By Tara Sowle
UWRF Sports Information

After a long and successful career with the Falcons, senior Lou Paulson looks to end her career putting it all on the table.

Paulson made a big impact on the Falcon team beginning with her freshman year.   During her first year, she was third on the team in goals (10), second in points (24) and first in assists (14).

And she only got better from there.  

In the 2004 season she was named to the All-NCHA first team and was the league's Player of the Week on Dec. 8 and Feb. 2. She was named one her team's captain and ended the season with 14 goals and 30 points. Three of those goals were game winners and another three were power-play goals, which proved to be Paulson's specialty.  

Last year she really proved herself as one of the top collegiate players by making her second appearance on the first All-NCHA team. She finished eighth in the NCAA Div. III in short-handed goals and led the Falcons in goals with 13 and was second in points with 19.  

Be sure to look for Paulson in the Falcon record books with most career points as she is currently in third place, but needs only two more to move up to second and 14 more to take over the top spot.

Her plans for her senior year are simple. "I want to work hard and win."   She sees this season as having a lot of potential and her team goals are high. "We're shooting to win the regular season and conference playoff championships - we're aiming to go as high as we can."  

She has been her team's captain for the last three years and says her job is easier this year. "It's not so much telling people what to do anymore. It's a more in depth role because a lot of them are returning players."

Falcon Coach Joe Cranston sees the potential in Paulson. "She sets her own expectations. She leads by example. I just hope she can stay healthy, if that happens, she will have a great year." Paulson had a pulled muscle after the team's first game against Gustavus Adolphus and had to sit out against Augsburg. But Duluth, Minn., native came back to play in the next weekend against St. Thomas and Bethel. Cranston named her the Falcon Player of the Week for her "hard work" during those games.

"I don't have any goals or expectations for her; she's a great person and a good hockey player, and good things come to people like that. I hope we can have a great season, that would be deserving of our three seniors," said Cranston.

Paulson is one of the team leaders again this season. She leads the team with six points and has scored three goals. Already this year she has twice been named the team's Player of the Week, including after the Falcons opened NCHA play last weekend with a sweep at Eau Claire.

What Paulson will miss the most are, "the friends I have made and going out everyday and competing with teammates and other teams."   She doesn't plan to go on playing competitively but hopes to keep playing for fun and might go into coaching,   "to see it from a different perspective."

Paulson looks back on her seasons with the Falcons and playing for Cranston as a great experience. "It has been the best sports experience of my life. Cranston has taught me so much about the game and just life in general. It is always fun because he is a friend just as much as he is my coach."

Lou Paulson