Falcon Fastpitch Assistant Coaches
Feb. 2, 2005

Jody Gabriel Jody (Porter) Gabriel starts her third year as an assistant softball coach at UW-River Falls. "Jody has been a great fit for the team. She knows the UW-RF program, understands my coaching philosophy, and is very familiar with the caliber of ball in the WIAC. Her strength are working defensively with first and third base, and working offensively with the team. Her coaching experiences, leadership and organizational abilities have been great assets to the team and coaching staff, " Coach Faye Perkins said. Gabriel coached at St. Mary's, Minn., University for two years where the Cardinals were co-MIAC champions in 2001 and placed second in 2002. In 2001 the Cardinals placed fourth in the NCAA National Tournament. She worked primarily with infield corners and hitters. She has also coached at the high school and traveling levels in Hudson, Hastings, River Falls and Forest Lake, Minn., her hometown. Gabriel competed with the Falcons from 1994-96. She 1994 team won the WIAC title and qualified for the a NCAA Regional. The 1994 team also had the second highest grade point average in the nation. She played high school ball at Forest Lake from 1990-92. She earned her undergraduate degree from UW-RF in accounting in 1996 and her M.S.E. degree (social studies) from UW-RF in 2000. She is currently teaching social studies at Hudson High School. She is married to Barry Gabriel and they have a daughter, Sydney, who was born in January, 2004. They live in Hudson with their two yellow labs.

Jody Gabriel

Brian Dwyer

Brian Dwyer is in his second year as an assistant coach with the Falcons.

Dwyer played semi-professional baseball in South Carolina and Virginia where he both played and managed. His team won five division titles and one league championship. He was named to the league’s All-Star team as a manager/player five times. While stationed in Germany, he played baseball with the U. S. Army. Dwyer coached an AAU team of 13-15 year olds and has also given private hitting and fielding instruction.

He is currently a student in the UWRF health & human performance department. He plans to finish his undergraduate work at UWRF and then go on to compete his Master’s degree. He plans to teach and coach at the collegiate level.

“Brian has been a great addition to the coaching staff. Last year, in his first year with the program, Brian was learning our system and finding his “fit” with the team. This year, I see Brian stepping up into a more active coaching role and helping with administrative duties. His love of the game and the technical analysis will continue to contribute to the success of the individual player and the team as a whole,” Coach Faye Perkins said.

Brian Dwyer

Anna Poulter

Anna Poulter is in her first year as an assistant coach. Poulter played softball for UWRF from 2001-04. During her career she earned All-WIAC honors at catcher and right field. She was named to the third All-Great Lakes Regional team in 2003 and to the first All-Great Lakes Regional team in 2004. In 2004, Poulter was also named the WIAC Scholar Athlete —the highest honor awarded by the conference. She led the Falcons in hitting in 2004 with a .370 average. She set UWRF and WIAC records for most stolen bases in a single season (53) and she also holds the WIAC and UWRF record for career stolen bases (121). Poulter finished third in the NCAA Div. III in stolen bases in 2004. She finished with a .329 career batting average and played 151 career games with the Falcons. She was the team's captain in 2003 and 2004 and was named a NFCA Scholar-Athlete three times. She has been named to the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll four times.

Poulter earned her undergraduate degree from UW-River Falls in physical education in 2004. She plans on attending graduate school in athletic administration in the fall. She is married to Nate Hendrickson, who is currently stationed in Iraq. "It’s great to have Anna join the coaching staff. Anna is a furiously competitive ball player," according to Coach Perkins. "As an assistant coach, I feel that she will help push the team to work harder and expect more."

Anna Poulter