WIAC Hockey Scholar-Athletes

Five Falcon hockey players have been named Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Max Sparger Scholar-Athletes.

The WIAC Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete Award is the most prestigious academic award given by the WIAC. It is currently sponsored by Verizon Communications. In order to be nominated for the award a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.25 grade point average, be in the last year of comeptition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year and have competed for a minimum of two years. The award is named after Max Sparger, who served as the WIAC Commissioner for 22 years.

The five Falcons won have won the award have demonstrated not only great athletic ability, but outstanding talents in the class room.

Tom Griffith won the award twice - after the 1986-87 and 1987-88 seasons.

Russ Johnson won the award after the 1995-96 season.

Jesse Sampair was honored after the 1998-99 season.

Jared Anderson brought the award to UWRF after the 2000-2001 season.

Rob Novak won the award after the 2003-04 season.

Griffith was a member of the 1988 Falcon team which won the NCAA Div. III National Championship. The Falcons won the WIAC championship in each year he participated. The forward was also named to the College Sports Information Directors of America’s National All-Academic team in 1988. He was named to the All-NCHA Academic team in 1987 and 1988. He received All-WIAC honorable mention honrs in 1987. Griffith finished his career with 36 goals and 65 assists for 101 points.

Johnson earned three varsity letters for the Falcons and was a member of the 1994 team which won the NCAA Div. III National Championship. The Falcons competed in the NCAA tournament in all three years that Johnson played. He was named to the All-NCHA Academic team in 1995 and 1996. Johnson was named to the second All-WIAC team in 1994. He was named to the AHCA All-American team after his final season. He finished with 47 goals and 83 assists for 130 points.

Sampair was a shifty forward who played for three seasons with the Falcons. He was named to the first All-WIAC teams in 1998 and 1999. He helped the Falcons reach the NCAA Div. III playoffs in 1998. He finished his career with 41 goals and 41 assists for 82 points.

Anderson played a key role for the Falcons for four seasons. He helped the 2001 and 1998 teams to the NCAA Div. III National Championships. He was named to the first All-WIAC team in 2001 and was given honorable mention in 1999 and 2000. He was named to the All-NCHA Academic teams in 2000 and 2001. He finished his career with 45 goals and 39 assists for 84 points.

Novak played for the Falcons from 2000-2004 and was one of the team captains in 2004. He helped the Falcons reach three NCAA National Tournaments (2001, 2003, 2004) and the Falcons finished fourth in 2001. He was three times named to the NCHA All-Academic team. He earned honorable mention to the 2002 and 2003 All-NCHA teams and honorable mention to the 2002 All-WIAC unit. He played in 125 career games and scored 33 goals and 57 assists for 90 career points. He had four power-play and three game-winning goals.