Location: River Falls, WI 54022
Enrollment: 5,800
Chancellor: Ann Lydecker
WIAC faculty representatives: Rik Seefeldt, Barbara Rebhuhn
Athletic director: Rick Bowen (phone: 715/425-3246)
Associate athletic director: Patti Ford (phone: 715-425-3244)
Head coach: Faye Perkins (15th season, 289-248-1 career record) 715/425-3966
Assistant coaches: Jody Gabriel, Becky Albrecht, Brian Dwyer
National affiliation: National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Div. III
Conference: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Conference members: WIAC: Eau Claire, La Crosse, Oshkosh, Platteville, River Falls, Stevens Point, Stout, Superior, Whitewater
Nickname: Falcons
Colors: Red and White
WIAC championships: (3) 1987, 1993, 1994
2003 overall record: 20-17
2003 conference record, finish: 10-6, 3rd
2003 letter winners lost: (7) Tiff Blumer (OF), Amy Brooke (P), Kristen Halberg (C), Frances Hilpisch (2B), Amanda Moxon, (SS), Meghann Mulligan (1B), Holly Olson (SS)
2003 letter winners returning: (10) Devanie Bigalk (P), Emily Evans (3B/P), Carolyn Guisinger (1B/C), Abby Keene (OF), Anna Poulter (C), Emily Rodgers (OF), Jessamy Schwartz (3B), Emily Stahl (SS), Melissa Turbak (2B), Leah Vanderploeg (P)
Home field: Ramer Field
Trainer: Gary Eloranta 715/425-3130
Sports information director: Jim Thies 715/425-3846 (e-mail: james.g.thies@uwrf.edu)
Web site: http://www.uwrf.edu/sports/sports0304
Sports information fax: 715/425-4486

2004 Falcon Schedule
March 6 at Finlandia Dome Tourney
Vs Alverno, 8 a.m.
Vs. UM-Duluth, noon
March 7 at Finlandia Dome Tourney
Vs. Concordia, 8 a.m.
Vs. Finlandia, 11 a.m.
March 14-20 at Rebel Spring Games, Orlando, Fla.
March 14 vs. Rowan, 12:30 p.m.
Vs. Westminister, 4:10 p.m.
March 15 vs. Augsburg, 8:50 a.m.
Vs. Fairleigh-Dickinson, 12:30 p.m.
March 16 vs. Denison, 4:10 p.m.
Vs. Springfield, 6 p.m.
March 18 vs. Macalester, 8:50 a.m.
Vs. Otterbein, 10:40 a.m.
March 19 vs. Mount Vernon, 10:40 a.m.
Vs. Marian, 2:20 p.m.
March 27 at Augsburg Dome Tourney
vs. Augsburg, 11 a.m.
vs. UM-Morris, 1 p.m.
March 28 at Augsburg Dome Tourney
vs. UM-Morris, 11 a.m.
vs. Augsburg, 1 p.m.
March 30 at Eau Claire*, 4 p.m.
April 8 Stout* 3 p.m.
April 9 at Eau Claire Invitational
Vs. Hamline, 2 p.m.
Vs. St. Scholastica, 4 p.m.
April 10 at Eau Claire Invitational
Vs. Northland, noon
Vs. Viterbo, 2 p.m.
April 13 at La Crosse*, 3 p.m.
April 17 WIAC Cluster Tourney (at Platteville)
vs. Stevens Point, 11 a.m.
vs. Platteville, 1 p.m.
April 18 WIAC Cluster Tourney (at Platteville)
vs. Oshkosh, 8:30 a.m.
vs. Whitewater, 2:30 p.m.
April 22 at Superior*, 3 p.m.
April 24 at WIAC Cluster Tourney (at La Crosse)
vs. Whitewater, 3 p.m.
vs. Platteville, 5 p.m.
April 25 at WIAC Cluster Tourney (at La Crosse)
vs. Oshkosh, 2:30 p.m.
vs. Stevens Point, 4:30 p.m.
April 30 WIAC Tournament (at River Falls)
May 1 WIAC Tournament (at River Falls)
May 7-10 NCAA Regionals, TBD
May 13-17 NCAA Nationals (at Salem, Vir.)

2003 Falcon Results
20-17 Overall, 10-6 WIAC
Home 3-5, Away 4-4, Neutral 13-8

Date	Opponent	W-L	Score	Winning-Losing Pitcher
March 8	Nebraska Wesleyan	W	3-0	Brooke, W, 1-0
March 8	Nebraska Wesleyan	W	12-7	Bigalk, W, 1-0
March 17	vs. Millikin	W	3-1	Brooke, W, 2-0
March 17	vs. Allegheny	W	1-0	Bigalk, W, 2-0
March 18	vs. Geneva	L	7-4	Brooke, L, 2-1
March 18	vs. William Patterson	L	4-0	Brooke, L, 2-2
March 20	vs. St. Norbert	L	4-3	Vanderploeg, L, 0-1
March 20	vs. Illinois Wesleyan	L	2-1	Brooke, L, 2-3
March 25	at Winona	L	5-4	Brooke, L, 2-4
March 25	at Winona	W	3-2	Bigalk, W, 3-0
March 29	at Augsburg	W	10-7	Vanderploeg, W, 1-1
March 29	vs. La Crosse	L	5-1	Brooke, L, 2-5
March 30	vs. Nebraska Wesleyan	W	9-0	Brooke, W, 3-5
March 30	at Augsburg	W	4-3	Bigalk, W, 4-0
April 1	Concordia-St. Paul	L	1-0	Brooke, L, 3-6
	Concordia-St. Paul	L	7-1	Bigalk, L, 4-1
April 5	at Grinnell College Tournament
	vs. Williams Penn	W	3-1	Brooke, W, 4-6
	vs. Grinnell	L	1-0	Bigalk, L, 4-2
April 10	Eau Claire*	L	2-0	Brooke, L, 4-7
	Eau Claire*	L	4-1	Biglak, L, 4-3
April 12	WIAC Cluster Tournament (at Stevens Point)
	vs. Whitewater*	W	1-0	Brooke, W, 5-7
	vs. Platteville*	L	5-3	Vanderploeg, L, 1-2
April 13	WIAC Cluster Tournament (at Stevens Point
	vs. Oshkosh*	W	2-1 (8)	Brooke, W, 6-7
	vs. Stevens Point*	L	4-3	Bigalk, L, 4-4
April 15	at Stout*	L	2-1	Brooke, L, 6-8
	at Stout*	W	3-0	Bigalk, W, 5-4
April 18	La Crosse*	L	5-2	Brooke, L, 6-9
	La Crosse*	W	4-1	Bigalk, W, 6-4
April 24	Superior*	W	5-1	Brooke, W, 7-9
	Superior*	W	6-2	Bigalk, W, 7-4
April 26	at WIAC Cluster Tournament (at Menomonie)
	vs. Platteville*	W	7-2	Brooke, W, 8-9
	vs. Whitewater*	W	8-2	Bigalk, W, 8-4
April 27	at WIAC Cluster Tournament (at Menomonie)
	vs. Stevens Point*	W	8-6	Brooke, W, 9-9
	vs. Oshkosh*	W	10-0	Bigalk, W, 9-4
May 2	WIAC Tournament (at Platteville)
	vs. Stevens Point**	W	2-1	Bigalk, W, 10-4
	vs. Whitewater**	L	7-6 (9)	Bigalk, L, 10-5
May 3	WIAC Tournament (at Platteville)
	vs. Superior**	L	3-0	Brooke, L, 9-10

* WIAC Games
^ at Orlando, Fla.
# at Augsburg Tourney
% at Grinnell Tourney
** at WIAC Tourney

2004 UW-River Falls Preview
The 2004 Falcon softball team will rely on pitching and team speed in the quest for a WIAC Championship.
After a disappointing ninth place finish in 2002, the Falcons finished third in the WIAC standings last spring. The Falcons will try to move up a couple of more spots in 2004.

"Our strengths will be our pitching and speed," Coach Faye Perkins said. "We should be very solid up the middle with Anna Poulter at catcher, Devanie Bigalk at pitcher, Melissa Turbak at second and Abby Keene in center."

Two-time All-WIAC pitcher Bigalk returns as the No. 1 starter. The junior finished 10-5 last year with one save. She had a 1.48 ERA, second in the WIAC. Also back on the mound is junior Leah Vanderploeg who finished with a 1-2 record and a 2.81 ERA last year. Freshman Molly Arends could also see action on the mound. Gone is veteran pitcher Amy Brooke who was named to All-WIAC teams in each year she played and was the WIAC softball Scholar-Athlete in 2003.

The Falcons have three returning starters in the infield. Catcher Poulter is back after leading the team in hitting with a .411 average. She was fourth in hitting in the WIAC in 2003. The senior has excellent speed and led the WIAC in stolen bases last year with 38. She was named to the All-WIAC team and to the Great Lakes third All-Region team. Michelle Heuser and Margo Taylor will back Poulter up. Also back at second base is Turbak. The senior was named to the 2002 All-WIAC and Great Lakes All-Region third teams when she hit .386. Freshman Bre Syverson will also play second. Also back is Emily Evans who played third base last year. But the junior may be moved to first base in 2004. She hit .301 last year, third on the team. Carolyn Guisinger could also see action at first base. Emily Stahl was penciled in to take over at shortstop, but shoulder surgery has prevented her from practicing in the field. "If she doesn't play in the field, she will do some hitting for us," said Perkins. She hit .250 in 10 games last year. Returnee Jessamy Schwartz, UW-Eau Claire transfer Megan Blakeley, along with newcomers Erin Wood and Tina Robertson could also play at either third base and/or shortstop.

Senior Abby Keene returns to center field. She was named to the first All-WIAC team last year when she hit .343, second on the team. Keene was named the team's Most Valuable Defensive Player in 2003. Junior Emily Rodgers returns in right field. She hit .209 last year. First year players Michelle Kelley, Jamie Falck and Heuser will compete for the left field position.

2003 Returning Letter Winners

Go to the WIAC Softball Page

Faye Perkins
Head Coach
289-248-1 Career Record

Anna Poulter