|
|
|
|
Meet the Falcons
|
Chris Becker Chris Becker doubled his playing time last year appearing
in 22 games for the Falcons. Coach Rick Bowen calls him the team’s
best passer. His numbers of 1.5 points and 1.0 rebounds figure to go up
this season with Becker playing a vital role in the Falcon backcourt.
Becker had a successful year with the Falcons in 2002 playing in 13 games
demonstrating some very solid outside shooting potential. Against Simpson
he was 4-6 from three-point range finishing with a career high 12 points.
Chris red-shirted the 1999-2000 season. He is majoring in accounting.
He is the son of Ryan and Joan Becker. Older brother, Kent, completed
his stellar career with the Falcons in 2001-02. He played in the Red Cross
All-Star game and was named to the All-Heart O’ North Conference
second team after leading the league in assists. Spends summers working
with dad and brothers for Becker Drywall in Stone Lake, WI. Mother, Joan,
is a secretary with the Hayward School System.
|
 |
|
Billy Halter Billy Halter joins the Falcons for his final year after
playing at MSU-Moorhead. At Eastview, Minn., High School he averaged 17
points and eight rebounds a game. He was named to the all-conference team
twice and received All-Metro honorable mention honors twice. He received
honorable mention All-State honors. He is the son of Nancy and Tom. He
has one brother and one sister. He is majoring in broadcast journalism.
|
 |
|
Micah Helfrey Micah Helfrey played in all 26 games for the Falcons last
year. He led the team and the WIAC in assists with 115 and was third in
scoring with a 9.2 average. He provided the Falcons with a consistent
backcourt presence to distribute the ball on offense and helped shut down
opposing team’s backcourts. Helfrey joined the Falcons last season
after playing at Scottsdale, Ariz., Community College. He played there
for former UW-RF assistant coach Paul Eberhardt. Helfrey played in 19
games for the Artichokes averaging eight points, three rebounds and four
assists a game. At Apache Junction, Ariz., High School he was named to
the first East Sky Region team when he averaged 16 points, three rebounds
and 4.5 assists a game. He has one brother, Rendall. He is the son of
David and Carol. He is majoring in health & human performance.
|
 |
|
Matt Kukla
|
 |
|
Rich Melzer Rich Melzer comes into the 2004 season coming off one of
the most prolific individual seasons in Falcon history. Already this year
Melzer has been named the DIII News Preseason Player of the Year, to the
D3Hoops.com preseason first All-American team and to the Street &
Smith's College Basketball magazine preseason All-American team. He became
the first Falcon ever to be named a NABC first team All-American last
spring after averaging 28.1 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. He was named
the WIAC Co-MVP and first team All-West Region. He scored a career-high
54 points at La Crosse on Jan. 29, 2003. His scoring average ranked second
in NCAA Div. III, his rebounding average was 32nd and his 2.1 blocks were
37th nationally. Melzer was the Falcons MVP after leading the team in
scoring, rebounding and blocks. He was named the WIAC’s Player of
the Week four times and the UW-RF athlete of the week eight times. Melzer
currently ranks fifth in scoring and rebounding in the Falcon record books
and is on pace to finish second in both. Melzer was named to the first
All-WIAC and NABC Div. III All-West Region teams as a sophomore when he
averaged 21.6 points and 7.8 rebounds a game. Melzer earned honorable
mention All-American honors in the 2002 Street & Smith's College Basketball
magazine. He was given honorable mention to the All-WIAC team as a freshman
when he averaged 16.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. He played in every
game for the Falcons as a sophomore and was named the team’s Co-MVP.
He scored in double figures in every game and had a career high 39 points
against Superior. His best game came against Whitewater when he scored
38 points and grabbed 19 rebounds. He finished the year with six double
doubles, led the team in scoring and blocked shots and was second in rebounding.
Melzer was named the team’s Player of the Week four times. In the
final NCAA Div. III statistics, he finished 28th in scoring and 33rd in
blocked shots. In the WIAC stats, he was second in scoring, third in rebounding,
first in blocks and ninth in field goal shooting. In the final three games
of the 2002 season he was 35-60 (.583) from the field with 29 rebounds
and 89 points. As a freshman in the WIAC, he finished 12th in scoring,
13th in rebounding and second in blocks. Melzer transferred to River Falls
High School from Minneapolis Washburn after his sophomore season. He was
named the 1999 Big Rivers Conference Player of the Year and led the Wildcats
to the Section finals. He averaged 18.7 points and 10 rebounds a game
his senior year in high school. He was named to the first All-Northwest
team and received honorable mention to the All-State squad. He was a red
shirt with the Falcons in 1999-2000. He is majoring in health & human
performance and business. He is the son of Paul and Teresa Cartwright.
|
 |
|
Mitch Coffman Mitch Coffman returns for the Falcons this season after
contributing late last year as a walk-on. Against UW-Eau Claire he recorded
career highs in points (4), rebounds (4) and assists (2). He figures to
be a key contributor on the front line this season after appearing in
14 games as a sophomore. He is the son of James and Karon. Coffman is
majoring in land use planning.
|
 |
|
Jeff Holt Jeff Holt made the most of appearing in 20 games for the
Falcons in 2003. He increased his scoring average to 2.7 points per game.
His best outing came against Viterbo when he scored 13 points. Holt came
off a red shirt season in 2001 and played in 13 games for the Falcons
in 2002. His best game was a six-point performance against Northwestern.
Holt, who is one of the best athletes on the team, will have opportunities
to contribute in 2002-03. Holt attended Elmwood High School where he was
named to the All-Conference team three times. He averaged 15 points per
game as a senior. He played in the Red Cross All-Star game. Dad, Jerry,
works for Timme Construction. Mom, Jayne, works as a legal assistant for
West group in Eagan, Minn. Older brother Ryan also works for Timme Construction.
He is majoring in marketing communications.
|
 |
|
Mark James Mark James transfers to UW-RF after playing the past two
seasons at Scotsdale, Ariz., Junior College. He played for former UW-RF
assistant coach Paul Eberhardt. He attended Horizon, Ariz., High School
where he was a two-year letter winner. He averaged 10 points, five rebounds,
two assists and two blocks a game. James was named to the all-conference
team and received honorable mention to the all-defensive squad. He is
the son of Deborah and Bernell and has one brother and one sister. He
is majoring in psychology. |
 |
|
Jesse Lam Jesse Lam was a vital presence on the front line for the
Falcons in 2003. He posted career highs in scoring (16) against Macalester,
rebounds (7) against La Crosse and assists (4) against Whitewater. Lam’s
7.3 point scoring average was fifth on the team. An excellent student,
Lam was named to the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll. He played in every game
in 2002 and started twice. He averaged 3.5 points and 1.5 rebounds a game.
His best scoring performance was an 11-point effort against Northwestern
when he was 5-7 from the field, and a season high four rebounds and four
steals in the game. He finished 39-75 (.520) from the field. He was a
red shirt for the Falcons in the 2000-01 season. He is majoring in art
education. Lam graduated from Brookfield East High School in suburban
Milwaukee. His senior season he averaged 12 points and 4 rebounds per
game. Father, Guy, played for legendary coach Al McGuire at Marquette
University and is a partner in Milwaukee Sporting Goods Corporation. Mother,
Mary, is a nurse. Siblings are Guy, Jr., a recent UWSP graduate; sister
Carry, graduated from UW-Green Bay, and sister Kelly is a senior at Brookfield
East High School. She recently signed a Div. I scholarship to play basketball
at Oklahoma. He is majoring in art education.
|
 |
|
Tyler Pivec Tyler Pivec is in his first year with the Falcons after
playing at the Minneapolis Community and Technical College. His father,
Jay, was his coach. At Minneapolis, Minn., Southwest High School he was
a two year starter and letter winner. He averaged five points, three rebounds
and seven assists with the Lakers. Pivec was named to the All-City team
in 2001. He is the son of Mary Louise and Jay and has one brother and
two sisters. He is majoring in psychology. |
 |
|
Josh Wacholtz Josh Wacholz red-shirted with the Falcons in 2003. He was
named to the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll last year. He played two seasons
at Rochester, Minn., Community and Technical College. At RCTC he averaged
15 points, five rebounds and five assists a game. He hit on 42 percent
of his shots from three-point range and was a 93 percent free throw shooter.
He was named to the South Division All-Star team. At John Marshall High
School he was a two-year starter and earned three letters. He averaged
19 points, nine rebounds and five assists as a senior. He was named the
Rochester Winter Athlete of the Year in 1999-2000. Wacholz has two brothers,
Ryan and Daniel. He is the son of Jim and Kathy. He is majoring in computer
science. |
 |
|
Ellery Burks Ellery Burks is in his first year with the Falcons after
playing at Brown Deer High School. He was named to the all-conference
team after earning three letters. He was a two-year starter. He helped
his team reach the Wisconsin State semifinals in 2002. He is the son of
Ceola and Michael and has one brother. He is majoring in health &
human performance. |
 |
|
Taylor Germain Taylor Germain is a first year player for the Falcons and will play guard. At Somerset High School he was twice named his team's Most Valuable Player. He averaged 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists. He was a three-year starter and earned three letters. He helped the Spartans to the regional title. He was named the conference's Most Valuable Player the past two years. Germain played in the WBCA All-Star game. He is the son of Julie and Tim and has one brother.
|
 |
|
Nick Hall Nick Hall returns for his second year with the Falcons after red shirting in 2003. He had a great career at Glenwood City High School. He averaged 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists in 2002. He was named to the all-conference team in 2002 and was given honorable mention to the team in 2001. He helped the Hilltoppers to the 2001 Wisconsin State Championship and a 26-1 record. The team won the conference title in 2000 and 2001 with Hall as a starter. Hall was his team’s leading rebounder and top free throw shooter. He has one brother, Scott, and one sister, Jesa. He is the son and Neil and Terry. He is majoring in math education with a minor in health & human performance. |
 |
|
Hans Hoeg Hans Hoeg joins the Falcons as a first year player. He helped Litchfield, Minn., High School to two state Class 2A championships. He averaged 14 points, four rebounds and three assists for the Dragons. Hoeg was named to the All-Area team twice and earned all-conference honors three times. He was named to the All-State tourney team in 2002 and 2003. He was a three-year starter and letter winner. He is the son of Beth and Tom and has one sister. He is majoring in business. |
 |
|
Eric Kossoris Eric Kossoris red-shirted with the Falcons in 2003 after playing at Waukesha South High School. He earned three letters and was a two-year starter at South. He averaged 15 points, four rebounds and two assists a game in 2002. He was named to the second all-conference team and finished in the top 15 in scoring in school history. Kossoris has one sister, Erin. He is the son of Tom and Carole, who are both educators. He is majoring in elementary education. |
 |
|
Corey Rondeau Cory Rondeau will play forward for the Falcons and is in his first year with the squad. He averaged 10 points, eight rebounds, two assists and three blocks a game last year at Grand Rapids, Minn., High School. He helped lead Grand Rapids to two conference titles and a third place finish in the Minnesota State tourney in 2002. He played in the Area All-Star game. He is the son of Kelly and Timothy. He has one brother and one sister. Rondeau is majoring in conservation. |
 |
|
Charlie Sowa Charlie Sowa is in his first year with the Falcons after playing at Rochester, Minn., Century High School. He helped the Panthers to the sectional title in 2002 and a runner-up finish in 2001. Sowa averaged 11 points, seven rebounds and four assists a game. He was a two-year starter and earned three letters. He was twice named to the all-conference team. He is the son of Lisa and Tony and has one sister. He is majoring in journalism. |
 |
|
Lance Wiersma Lance Wiersma joins the Falcons and will play guard. At Black River Falls High School he averaged 15 points, five rebounds and four assists for the Tigers. He earned three letters and was a two-year starter. The Tigers won conference championships the past two seasons. He is the son of Sarah and Leroy and has one brother and one sister. Wiersma is majoring in health & human performance. |
 |
|
Ryan Zylstra Ryan Zylstra will play center for the Falcons and is in his first season at UW-RF. At Annandale, Minn., High School he earned two letters and was a two-year starter. He averaged 17 points, 10 rebounds and one assists for the Cardinals. Zylstra was named to the all-conference team and was named his team's Most Valuable Player. He twice helped lead the team to the Sectional finals. He is the son of Darlene and Dave and has one brother and three sisters. He is majoring in business. |
 |
   |