Falcon Rob Novak (Sr., Hayward, Wis.) has been named the 2004 WIAC Max Sparger hockey Co-Scholar-Athlete.

Novak is majoring in elementary education with a minor in health and coaching and carries a 3.918 grade point average. He is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll as well as a three-time selection on the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) All-Academic Team. Novak has been named to UW-River Falls' Dean's List six semesters and has received his institution's Oostendorp Student-Athlete Award, which goes to the men's hockey player with the highest GPA, the past two years.

Novak helped the Falcons to a share of the WIAC championship this season and received honorable mention to the all-league squad in 2002. He was recognized on the All-NCHA honorable mention team a year ago. Novak participated in the NCAA Div. III playoffs in 2001 and 2003 and helped the Falcons reached the Frozen Four in 2001. He is one of the team's captains.

Novak has been a member of UW-River Falls' Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

This year he has played in every game (27) and has scored three goals and 14 assists for 17 points. He has played 121 career games and has scored 33 goals and 59 assists for 92 points. He has scored four power-play and three game-winning goals.

The Falcons are 19-4-4 overall and finished 4-2-2 in the WIAC and 8-3-3 in the NCHA. The Falcons have reached the semifinals of the 2004 NCHA playoffs.

He is the fifth Falcon to win the Scholar-Athlete award. Previous UWRF winners include; Tom Griffith (1987 and 1988), Russ Johnson (1996), Jesse Sampair (1999) and Jared Anderson (2001).

He shares the 2004 award with UW-Stout's Lewis Kellin.

The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is sponsored by Culver's. In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.25 grade point average, be in their last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years.

Go to the WIAC hockey web site.

Go to the NCHA web site.

Go to the Falcon Statistics web site.