Awards: Big Nine All-Conference: junior and senior seasons

Concetta Smith
P, 5-8, Sophomore
Bruno, Minn.
East Central High School

Concetta Smith begins her second season as a post player with the Falcons. In the 2000-01 season, Concetta played about five minutes a game as she spent the year making the transition from high school to college level basketball. She's a small post at only 5'8" but plays much bigger with a competitive attitude that's tough to match. Concetta's strengths are primarily on the defensive end of the floor but her rebounding skills and determination have much improved from a year ago. Her scoring will probably come from put-backs on the boards early, but as she slows down and looks for more opportunities she'll learn to find more chances to score as the season progresses.

Smith Facts
Parents: Gerry and Kathy Smith
Major: Double major in Health & Human Performance and Spanish
Other: Concetta is also on the Rodeo Team at UWRF

Year	G	FG	FGA	PCT	3FG	FGA	PCT	FT	FTA	PCT	REB	AVE	A	ST	TO	BS	PTS	AVE
2000-01	14	4	8	.500	0	0	.000	3	10	.300	14	1.0	3	3	6	0	11	0.8

Tara Wakefield
P, 5-10, Senior
Aniwa, Wis.
D.C. Everest High School

Tara Wakefield begins her senior season in a bit of a different fashion for the UWRF basketball team. Throughout the 2000-01 season, Tara provided a tremendous spark off the bench every time the team needed a boost. She played four different positions and shot a strong 45% from the floor. Adding 8 points and 4 rebounds in 21 minutes of play last year, Tara was exactly the utility player the team needed in just about every situation. As the 2001-02 season begins, Tara will be seeing the floor from a starter's perspective for the first time. Her scoring ability from inside and outside is easy to see. She's a very fundamentally sound player that plays smart and within her own strengths. Tara's improved defensive tenacity and determination on the boards will show as she comes into her own as a leader.

Wakefield Facts
Parents: Jess and Deb Wakefield, Marge Wakefield
Major: Broad Field Science - Middle and Secondary Education
Minor: Double minor in Geology and Biology

Year	G	FG	FGA	PCT	3FG	FGA	PCT	FT	FTA	PCT	REB	AVE	A	ST	TO	BS	PTS	AVE
2000-01	26	86	188	.457	20	45	.444	18	24	.750	103	4.0	31	25	28	4	210	8.1
1999-00	21	16	41	.390	3	6	.500	1	3	.333	28	1.3	9	7	7	0	36	1.7
1998-99	11	2	8	.250	0	4	.000	0	0	.000	2	0.2	1	1	1	0	4	0.4
Totals	58	104	237	.439	23	55	.418	19	27	.704	133	2.3	41	33	36	4	250	4.3